Air Force swimming put up some strong times at the 2015 Intermountain Shootout.
Air Force Press Release:
The Air Force men’s swimming and diving team opened the 2015-16 season with a pair of wins over BYU and Colorado Mesa, at the Colorado Intermountain Shootout, at the El Pomar Natatorium, Oct. 10, in Grand Junction, Colo. The Falcons defeated BYU, 218-175, and Colorado Mesa, 315-77.
Air Force (2-0 overall this season) went 1-2 in the 50-yard breaststroke as Michael Barnosky won (25.20) and Zach Knoche was second (26.63). Barnosky won three events on the day, also taking home top honors in the 200 IM (1:52.76) and the 200 breaststroke (2:03.33). Knoche was also second in the 200 breaststroke (2:06.65). Andrew Faciszewski won the 500 free (4:39.75) and Dahle won the 100 free (45.00).
The 400 free relay team of George Frank, Michael Hannigan, Steffan Mount and Jordan Dahle won with a time of 3:00.35.
“The guys were fabulous again today,” head coach Rob Clayton said. “What a tremendous start to our season. We really took it to a great BYU team and earned the win over Mesa. This is the first time we have beaten BYU since 2011. Michael Barnosky continues to lead the way, winning three events. His times, and the rest of the team’s times, are way ahead of where we have been in recent years. Our depth was impressive all weekend.”
The Falcons’ next competition is Saturday, Oct. 24, when the Falcons host a meet, along with the women’s team against North Dakota, Colorado Mesa and Colorado Mines at 1 p.m. at the Cadet Natatorium.
BYU Press Release:
Jake Taylor and Ellie Thornbrue led the Cougars in a strong weekend performance as BYU swim and dive capped off a two-day event at the El Pomar Natatorium in the Colorado Mesa Invite.
“Our team really swam well today and I liked the effort they gave,” BYU head coach John Brooks said. “Overall, I think our team is getting better and better with each meet. Each week we are working on things, and it’s paying off. We are improving from last year individually and as a team as well.”
The meet was an Invitational setup, but BYU traveled its entire squad to compete against the other teams. In overall dual meet scores for the men’s side, Air Force edged BYU 218-175 but the Cougars were able to top Colorado Mesa 305-87.
The women’s team was able to defeat Colorado State 221.50-171.50, and outscored Colorado Mesa 321-72.
In the women’s 100-yard individual medley, Lillian Moore took first for the Cougars with a time of 59.28. Jake Taylor finished the men’s event in 50.53, good enough for first.
The Cougars took first place in the women’s 200 freestyle relay, with a team of Ellie Thornbrue,Alora Foliaki, Katie Smith and Alexandria Sorensen finishing in 1:36.92. The men also took first in the event, with Jake Taylor, Preston Jenkins, Connor Stirling and Payton Sorenson leading the way to a 1:21.95 finish.
BYU swept the women’s 200 butterfly event, with Moore finishing first with a 2:06.70 time, Vanessa Moffatt taking second with a time of 2:07.34 and Ellie Thornbrue finishing third in 2:08.38. Rainer Ng took first in the 200 fly, posting a 1:49.59.
The women’s team swept another event in the 500 free, with Kelly Hatanaka finishing in 5:09.55, good enough for first. Thornbrue finished in 5:10.64 for second, and Moffatt came in third at 5:12.62. Luis Ventura finished the men’s event in 4:40.00, good enough for second place.
In the men’s 200 backstroke, Taylor posted a 1:48.97 finish in the men’s event, good enough for first. Preston Jenkins came in a close third, clocking a time of 1:51.01.
BYU swept its third event of the day in the women’s 100 fly, with Thornbrue taking first at 57.40,Zerlynn Tiang taking second at 57.61 and Moore placing third with a 57.91 finish. Ng took first in the men’s event, posting a time of 49.32
In the women’s 400 free relay, BYU placed first, with a team of Thornbrue, Smith, Dickson and Foliaki posting a 3:31.06. On the men’s side, a team of Taylor, Jenkins, Sorenson and Stirling finished in 3:00.64, good enough for second in the event.
“Everyone showed great potential for the upcoming season,” BYU head diving coach Tyce Routson said. “I was happy to see the men take first and second on both boards. The women’s team also showed a lot of promise, tightly finishing in the top five.”
