DENVER - The Western Athletic Conference announced its men's and women's swimming and diving pre-championship coaches polls, as voted on by the seven men's head coaches and the eight women's head coaches in the league. Air Force was selected as the favorite to win the men's championship and NM State and Northern Arizona were tied as the favorite to win the women's championship.
On the men's side, Air Force was picked as the favorite with four first place votes and 34 points overall. Grand Canyon captured second place with 32 points and three first place votes. Right behind the ‘Lopes is Wyoming with 27 points. UNLV was voted fourth with 21 points. CSU Bakersfield with 16 points and North Dakota with 12 points grab the fifth and sixth spots and Seattle U rounds out the men's poll with six points.
For the women, NM State and Northern Arizona were picked as the favorites to win the conference championship. The Aggies received three first place votes and a total of 43 points while the Lumberjacks received four first place votes and a total of 43 points. Grand Canyon also received a first place vote and a total of 36 points. Idaho grabs the fourth spot with 33 points. North Dakota with 29 points, CSU Bakersfield with 20 points and Northern Colorado with 13 points are fifth, sixth, and seventh, respectively. Seattle U rounds out the women's poll in eighth place with seven points.
The 2016 Western Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving championships will take place at the CRWC Natatorium in Houston, Texas this Thursday-Saturday, February 24-27.
2016 Pre-Championship Men's Swimming and Diving Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st - place votes) Points
1 Air Force (4) 34
2 Grand Canyon (3) 32
3 Wyoming 27
4 UNLV 21
5 CSU Bakersfield 16
6 North Dakota 12
7 Seattle U 6
2016 Pre-Championship Women's Swimming and Diving Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st - place votes) Points
1 NM State (3) 43
1 Northern Arizona (4) 43
3 Grand Canyon (1) 36
4 Idaho 33
5 North Dakota 29
6 CSU Bakersfield 20
7 Northern Colorado 13
8 Seattle U 7