DENVER ? The 2007-08 WAC Swimming & Diving season is officially underway, with several teams already in action and several other to begin competition in the coming weeks. Nevada looks to defend its 2006-07 WAC Championship and earn its second consecutive title, as the others look to make waves and come away with this season’s championship.
Boise State Broncos
As a second-year program, Boise State enters the season with its first official recruiting class in place, boasting athletes from all over North America, including Canada, Hawaii and Alaska ... the Broncos finished in eighth-place at last season’s WAC Championship event in San Antonio, but not without setting school records in all 13 individual events, all five relays and all three diving events ... along with the 11 newcomers to the squad, top returners for the Broncos include senior Jennifer Dorling and juniors Holly Chatelain and Kelsey Woodfield ... the Broncos first action will come on Oct. 12-13 when they travel to Fort Collins to enter the pool against the Rams of Colorado State.
Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine
Hawai?i comes off two season-opening dual meets with the Sun Devils of Arizona State, falling 177-123 on Sept. 28, and 159-122 on Sept. 29 in Honolulu ... the Rainbow Wahine were led by newcomer Emma Berry, who captured first place in five of her six entries ... Berry touched the wall first in the 1,000-freestyle, 500-freestyle and 400-IM on Sept. 28, and in the 400-meter freestyle and 800-meter freestyle on Sept. 29 ... sophomore Emma Friesen took both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard with scores that qualified her for the NCAA Zone Diving Regional in March ... the Rainbow Wahine will have the month of October off in preparation for both the Lincoln Aquatic Shootout and the USC Diving Invitational, which take place the first weekend in November.
Idaho Vandals
Idaho got its feet wet in the first meet of the season, coming up short against Washington State, 278-158 in Pullman on Sept. 28 ... freshman Alyson O’Brien earned third in the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 28.79 seconds, while teammate, and fellow freshman, Anna Humphrey took third in the 50-yard butterfly after completing a 26.59 second swim ... other top returners for the Vandals include senior JoJo Miller and sophomore Mandy Stone ... this week, the Vandals head to Westwood, Calif. to take on the Bruins of UCLA.
Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada returns as the reigning WAC Swimming & Diving Champion, looking to repeat as champions in 2007-08 ... former assistant coach Mike Richmond was named interim head coach, replacing Mike Shrader who left to take the helm at San Diego State University ... top returners for the Wolf Pack include 2007 WAC Freshman of the Year Margaret Doolittle, seniors Bobbie Lee Reese and Michaela Schmidt and junior Kim Kabesh ... Nevada will host its Blue and Silver Intrasquad Dual meet this weekend in Reno ... the Wolf Pack’s first official competition will be Oct. 19-20 at the Stanford Diving Invitational in Stanford, Calif. and the Pacific Invitational in Stockton, Calif.
New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State competed in its Crimson & White Intrasquad Meet on Sept. 28, with 11 newcomers making their first appearance for the Aggies ... freshman Kelly Conrad led the Crimson team with a pair of wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle, while sophomore Alyson Clements of the White squad was also a multiple-event winner with victories in the 200 and 500 freestyle ... sophomore Bonnie Taylor also made an impact for the Crimson with a pair of wins in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM ... last season the Aggies program was honored for its work in the classroom, who ranked second nationally in team GPA ... the Aggies officially open up their season on Oct. 12 when they host Rice and Northern Colorado in a double-dual meet.
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
Northern Arizona held its 12th annual swimming Pentathlon on Sept. 21, with sophomore Rachel Foe scoring the most points for the second-straight year ... Foe won the meet with 3,180 points as a freshman last season, and upped her total to 3,600 points to win this year, earning top times in the 200 IM, 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle ... other top returners for the Lumberjacks include junior Tami Binek, sophomore Renee Rother and newcomer Kim Kopra ... the first official competition for the Lumberjacks is Oct. 26-27 when they travel to Texas to take on TCU on Friday and North Texas and Texas A&M on Saturday.
San Diego Toreros
San Diego wrapped up its 2006-07 season with a seventh place finish overall at the WAC Championship meet in San Antonio ... the Toreros earned their best score in the three years they have been in the WAC earning 245 points ... top returners for the Toreros include junior Erin Voyles and sophomores Tina Levesque and Kristen Yoon ... San Diego will host its Intrasquad Meet on Oct. 11 and the following weekend the Alumni Meet will take place in San Diego on Oct. 20 ... the Toreros take to the pool on Oct. 27 when they head to Westwood, Calif. to compete with the Bruins of UCLA.
San Jose State Spartans
San Jose State enters the 2007-08 season under third-year head coach Sage Hopkins, in search of a best-ever, top three finish at the 2008 WAC Championship meet in San Antonio ... the Spartans are set to host four home meets this season after having just one home event a year ago ... San Jose State returns 10 letterwinners and two-time WAC individual champion Brie Marhenke, along with 18 newcomers added to the roster ... the Spartans open up their season this Friday, Oct. 5, at perennial national powerhouse Stanford, marking the third consecutive season since Hopkins took over the program that the Spartans will open their season against the Cardinal.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO SAN ANTONIO ? The 2008 edition of the WAC Championship returns to Palo Alto Natatorium in San Antonio. Nevada will look to defend its 2007 title in hopes of capturing its second WAC championship in a row. The Championship will be held Feb. 20-23, 2008.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP ? The 2008 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship will be held in Columbus, Ohio, March 20-22. Hawai?i tied for 27th in 2007.
2007 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Columbus, Ohio
McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion
Host: Ohio State University