Colorado State vs. Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyoming, February 3. THE Wyoming Cowgirl swimming and diving team won the Border War against Colorado State on Senior Night in Corbett Pool on Friday. The Cowgirls won 13 of 16 events on their way to a 189-106 victory over the Rams. Tonight’s victory moved the Cowgirls overall dual record to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in the Mountain West. Prior to tonight’s dual five Cowgirl seniors including, Shelby Bull, Kelsey Conci, Caroline Wells and Kenzie and Lauren Hewson were honored for their time at UW.
Today’s competition began early with the first round of diving on the 3-meter springboard. Colorado State’s Shayna Soloman won the event with a final mark of 270.08. Cowgirl Carolyn Wallace placed second with a final tally of 250.35.

The Wyoming 200-yard medley relay squad of Conci, Morgan Hartigan, Mackenzie Norlin and Bull started the swimming off right for the Cowgirls breaking the Corbett Pool record with a time of 1:42.66. The previous record of 1:43.54 was held by the 2010 Cowgirl squad.

“We started out from the get go and I knew we were going to be hot when we broke the pool record in the 200 medley relay,” Wyoming head coach Tom Johnson said. “I knew it was on after that. It was just a very dominating day. I asked the ladies if you can’t do this for yourself do it for the seniors and have them go out on a high note. When you have the emotions of senior night on top of the CSU dual meet we were bound to have a great day today. Our effort was awesome.”

The only swimming event the Cowgirls lost throughout the dual was the 1000 freestyle, however Coach Johnson was very pleased with the swims of his second-place finishers. Winning the event for the Rams was Jennifer Lamb with a time of 10:40.80. Cowgirls Kasey Robinson and Paige Fischer tied for second touching the wall with a time of 10:41.43.

“That was the best 1000 free I have ever seen in this pool,” Johnson said. “I have never seen three girls go toe-to-toe because that race is so brutal.”

Following the 1000 free defeat the Cowgirls reeled off 12 consecutive swimming event wins. Starting off the streak of wins in the 200 freestyle was senior Bull with a time of 1:55.87. In the 100 backstroke, freshman Jordan Denny grabbed the first of her two wins touching the wall first with a time of 57.71. Morgan Hartigan continued the Cowgirl streak winning the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.00. In the 200 butterfly, junior Cowgirl Jessy Badaracco touched the wall first with a time of 2:08.24, six full seconds in front of her nearest competitor. Senior Conci won the first of her two events in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.02.

Following the 50 freestyle was the first diving break because of the early diving round. On the 1-meter springboard the Rams Solomon took first with a score of 270.68. Finishing the highest for UW was Holly Heussner who took third with a mark of 253.88. Wallace finished behind Heussner in fourth with a score of 251.48.

“Carolyn and Holly really stepped up today posting personal best on the 1-meter,” Wyoming diving coach Pat Bukowski said. “They just narrowly missed their NCAA (Zone) cut scores. I am very proud of how my ladies dove today.”

Following the diving break Conci got right back in the water and won the 100 freestyle with a time of 52.68. In the next event the 200 backstroke, Denny won her second event of the night with a time of 2:06.00. Wyoming’s next victory came in the 200 breaststroke with junior Meghan Swirzcki touching the wall first with a time of 2:22.81. Sophomore Kasey Robinson won the next event, the 500 free, for the Cowgirls with a time of 5:12.16. Redshirt Freshman Claudia Carlson won her first event of the night in the 100 butterfly with a time of 58.06. In the 200 individual medley, Badaracco won her second event of the night for UW with a time of 2:09.38.

The final event of the dual was the 400 freestyle relay. Cowgirls Conci, Hartigan, Wells and Bull took first nearly missing the Corbett Pool record with a time of 3:28.65. The record is held by the 2010 BYU squad with a time of 3:28.44.

Two Cowboy seniors in Brandon Fischer and Marshall Dilworth swam time trial events tonight with both breaking their respective Corbett Pool records. Fischer broke former Cowboy and Olympian Scott Usher’s 100 breaststroke record with a time of 54.65. Usher held the record for eight years posting a time of 55.45 in 2004. Dilworth broke UNLV’s Cody Roberts record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 49.14. Roberts held the record of 50.13 for one season breaking the record in 2011.

“I think it really awesome for both of those guys (Fischer and Dilworth) to hop in the pool in an exhibition swim and smash the pool records,” Johnson said. “For Marshall to go 49.14 in the 100 back; I don’t think that will get touched for a long time. That gives both of them a lot of confidence going to conference.”

The Cowgirls will continue training until the end of the month when the travel to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the MW Championships on Feb. 22-25. The Cowboys will also continue to train before traveling to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 15-19.

“This meet should give us a lot of confidence going into conference,” Johnson said. “I don’t think we have had a great second half (of the season). When we have it hasn’t been a complete team effort. Tonight was a complete team effort. We are getting better and we are doing the little things we need to be a better team going into conference.”

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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