Mountain West Conference: San Diego State Wins Fourth Straight Team Title
The San Diego State Aztec women notched a fourth straight Mountain West Conference title over the weekend (and sixth in seven years), holding off a challenge from the UNLV Rebels. The Aztecs recorded several NCAA B-cuts throughout the meet, including a highlight 1:46.24 from Wilma Johansson in the 200 freestyle, also a school record.
The UNLV Rebels kicked things off with a 7:07.06 win in the 800 free relay behind the squad of Ava Olson (1:47.66), Gina Miller (1:46.27), Marta Klimek (1:47.29) and Erika Carlson (1:45.84).
Thursday
The University of Wyoming took the first individual event of the meet with Macey Henson clocking a 4:41.56 in the 500 free. University of Nevada’s Enkhkhuslen Batbayar took second at a 4:44.32. The top four finishers swam NCAA B-Cuts.
Olympic Trials qualifier Emily Lundgren got Washington State on the board with a 200 individual medley win. Her 1:57.81 led four finishers under 2:00, as Grace Wharton (1:59.35) and Moa Bergdahl (1:59.40) slipped under the NCAA B-Cut standard. The Aztecs picked up significant points for their eventual team title, as Bergdahl led four swimmers across all three finals in scoring.
Washington State kept the ball rolling in the 50 freestyle. Darcy Revitt, a freshman, got it done with a 22.02 after swimming 21.89 in prelims. This event continued a trend of NCAA B-Cuts: Scarlet Ferris (22.26) and Meredith Smithbaker (22.34) slid under the 22.58 mark.
In the 3-meter diving event, Valentina Lopez Arevalo finished well ahead of the field for San Diego State, scoring 367,45 points.
Washington State University finished a fantastic first day with another win in the 400 medley relay. Anna Rauchholz (53.34), Lundgren (58.66), Dori Hathazi (53.84) and Emma Wright (48.29) combined for a 3:34.13 win. Wright pulled off a comeback in the final yards of the race to edge just a hundredth ahead of San Diego State.
Friday
Leading by just 14 points after Day Two, the SDSU Aztecs got revenge on Washington State in the 200 freestyle relay. Allison Mann (22.82), Kaydence Bispo (22.50), Abby Storm (22.46) and Meredith Smithbaker (21.90) finished just two hundredths ahead of WSU. This time Smithbaker reversed the finish from the 400 medley relay.
UNLV’s Maria Fernanda Mendez Guerra swam an NCAA B-Cut in the 100 butterfly to lead a tight field with a 52.61. Colorado State got a win from Erin Dawson, as the senior hit an NCAA B-Cut in the 400 individual medley at a 4:13.48.
The University of Nevada’s Batbayar qualified third out of prelims of the 200 freestyle but stormed to a 1:45.66 for a decisive win. The top four swimmers qualified NCAA B-Cuts.
Four women got under 1:00 in the 100 breaststroke, and six scored B-cuts. Fresno State secured their first win of the met from Jenna Pulkkinen with a 59.19. It was a Bulldog 1-2 with Aliz Kalmar swimming a 59.52. SDSU’s Moa Bergdahl continued a strong campaign, swimming a 59.55 for third.
The final event of the night was a University of Nevada win from Scarlett Ferris. The sophomore cracked 52.00 again after a slightly faster prelims swim with a 51.95. UNLV’s Dominika Trentkiewicz finished second with a 52.62.
Saturday
It was a freshman show in the 1650 freestyle, as Macey Hansen of Wyoming took the win with a 16:07.75. Nothing is set in stone, but Hansen’s swim is 34 seconds under the B-Cut standard, setting up a strong likelihood of an NCAA berth. Keira-Lee Allot secured second for University of Nevada with a 16:26.51.
Storm led a 1-2 valuable points swing for SDSU with a 1:54.03 200 backstroke. Her fifth year teammate Alex Roberts finished second with a 1:55.38. The Aztecs finished 1-2-8-10. Their closest rivals UNLV finished 7-9-15.
Three more NCAA B-Cuts were achieved in the 100 freestyle. Continuing a strong freshman showing for all teams at this meet, WSU’s Revitt swam a 48.66 to win the 100 freestyle. Smithbaker took second for SDSU with a 48.89.
Lundgren won the 200 breaststroke for WSU with a 2:07.08. Well under the B-Cut, Lundgren looks to have a likely NCAA berth in addition to her Mountain West Conference record. Pulkkinen of Fresno State finished second at a 2:09.53, just a hundredth ahead of teammate Kalmar.
In the 200 butterfly, Hathazi prevailed in a 1:55.55. Hathazi’s win was a decisive one, as University of Nevada’s Sally Vagg swam a 1:57.52 for second. The platform Diving went to senior Lopez Arevalo.
The San Diego State Aztecs took the final event of the meet, just off of the NCAA B-cut. Mann (49.55), Bispo (49.04), Johansson (48.67), and Smithbaker (48.42) combined for a 3:15.68.
Mountain West Final Team Scores
- San Diego State University- 1283
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas- 1178
- Fresno State- 1022
- University of Nevada- 998
- Washington State University- 975
- University of Wyoming- 856
- Colorado State University- 697
- U.S. Air Force Academy- 546
- University of New Mexico- 392
- San Jose State University- 285
