Feb. 20, 2016
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The San Diego State swimming & diving team retained its hold on third place at the 2016 Mountain West Championships being held this week at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. After Friday's six events, the Aztecs lost a bit of ground to leader Boise State (430.5 points), but gained a bit on second-place Nevada (419) as they finished with a three-day total of 366 points.
SDSU swimmers captured a pair of silver medal after finishing second in the championship final in two events.
In the 400 individual medley, freshman Rachael Kelch went 4:13.96 to place second and earn an NCAA B cut in the event. Her time enters the SDSU record book as the third-fastest in program history in the 400 IM. Teammate Francesca Arredondo took seventh in the championship final in 4:23.69 while her mark of 4:22.57 in the prelims of the event ranks ninth all-time at SDSU.
Summer Harrison claimed the silver medal in the 100 butterfly as her mark of 52.84 was an NCAA B cut time. Samantha Guttmacher also reached the championship final where she finished sixth in 54.19, also an NCA B cut time. Junior Andrea VanderMey was seventh in the B final in 55.86, but her time of 55.10 in the prelims of the 400 IM was the ninth-fastest ever by an Aztec swimmers.
The 200 freestyle saw a pair of Aztecs claim the top two spots in the B final as Savannah Miller and Whitney Weisz turned in times of1:47.89 and 1:48.18 respectively. Miller's time was an NCAA B cut while Wiesz's mark was the ninth-fastest ever by an Aztec.
SDSU's Cecilia Zaccarelli captured seventh place in the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.53 while Lydia Pereverzina won the B final in 1:02.44, a time than ranks seventh in the SDSU record book.
In the 100 backstroke McKenna Garfein placed seventh in 54.62 and her mark of 54.37 in the prelims tied for the four-fastest time ever by an Aztec swimmer. Natilee Ruiz took top spot in the B final of the event in 54.34 and her time along with Garfein's was an NCAA B cut. Kate Santilena was seventh in the B final in 55.38.
In the day's lone relay, the team of Garfein, Zaccarelli, Harrison and Weisz place fourth in the 400 medley relay in 3:38.86, the No. 5 time for an Aztec foursome at that distance.
Action continues on Friday morning with prelims in the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly set to get underway at 9:00 a.m. (PT). The platform diving competition will commence at 10:30 a.m. (PT) and the 1650 freestyle will begin at 1:50 p.m. (PT). Finals in the final four individual events plus the 400 freestyle relay will take place starting at 4:30 p.m. (PT).
Live video of Saturday's prelims is available by clicking here and live results can be accessed by clicking here. Friday evening's finals will start at 4:30 p.m. PT with live video available by clicking here.
TEAM STANDINGS Team Pts. 1. Boise State.......430.5 2. Nevada............419 3. San Diego State...366 4. Wyoming...........309 5. UNLV..............259 6. San Jose State....197 7. Colorado State....168 8. New Mexico........158.5 9. Air Force.........14210. Fresno State......127