This Week In WAC Swimming and Diving - Jan. 22
This Week In WAC Swimming and Diving - Jan. 22
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MEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: JAN. 13- JAN. 19
Air Force's Wen Zhang and CSU Bakersfield's Adam Estrella has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Swimmer and Diver of the Week, respectively, for Jan 13- Jan 19.
Zhang, the freshman from Dothan, Ala., earned four first-place finishes, all in freestyle, this week. Zhang was victorious in the 200 free (1:39.97), 500 free (4:47.21), 200 free (1:20.00) and the 100 free (45.62). Not only did he excel in his individual events Zhang was apart on the winning 400 free relay team.
Estrella, the junior from Rancho Cordova, Calif., competed hard this week. Estrella scored a 260.55 in the 1-meter board,placing second. He scored a 275.40 in the 3-meter board which allowed him to capture first.
WOMEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: JAN. 13 - JAN. 19
CSU Bakersfield's Mikayla Popham and Northern Arizona's Jenny Cheetham has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women's Swimmer and Diver of the Week, respectively, for Jan. 13 - Jan. 19.
Popham, the freshman from Sunshine Coast, Australia, secured three individual wins this week as well as anchoring the winning 200 Medley Relay team. Popham won the 200 Free (1:54.31) by 3.19 seconds, 200 IM (2:08.20) by 7.04 seconds, 500 Free (5:04.06) by 10.09 seconds.
Cheethan, a junior from Phoenix, Arizona, beat her WAC counterparts in the 1-meter board this week with a final total of 493.85. In the 3-meter board, Cheethan was only one point away from being in the finals, 244.10. She also competed on the Platform this week, beating NMSU (172.30).
OTHER ATHLETES OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
Other men's swimmer nominee: CBU's Joe Molinari captured three individual victories this week ... CSU Bakersfield's Kris Rogic had three first place wins and a first place win as he anchored the 400 Free Relay (3:04.40)... UNLV's Chris Mykkanen won both of the competed freestyle events, while taking second in the 200 Free Relay (1:23.25)... Seattle U's Greg Raper had 4 top place-place finishes, with first in the 50 free (21.42)... Wyoming's Grant Sloan gets two first place wins in the 100 breaststroke (56.70, 55.58).
Other men's diver nominee: CBU's Evan Honer has a personal best in the six-dive platform with a score of 275.40... UNLV's Jesse Cawley had a top 10 finish on the 1-meter board (545.80)... Wyoming's Elijah Chan scored 203.15 in the 1-meter board and 216.65 in the 3-meter board.
Other women's swimmer nominees: CBU's Rita Smirnova had two first-place finishes in the 50 free (24.44) and 100 free (52.99)... Northern Arizona's Maddie Seidl also had two first-place finishes, 200 fly (2:07.22) and 100 fly (57.70)... Seattle U's Danika Himes had three top finishes, with one first-place win in the 200 back (2:09.96).
Other women's diver nominees: CSUB's Lauren Carson, set personal on the 1-meter with score of 222.50 to surpass her previous best score by 8.75 total points... CBU's Madeline Weise, finished 31st on the 3-meter board (216.70) and 36th on the 1-meter board (212.05).
Air Force
The Falcons won their dual against WAC's Seattle U. On the first day, the Falcons dominated all 13 contests, with four 1-2 finishes and two 1-2-3 finishes. There were five individual wins as well, in the 1000 free by Jaykob Williams, 500 free by Wen Zhang, 200 breast by Zach Nelson, as well as the 50 free which was freshman Corey Shepard, and the 200 back which was Gabriel Bartolomei. On the rematch, the Falcons had the same drive, winning 142-63. This day, Air Force came in first seven of the 11 competed in, while also taking second in the other four.
California Baptist
The Lady Lancers matched up against the Cowgirls this week but fell. Rita Smirnova dominated the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle (24.44, 52.99) giving the Lady Lancers the two first-place wins. While Nicole Cienega followed suit in the 100 butterfly (56.45) and the 200 butterfly (2:06.79). Hanna Houlton and Emily Longfellow both had two top-three finishes in their individual swims.
