HAYWARD, Calif. – Cal State East Bay swimming will host fellow Pacific Coast Swim Conference (PCSC) member Fresno Pacific at Pioneer Pool on Friday, Jan. 17. The following day the Pioneers will head out to dual with San Jose State to close out their weekend.

Saturday is the first home meet for the Pioneers in over a month, and just their second of three they will host this season. Last season Cal State East Bay defeated Fresno Pacific 164-114 during the regular season. Head Coach Ben Loorz picked up his first win over the Sunbirds in three tries after taking over during the 2010-11 season.

Cal State East Bay and Fresno Pacific have faced four common opponents this season in Division I Fresno State, along with Azusa Pacific, Biola, and Cal Baptist. Both squads went 2-2 against the four programs but the Pioneers lost on average by just 37.5 points, while the Sunbirds defeats came by 156.5 point margins.

Shelby Case, Sofie Gjemmestad, and Kendall Swanson are arguably the Sunbirds strongest individual swimmers. Case currently has three top-11 times among PCSC swimmers including the 500 free (6^th), 1,000 free (11^th), and 400 individual medley (4^th) this season. Gjemmestad holds three top-10 PCSC marks this year in the 50 free (9^th), 100 free (8^th) and 200 free (7^th).

Swanson recorded three runner-up individual finishes at last year's PCSC Championships doing so in the 100 breast, 200 breast, and 200 IM. Her current marks in the 100 and 200 breast events are the fastest among all PCSC swimmers this season.

East Bay's Caitlin DeNise has shown her range in the pool holding several top-10 PCSC marks. She currently holds five top-6 individual times among PCSC swimmers doing so in the 50 free (5^th), 100 free (2^nd), 100 back (6^th), 100 fly (3^rd), and 200 IM (3^rd). In a meet that could be closely decided strategy may play a role in which events she swims on Friday.

Madison Hauanio was named the East Bay Female Athlete of the Week following her standout performance in a tri-meet this past Saturday with Azusa Pacific and Biola. She won three individual events and went 4-for-4 after anchoring the team's 200-yard medley relay to victory.

The two relays could prove the difference in Friday's result as the 11-4-2 scoring system provides a chance to pad a lead or close the deficit. The best times for both teams in the 200-yard and 400-yard distances of both the free and medley relays are within three seconds.

East Bay will face a Division I San Jose State squad they lost to by a slim 133-104 margin last season. The Pioneers have closed the gap between themselves and the Spartans each of the past three seasons under Loorz after losing by 115 points in 2010-11, and 44 during the 2011-12 season.

Cal State East Bay received votes towards the latest NCAA Division II national rankings, release on January 10. The Pioneers received the 29th most points towards the top-25 poll.