records during their freshman campaigns opened many eyes. look forward to. As the season progressed, I realized there are Prenot received slightly more notoriety in his first season in a lot of bigger things at stake than just what I wanted. When Berkeley when was named the 2013 Pac-12 Newcomer of the you get wrapped up in the team concept, you can accomplish Year in the spring after winning the conference title in the 400- both what you want, as well as what the team needs.” yard individual medley. He later placed fourth in the 400 IM at “The coolest thing is that Jacob and I finally have the team elthe NCAA Championships and set a new school record with a ement,” Prenot said. “It is so nice to have 30 other like-minded time of 3:40.49. He also placed fifth in the 200 IM and was fifth people on our team. We hold each other accountable, and that in the 200 breast at the NCAA meet. is what helps us succeed.” Pebley was also a major contributor on the Bears’ 2012-13 Along with helping Prenot and Pebley thrive at the collegiate squad that went undefeated in dual competitions and wres- level, the team environment has also aided them in their quest tled the conference team title away from Stanford for the first to represent Team USA in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Olympics. time in 31 years. One of the key Reaping the benefit of training moments was a victory by the alongside such Bear legends Bears’ 400 medley relay with as Olympic gold medalists Pebley on the leadoff backstroke Nathan Adrian and Anthony leg. After owning one of the naErvin on a regular basis at tion’s top times in the 200-yard Spieker Aquatics Complex, backstroke for the majority of both are now members of the year, he placed third in the the U.S. Men’s National Team event at the NCAA Championalong with Adrian, Ervin, reships, establishing a Cal record cent graduate Tom Shields and with a time of 1:39.71. Pebley current Cal freshman Ryan was also seventh in the 100 back Murphy. at the NCAA meet. Pebley has been on the U.S Between Prenot and Pebley, National Team for the past two the two Cal newcomers scored years and last summer capa combined 71 points in their Jacob Pebley was one of the top backstrokers in the nation as a tured bronze medals in both freshman. first NCAA competition, as the the 100-meter and 200-meBears finished as the national ter backstroke at the World runner-up after winning backUniversity Games in Kazan, to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. Russia. Prenot earned his first Given their backgrounds, neispot on the national squad ther Prenot nor Pebley were when he finished the summer used to being major contributors ranked sixth in the nation in on a championship squad. the 400-meter IM. Prenot was home schooled For Cal men’s swimming (Family Partnership Charter & diving, the drive for excelSchool) by his parents, Bill and lence extends beyond the pool Tammy, and took some commudespite all the competition nity college classes online prior between the lane lines. Both to coming to Cal. He started swim Prenot and Pebley were well lessons as an infant before beginaware what each other was ning training with the Santa Madoing during the recruiting Josh Prenot was named the 2013 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year. ria Swim Club under coach Mike process. The combination Ashmore. of athletics and academics “In club swimming, I would have my own lane in practice, do- brought the two swimmers to Berkeley. ing long distance sets and grinding it out by myself,” Prenot said. “I couldn’t be happier with my choice to come to Cal,” said “At Cal, all the guys you are training with are going to be push- Prenot, who plans on majoring in physics. “Not only are Dave ing you to be your best every day. Without being challenged like (Durden) and Yuri (Suguiyama, assistant coach) the best this, I don’t think I would be as fast as I am right now.” coaches, they are some of the best people in the world. Also, we For Pebley, he took up swimming at age five, but lessons have the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s greatnever clicked for him. He originally started on a club team in est professors. The Cal education is so valuable to have once Albany, Ore., before his family moved to Corvallis and he joined your swimming career is over. Our goal is to have our NCAA Corvallis Aquatics under coach Rick Gunther. Pebley attended squad with a team GPA over 3.0. Coach Durden always tells us one swim team meeting at Crescent Valley High School but de- there is a straight correlation between the team’s GPA and its cided against competing for his school. success at the NCAA Championships.” “Before I came to Cal, I was always swimming for just me, “Cal is very challenging,” echoed Pebley, who is interested in me, me,” Pebley said. “And here, this is more of a ‘we’ thing. You majoring in psychology. “Not just in the pool, but in the classcan really build off of all that emotion you get from your team- room as well. It keeps you on your toes, and that can help you mates. I was accepted so well by the team that I had so much to in all aspects of your life.” fall 2013
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