Aztecs Increase Lead On Day Three At MW Championships

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The San Diego State swimming and diving team added 111 points to its lead after the third day of competition at the 2022 Mountain West Swimming and Diving Championship and hold a 193-point advantage over its closest rival heading into the final day of competition.
 
The Aztecs won two races on Friday, the 200 Freestyle Relay and 100 Butterfly, and recorded nine B-Cut times.
 
In the first race of the session the Aztec squad of Lizzie Menzmer, Klara Thormalm, Sammy Geyer and Meredith Smithbaker swam a 1:28.89 in the 200 Free Relay to win the championship. It is the fourth fastest time in program history and the fourth fastest in Mountain West Championships history and a B-Cut time. The Aztecs now own four of the six fastest times in the event in Mountain West history.
 
Kristina Murphy was the Aztecs top finisher in the 400 IM. She swam a 4:15.3, good for second place and a B-Cut qualifying time. Wilma Johansson came in fourth in 4:20.64, while Mai McKenna recorded a 4:34.05 in the prelims.
 
Cassie Phillips, with a 53.17, was the champion in the 100 Butterfly becoming the fourth Aztec to be crowned champion in the event in the last five years. Alex Roberts was fifth with a 53.68 and Lizzie Menzmer and Emily Gebhardt placed seventh and eighth in 54.21 and 54.64, respectively. Riley Tapley was 12th with a 54.96. Phillips along with Roberts recorded B-Cut times.
 
Mia Ryan swam a 1:48.94 in 200 Free and finished in fifth place. Paige Mitchell touched in 1:51.87 and was the 21st place finisher.
 
In the 100 Breast, Kalra Thormalm was nipped at the wall and finished in second place with a 59.94. Right behind Thormalm was Sammy Geyer, who finished with a 1:00.05 which was good for third place. Also in the final, Meredith Smithbaker swam a 1:00.90 and came in fifth. All three Aztec times met the B-Cut standard.
 
Alex Roberts, Evonne Stehr and Riley Tapley all swam in the final of the 100 Back. Roberts was the top finisher for SDSU with a second-place finish in 53.85. Stehr was fourth in 53.94 and Tapley swam a 54.31 to come home in fifth. Mai McKenna second in her heat with a 55.35, and was 10th overall. Roberts and Stehr swam B-Cut times.
 
The Championships wrap up on Saturday with 1650 Freestyle, 200 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, 400 Free Relay and the Platform Diving final. The prelims are scheduled to start at 11 a.m. CT with the finals set to begin at 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans can follow the action through links to live results and streaming video at goaztecs.com.
 
2022 Mountain West Championships
College Station, Texas
Team standings after 14 events  
1. San Diego State (1082.5 points)
2. Nevada (889.5 points)
3. UNLV (792 points)
4. Wyoming (607.5 points)
5. Colorado State (488 points)
6. Fresno State (473.5 points)
7. Air Force (456 points)
8. San Jose State (370.5 points)
9. New Mexico (276.5 points)
 
-SDSU-