Farber Splits 18.8 as Denver Beats Air Force in Sprint Meet

DENVER vs. AIR FORCE

• February 1, 2020
• Hosted by Air Force
• Short Course Yards
• Full Results

TEAM SCORES

• MEN: Denver 214, Air Force 162
• WOMEN: Denver 255, Air Force 123

The Denver men and women picked up wins on the road as they defeated Air Force last Saturday in a sprint meet. The meet saw 5 regular events as well as a shootout format of each stroke 50. They started with the prelims, then the top 8 raced in semifinals. The 4 fastest swimmers again raced for the title in the final round. The traditional format races contested were the 200 free, 500 free, 200 IM, 200 medley relay, and 200 free relay.

Sid Farber was one of the standouts of the meet. He started off the meet with an 18.87 anchor split on Denver’s 200 medley relay. Farber swam a 19.57 in the 50 free in both the preliminary and semifinal rounds. His 19.45 to win the final round was a new career in-season best and less than 3 tenths shy of his lifetime best from midseason. In his 5th 50 free of the day, Farber led off the 200 free relay in a 19.78.

Teammate Cameron Auchinachie put up his 2nd fastest swim ever in the 50 back as he won the final round in 21.35. He also had the fastest rolling-strart 50 free of the field in the 200 free relay, turning in a 19.35 on the 2nd leg. Cy Jager put up his first sub-25 in the 50 breast. In the final round, he lowered his lifetime best to a 24.74.

Denver’s Josiane Valette was less than 2 tenths away from her best time, set at midseason, as she won the 50 free final round in 23.23. Kylie Cronin dropped over 2 tenths from her lifetime best throughout the day with a 24.60 to win the 50 fly rounds. That came after her 23.88 fly split on the medley relay. She matched her best time from the semi round in the final. Brandi Vu clipped her best to win the 50 breast final in 28.50. She had a strong split on the 200 medley relay as well with a 27.38 breast leg.

Air Force had 2 swimmers win the sprint shootouts. Matthew Lattin broke 22 for the first time with a 21.83 in the 50 fly semi round. He won the final round in 21.89, 3 hundredths ahead of Denver’s Adriel Sanes, who also broke 22 for the first time in 21.92. Teammate Aaron Pang broke 22 for the first time to lead the preliminary round and took a close 3rd in the final at a lifetime best 21.93. Pang also had a 21.38 fly split on the medley relay. Kylie Stronko put up her first sub-26 in the 50 back in the semis, winning the final round in a lifetime best 25.78.

Air Force freshman Wen Zhang also registered a lifetime best. He won the 200 free in 1:37.40, finishing over 2 seconds ahead of Denver’s Colin Gilbert (1:39.86). Gilbert went on to win the 500 free in 4:33.96. Denver’s Andi Johnston swept the traditional free races with a 1:50.82 in the 200 free and a 5:00.05 in the 500 free.

PRESS RELEASE – DENVER

USAFA, Colo. – The University of Denver men’s and women’s swimming and diving program’s swept Air Force in a sprint championship-style meet at the Air Force Academy on Saturday afternoon.

Denver vs. Air Force Dual Scores
Men:
Denver 214
Air Force 162

Women:
Denver 255
Air Force 123

In her final collegiate season, Sammy Walker (Los Gatos, Calif.) will represent the Pioneers at the 2020 NCAA Zone Diving event in Seattle after earning her standards in both the 1-meter (265.80) and 3-meter (306.23) on Saturday. Sid Farber (Portland, Ore.) earned four NCAA B times in the 50 free (19.45 best time) and Cameron Auchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) finished just behind Farber in the 50 free final with an NCAA Standard time of 19.77. Freshman Jason Gleason (Olalla, Wash.) added a diving event win to his early-career success with a score of 289.43.

The Pioneers opened the meet with continued success in the 200 medley relay. On the women’s side,
Natalie Arky (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Brandi Vu (Longmont, Colo.), Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) and Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.) combined for a winning time of 1:40.67, while the quartet of Auchinachie, Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho), Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas) and Farber won the men’s race with a 1:27.72.

Andi Johnston (Fort Collins, Colo.) picked up Denver’s first individual win of the afternoon with her 1:50.82 in the 200 free. Following the 200 free, the two teams competed in the prelims of the 50 fly, 50 back, 50 breast and 50 free. Johnston got back in the water again after the prelims, winning the 500 free for the fourth time this season with a 5:00.05. Denver swept the podium in the distance race as Angie Lindsay (Beaverton, Ore.) finished second in 5:08.63 and Olivia Kercheval-Roig (Tallahassee, Fla.) took third with a 5:10.36.

Following the semifinals in the four sprint events, Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) won the men’s 500 free for the seventh time in 2019-20, reaching the final wall in 4:33.96. Riley Babson (Vail, Ariz.) finished just behind Gilbert in second with a 4:36.50.

