American River College hosted the 2022 Big 8 Conference Swim Championships from April 21 through April 23. In addition to ARC, Consumnes River, Diablo Valley, Modesto, Sacramento City, San Joaquin Delta, Santa Rosa and Sierra competed.

It was a three-day upbeat event. There was music playing that the athletes and fans enjoyed. 

Sierra College was the overall winner; their point total for men’s was 934.50.

The ARC Beavers won the men’s 3-meter diving by Brian Bedford, the women’s 3-meter diving by Jadyn Reeves, the women’s 100-yard free stroke by Haven Fasani and the men’s 1650-yard free stroke by Tomas Townsend. 

Fasani, an ARC sophomore, won the women’s 100-yard free stroke with a time of 54:35. Fasani was also on the ARC water polo team, but will be transferring to Sacramento State for the fall semester. 

“I was really shocked I won,” Fasani said. “[I’m] happy with how I did.”

Townsend, an ARC sophomore, won the 1650-yard free stroke. Townsend’s time was 16:46:81. He was striving for a record time. The Mile is not his main event.

“It’s OK. I’m not super crazy about it,” Townsend said. “It would have been nice to have won the individual medley or the breaststroke.”

Each school put up a tent around the pool claiming its section for their team. 

“It feels good to have it at our home pool,” said Claire Athey, an ARC general science major. “It is definitely an advantage.”