Denver Women Sweep Meets, Men Fall

DENVER, Colorado, January 20. DU men and women swimmers won eight events and both diving competitions, helping the Pioneers to a 2-0 afternooon in the women's competion and a close loss to Air Force on the men's side in swimming action at the Academy Saturday. The Pioneer men's squad was beaten by Air Force 130-113 and DU's women defeated UNC (135.50 – 107.50) and Air Force (160 – 80).

The women started off the meet in fine fashion, winning the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:49.98. That start sparked the Pioneers to individual wins in each of the next three races, as sophomore Michele Lowry (Hailey, Idaho) started it off by leading a 1-2 DU finish in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:44.99. Behind her in second place in the 1000 was freshman Amanda McNally (Lonetree, Colo.) with a time of 10:53.51. In the next individual race, junior Kelsey Totura (Castle Rock, Colo.) won the 200-freestyle with in 1:54.27. The 50-freestyle was up next, and freshman Claire Anderson won her first title of the season with a 24.90 time in the 50-free.

DU was held out of the top spot in the 200-IM, but the Pioneers had the second and third finishers as Olivia Dean (Aurora, Colo.) grabbed second at 2:11.22 and Lowry was third at 2:13.75. Dean finished second in the next event, the 100-butterfly at 59.34. In the 100-freestyle, Totura won her fourth race in two days with a dominating performance, turning in a 52.82 to edge Anderson (54.13). The Pioneers wrapped up the outstanding day with another relay win, this one coming in the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:41.06.

"I was very pleased that our women closed out their dual meet season with two wins against Air Force and Northern Colorado," head coach Brian Schrader said. "We had several different people pick up wins and won both relays. Claire Anderson picked up her first win of her career in the 50 and Kelsey Totura led off the winning 200 Medley and won the 200 and 100 with great races. Michelle Lowry picked up a win in the 1000 with a tough swim."

On the men's side, DU picked up a win in the first individual race of the day as senior Craig Jollands (Hillcrest, South Africa) led an outstanding Pioneer performance in the 1000-free, leading a 1-2-3 DU finish with a time of 9:58.23. Right behind him in second place was junior Nathan West (Englewood, Colo.) at 10:04.29 and sophomore Eric Wright (Omaha, Neb.) in third at 10:19.15. DU's next win came in the 100-backstroke, as sophomore Daniel Vollmer (Ajax, Ontario) won with a time of 51.97. The Pioneers then won the next race as well, as West traded places with Jollands in the 500-freestyle, winning with a time of 4:45.59 as Jollands finished second at 4:51.38. DU's final win came in the 100-breaststroke, as junior Marcus Christianson (Hutchinson, Minn.) finished first with at ime of 58.24, just edging teammate Nick Brunger (Castle Rock, Colo.) at 58.45.

"Our men really picked up their focus over the weekend and swam well against a very good Air Force team, they are picked to win the Mountain West and have some outstanding seniors," Schrader said. "Our men were led with wins from Nathan West in the 500, Craig Jollands in the 1000, Daniel Vollmer in the 100 back, and Marcus Christiansen in the 100 breast. Mike Peterson, Blake Worsley, Nick Brunger and Gannon Totura provided some critical depth today along with Eric Wright, Dan Mosavais, James Monaghan, and Jeff Giddens. "

In the diving competition, DU got some outstanding performances from junior Holly Watson (Sugar Land, Texas) on the women's side in winning the 3-meter and 1-meter competitions. On the men's side, sophomore Aaron Feight (Littleton, Colo.) led a 1-2 DU finish as sophomore Cody Stambaugh finished second on both men's boards.

"Our male and female divers both dove really well, winning both the men's and women's 1 and 3 meter boards–Holly Watson and Aaron Feight won both of their events," Schrader said.

DU's divers are in action again Feb. 2-3 and the full contingent of Pioneer swimmers is next in action at the Sun Belt Conference Championships Feb. 15-17.

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