The Lancers went to the hard this week where Joe Molinari won three individual events for CBU. He swept both the 100 and 200-yard backstrokes, with respective times of 50.98 seconds and 1:52.51, and won the 400 individual medley (4:03.61) in the second-to-last event of the day. Jacob Leahy led the win in the 400-freestyle relay, with Sean Foster, Josh Walters and Matthew Niculae (3:03.37). That same quartet took second place in the first event of the day, the 400-medley relay (3:21.36).
CSU Bakersfield
Both Runners teams collected wins in their dual against Fresco State. The Lady 'Runners was led by Mikayla Popham with four first-place finishes. Jayssie Haynes picked up the 35th individual win of her career in the 1000 Free, 10:30.98. Ariane Skeggs posted a pair of runner-up finishes in the 1000 Free (10:33.92) and the 500 Free (5:14.15). Lauren Carson took first in the 1-meter board. She posted a final score of 222.50.
The 'Runners were led by Kris Rogic who won four events. Sam Ybarra earned gold in the 200 Fly with a time of 1:54.25 to post a personal best. Bryan Perez put up a personal best of 4:40.67 to win the 500 Free. Adam Estrella won when he scored a 275.40 in the 3-meter event, while sophomore Nate Cummins gave the `Runner men a sweep in the diving well collecting his first win of the season with a 261.20 on the 1-meter board.
Idaho
The Vandals took down George Fox in a dual meet, winning 13 of the 14 events. Aimee Iwamoto won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:07.13, then took the 200-breast in 2:25.10. Iwamoto joined Katie Hale, Rylie Jones and Natalie Crocker to win the 200-yard medley in 1:48.26.
Kaling Phung won the 100-yard backstroke in 57.79 seconds and won the 100-yard freestyle in 54.45 seconds. Haylee Buyers earned two wins as well. Brianna Lucien won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:56.90. Alexis Schmidt took the victory in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:09.96.
NM State
The Lady Aggies competed in the UCLA Diving Invitatational. On the first day, Italia Aranzabal checked in at 43rd (196.30) while Lily Ellis placed 49th (173.30). On the follow day, the Aggies entered in the 3m event. Ellis finished 47th with a score of 171.70 and Aranzabal came in at 33rd with a 209.70.
Northern Arizona
The 'Jacks took their win of the year against Dixie State. Alice Hick, swam in the 1000 freestyle taking first with a time of 10:45.48. Brooke Seiber anchored in the the 200 freestyle, along with Abby Nelson, Clara Foster, and her sister, Sam Seiber, to finish fifth at 1:44.55. Clara Foster bested her previous record in the 50 free with a new time of 25.77.
Northern Colorado
The Bears battle Seattle U and Air Force this week. The Bears defeated Seattle 181-49 and fell to the host Falcons 147-91. Anna Austin (1000 free, 10:49.21), Petra Kis (200 IM,2:11.87) and Maddy Moore(100 free, 52.19) each earned a first place finish. Tori Sayers earned gold in the 1-meter board with a score of 231.75 and Keeley Coffee had the top 3 meter score of 202.13.
Seattle U
The Redhawks dropped in a dual against the Air Force, 137-74. The Redhawks swept the 200 backstroke, Danika Himes touching the wall first at 2:09.96, Jayna Van Stone hold second, while Alexa Hoeper held on to third. Later that weekend, the Seattle U fell to Air Force, 174-54, and Northern Colorado, 181-49. Himes earned the Redhawks' lone podium finish on the day, as she claimed second in the 200 IM (2:13.18).
UNLV
The Rebels fought hard against the Cowboys, being victorious. Christopher Mykkanen touched first in the 1650 free with a swim of 15:58.17, freshman Cameron Castro came in third (16:14.65), and sophomore Wyatt Marsalek followed in fourth (16:17.25). The Rebels almost swept the 200 free with Bryan Chavez, who placed first in with a time of 1:39.44, Hayden Hemmens came in second (1:39.99), and Steven Butler finished fourth (1:43.17).
Wyoming
The Cowboys dualed CBU. The Cowboys swept the 500 free led by first place finish from Ryan Netzel who recorded a time of 4:39.10. Netzel was followed by Miller Browne in second with a time of 4:39.22 and Jacob Harlan in third with a time of 4:43.25. Against UNLV, the Cowboys fell but fought hard. Harlan finished with a season-best time of 1:41.97 in the 200 free. James Bouda swam a first-place career-best of 20.66 in the 50 free.