ARLINGTON, Texas – Utah Tech’s Pia Murray has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women's Swimmer of the Week for the competition week ending on Jan. 31. UNLV’s Adnan Beji and Air Force’s Alex Kenyon have been named the Western Athletic Conference Men's Swimmer and Diver of the Week, for the competition week ending on Jan. 31.
Murray, a junior from Preston, England, broke two of her own school records, won three individual events, and was part of another relay race victory in Utah Tech’s home dual vs. NAU on Saturday. Murray broke her first school record in winning the 100 backstroke with a time 53.87, which bettered her current WAC-leading time in that event by 0.04 of one second. Murray then broke her own school record in 100 butterfly with a race-winning time of 54.18 and won the 200 back in a time of 1:58.27 (#4 all-time at UT). Murray also swam the third leg in the Trailblazers’ 400 medley relay event victory, which clocked a time of 3:40.94.
Beji, a sophomore from Tunis, Tunisia, helped lead the Rebels to a sweep with wins over UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii and Wyoming in its home quad meet over the weekend. Beji finished the meet unbeaten in the breaststroke events with his 100 breaststroke (52.47) and 200 breaststroke (1:56.90) wins. Beji 100 breaststroke time of 52.47 second at the meet time ranks 31st in the nation this season, while he maintains his spot atop the WAC, it was the second fastest time swam in the 100 breaststroke in UNLV program history.
Kenyon, a sophomore, helped guide Air Force to its first dual win of the year, defeating Denver 236.5-141.5. Kenyon performed mightily in the 1-meter dive, as his score of 324.60 awarded him a first-place win. Kenyon also placed second in the 3-meter dive with a score of 355.28.
2022 TicketSmarter WAC Women’s and Men’s Swimming and DivingWeekly Awards
Women's Swimmer of the Week
Pia Murray, Utah Tech (Feb. 1)
Paula Martinez Moreno (Jan. 25)
Aimee Burton, NM State (Jan. 11)
Maria Brunlehner, Grand Canyon (Dec. 7)
Casey Craffey, Northern Arizona (Nov. 23)
Naomi Slee, NM State (Nov. 9)
Saana Liikonen, Jr., Northern Colorado (Oct. 26)
Women's Diver of the Week
Natalia Bedolla, California Baptist (Jan. 25)
Maegen Jensen, Northern Arizona (Jan. 11)
Abigail Erickson, Grand Canyon (Dec. 7)
Makenna Sammons, Norther Arizona (Nov. 23)
Grace Wesche, Northern Arizona (Nov. 9)
Maggie Wesche, Fr., Northern Arizona (Oct. 26)
Men's Swimmer of the Week
Adnan Beji, So., UNLV (Feb. 1)
Vitaly Kostin, Grand Canyon (Jan. 25)
Wen Zhang, Air Force (Jan. 18)
Vitaly Kostin, Grand Canyon (Dec. 7)
Wen Zhang, Air Force (Nov. 23)
Wen Zhang, Air Force (Nov. 9)
Adnan Beji, So., UNLV (Oct. 26)
Men's Diver of the Week
Alex Kenyon, Air Force (Feb. 1)
Gael Jimenez, Fr., California Baptist (Jan. 25)
Alex Kenyon, Air Force (Jan. 18)
Isaac Poole, Grand Canyon (Dec. 7)
Payton Lee, Wyoming (Nov. 23)
Dima Tereschenko, UNLV (Nov. 9)
Gael Jimenez, Fr., California Baptist (Oct. 26)