Dana Rene Bowler / Star staff Aislinn Smalling was a versatile and powerful swimmer during her record-setting high school career. She was even a star in the classroom and will attend Princeton in the fall.

Aislinn Smalling left her signature as one of the great Westlake High swimmers.

The Princeton-bound swimmer was second in the CIF-Southern Section Masters Meet in Long Beach in the 200-yard freestyle (1 minute, 49.12 seconds) and third in the 500 freestyle (4:52.20).

The Marmonte League champion in the two freestyle events (1:51.34 and 5:03.62) was a CIF-SS Division II runner-up in 1:49.48 and 4:52.47.

Smalling's Warriors earned a CIF-SS championship her junior season when she was a first-team All-Ventura County Star swimmer. The Warriors finished second in the divisional finals this spring as Smalling led the charge in anchoring Westlake's 200 freestyle relay team (1:37.98, third in the non-scoring Masters Meet) and the second-place 400 freestyle relay (3:32.30).

"I had two best times in individual events, which were nice to have," said Smalling, a record-setter in the school's 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley.

This year's Star's Girls' Swimmer of the Year bettered records set by Leslie Daland, who was a star swimmer in the 1980s when the Warriors celebrated their first girls' team championship.

"The CIF 200 freestyle relay broke the Division II record and the 400 freestyle relay was second in Masters and we beat Division I teams," said Smalling. "My last high school meet was really fun."

Smalling isn't just a standout in the pool, she is a scholar-athlete who agonized between going to Ivy League schools Princeton and Harvard.

"I loved both teams and coaches," she said.

But Princeton was where she said her heart was.

"It was hard to turn down (Harvard), but I'm happy and really excited," said Smalling.

After graduating from Westlake, Smalling will continue to train and compete in Southern California swimming meets.

She will punctuate her swimming career in August by competing in the Junior Nationals in Minneapolis.

Her trip to the Land of 10,000 Lakes will allow her an opportunity to check out the Mall of America in the Twin Cities before moving on to her college.

Smalling can look back at a stellar prep career.

Her final season produced an exciting rivalry with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo-bound Camille Duckett from Thousand Oaks. Duckett was the 200 freestyle champion in Division II (1:49.36), edging Smalling, the Marmonte League champion. Smalling was the league champion in the 500 freestyle.

Duckett was third in the Masters in the 200 (1:49.43) and second in the league finals (1:53.32).

Both girls were team MVPs and standout club swimmers during their four years of high school swimming.

"Winning CIF last year was amazing," she said of her individual and team performances.

As a youngster, Smalling's parents had moved into a new home with a pool. They wanted their daughter to learn pool safety so they enrolled her in swimming safety courses. She went from a 6-year-old novice swimmer to Conejo Simi Aquatics by age 10.

Smalling credits her current club coach, Steve Reardon of Class Aquatics, because by the time she was ready to plunge into high school, she said she was burned out as a club swimmer.

"He worked on my stroke techniques and got me back to where swimming was fun," said Smalling. "Steve is an amazing coach."

Smalling says she has been fortunate to be coached by Reardon in club and Todd Irmas at Westlake.

"It was very rewarding," she said. "To see all our hard work get rewarded."

When she was novice in the Daland program, run by Leslie's family, Smalling probably could have become a champion in gymnastics or horseback riding.

She decide to pursue swimming.

Smalling credits her parents, Jill and Ralph, for her academic and athletic success as well as her 16-year-old sister, Cayley, who finished her sophomore varsity season and continues her Class Aquatics career.

Now, Smalling leaves her legacy for another Warrior to chase.