In the men’s one-meter dive, Kevin Dreesen placed first, with a score of 333.00. Fellow BYU diverTrayton Speth took second in the event with a 260.30.
Ali Tippetts-Kottcamp placed second in the women’s three-meter dive, coming in with a score of 233.10, while freshman Kaela Call tied for third with a 203.05 finish in the event.
The men’s team will face its next competition at the Pacific Invite Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24 at the Kjeldsen pool in Stockton, California. Friday’s events will begin at 7 p.m. PDT. Saturday’s events will kick off at 10 a.m. PDT. The next meet for the women’s side will be against Boise State at the Richards Building Pool on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Colorado State Press Release:
Six different Rams picked up individual wins on the final day of the Intermountain Shootout, hosted by Colorado Mesa University, on Saturday.
The Rams finished second at the event behind BYU. CSU won four events yesterday, but fell behind early after its 200 Medley Relay A team was disqualified in the first event of the meet.
Cristina Bassani won the 50 Breaststroke with a time of 30.71, narrowly beating out teammate Jenna Beaury by just .05. Jessica Shepard, who won the 100 Backstroke yesterday, followed up with a win in the 200 IM, winning by .09 over BYU’s Ashlee Spindler. Katie Kicklighter, who also won an event yesterday, won the 100 Freestyle in 52.66.
Freshman Tonicia Thomas continued to impress early in her collegiate career, winning the 200 Backstroke in 2:04.79. Shepard earned a runner-up result in the event, finishing in 2:05.39. Beaury returned to the pool to win the 200 Breaststroke, touching the wall in 2:23.08.
CSU’s star senior diver, Ariana Milone, won the 3-Meter event with a final score of 305.50, giving her both diving wins for the meet. Milone also swept the diving events at CSU’s opening dual meet against New Mexico on Thursday night.
IN THEIR WORDS…
“One highlight was Tonicia Thomas in the 200 Backstroke; it was a phenomenal swim for her. She continues to impress us. All of our breaststrokers were great, especially Jenna Beaury in the 200 Breaststroke. That was a great win for her.” – CSU Head Coach Christopher Woodard
“We’re obviously not happy with the result, but it more great exposure to another quality team and I really, firmly believe that when we start getting healthy and back together as a full unit that we are going to be pretty tough.” – CSU Head Coach Christopher Woodard
Colorado Mesa Press Release:
The Colorado Mesa University swimming and diving teams posted 25 top-10 finishes at the Intermountain Shootout Saturday (Oct. 10).
For the second straight day, the divers led the Mavericks. Ryan Popp finished fifth on the one-meter springboard with a score of 240.65. Sage D’Ambrosia was sixth (239.05), and Josh Lyons was 10th (206.65).
Cassi Blakeman was the top finisher for the Mav’s on the three-meter placing sixth with a score of 192.35. Abi Smith was ninth (175.80).
Justin Hastings placed fourth in the 100 fly (51.26) and eighth in the 200 fly (1:57.52).
Miranda Reetz finished seventh in the 100 individual medley (1:01.67), 10th in the 200 individual medley (2:19.05) and ninth in the 200 breaststroke (2:30.34).
Josh Bedford was third in the men’s 50 breaststroke (26.69). Bridget Greuel was seventh (32.74) and Kendall Wingfield was ninth (34.38) in the women’s 50 breaststroke.
In the 200 breaststroke, Ethan McNally was ninth (2:12.02), and Abbie Porter was 10th (2:33.57).
Josh Bedford finished sixth in the 100 individual medley (53.43), and Ethan McNally was seventh in the 200 individual medley (1:57.49).
Eryn Leonard finished 10th in the 100 fly (59.92), and Danielle Fournier was 10th in the 200 fly (2:14.86). Kyle Johnston placed 10th in the men’s 200 fly (1:57.98).
Sami Lenzmeier was 10th in the 200 backstroke in 2:12.99.
The men’s 200 (1:27.02) and 400 free relays (3:12.04) both finished sixth.
The women’s 200 (1:41.25) and 400 free relays (3:45.77) both finished seventh.
The CMU divers will compete at the Clarion Diving Invitational Oct. 23-25. The CMU swim teams will compete at Air Force Oct. 24th.