The finals started with the 50 fly on Saturday with four swimmers qualifying for each final. Cronin led a trio of Pioneers swimmers in the first sprint final, taking first with a 24.60. Senior Sarah Lingen (Maple Grove, Minn.) took second in 24.78 and Valette finished fourth in 25.01.
In the first men’s sprint final of the day, Sanes was the only Pioneer swimmer in the 50 fly, taking second in 21.92.

Moving to the 50 back, three Pioneers qualified, taking the 2-4 spots in the final. Arky finished second in 26.45, Gaby Antonini (Key Biscayne, Fla.) finished third in 26.51 and Emily Vandenberg (Ajax, Ontario) clocked in fourth with a 27.16.

In the men’s 50 back, Auchinachie won the sprint with a 21.35 and Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas) finished third with a 22.60.

Starting the second half of the sprint finals, Vu won the women’s 50 breast with a 28.50. Charlotte Simon (Saint Remy, France) took second in 29.18 and Vandenberg finished third with a 29.34.

Denver had two finalists once again in the men’s 50 breast. Jager won the race with his 24.74 and Sanes clocked in at 25.55 to take third.

Following a tie for first in the 50 free semis, Valette edged out Leckie in the 50 free finals on Saturday afternoon, reaching the wall in 23.23. Leckie was 0.07 seconds behind her in the final (23.30) and Lingen finished third with a 23.35. Valette’s victory was her third in the event this season.

Farber and Auchinachie continued their season-long dual in the men’s 50 free with Farber once again edging out his teammate, taking the race in 19.45. Auchinachie clocked in at 19.77 and Jackson Gainer (San Jose, Calif.) finished fourth with a 20.47. Farber’s win was his fourth in the event in 2019-20 to match his teammate Auchinachie.

Following the sprint finals, Simon led a Pioneer podium sweep in the women’s 200 IM. Simon finished the race in 2:04.34, Vu finished second in 2:06.97 and Cronin took third with a 2:07.14.

On the men’s side, Groters won his first 200 IM of the season with a 1:50.47.

The swimming portion of Saturday’s meet ended with a Denver sweep of the 200 free relays. Valette, Leckie, Melissa Funes (Seattle, Wash.) and Lingen earned the program’s fifth 200 free relay win of the season with a 1:33.13, while Denver’s men earned their sixth 200 free event victory with a 1:19.83 swam by Farber, Auchinachie, Gainer and Jager.

Saturday Afternoon’s Event Wins
Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Natalie Arky, Brandi Vu, Kylie Cronin, Josie Valette – 1:40.67
Men’s 200 Medley Relay – Cameron Auchinachie, Cy Jager, Adriel Sanes, Sid Farber – 1:27.72
Women’s 200 Free – Andi Johnston – 1:50.82
Women’s 500 Free – Andi Johnston – 5:00.05
Men’s 500 Free – Colin Gilbert – 4:33.96
Women’s 50 Fly – Kylie Cronin – 24.60
Men’s 50 Back – Cameron Auchinachie – 21.35
Women’s 50 Breast – Brandi Vu – 28.50
Men’s 50 Breast – Cy Jager – 24.74
Women’s 50 Free – Josie Valette – 23.23
Men’s 50 Free – Sid Farber – 19.45
Women’s 200 IM – Charlotte Simon – 2:04.34
Men’s 200 IM – Patrick Groters – 1:50.47
Women’s 200 Free Relay – Josie Valette, Aysia Leckie, Melissa Funes, Sarah Lingen – 1:33.13
Men’s 200 Free Relay – Sid Farber, Cameron Auchinachie, Jackson Gainer, Cy Jager – 1:19.83
Men’s 1-Meter Dive – Jason Gleason – 289.43

NCAA Standards
Sid Farber – 50 Free Prelims – 19.57 – NCAA B Standard
Sid Farber – 50 Free Semis – 19.57 – NCAA B Standard
Sid Farber – 50 Free Final – 19.45 – NCAA B Standard
Cameron Auchinachie – 50 Free Final – 19.77 – NCAA B Standard
Sid Farber – 50 Free (200 Free Relay leadoff) – 19.78 – NCAA B Standard
Sammy Walker – 1 Meter Dive – 265.80
Sammy Walker – 3 Meter Dive – 306.23

UP NEXT: Denver’s divers will be back in action at the Air Force Diving Invite from Feb. 6-8 before the entire men’s and women’s squad head to Sioux Falls for the 2020 Summit League Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 19-22.

SHOP PIONEERS:
Get dressed for Game Day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.

2020 DENVER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME RECEPTION:
Denver announced its 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class in January. The inductees will be honored on the DU campus May 16. For more information, registration for the reception and donation information, click here.

Fans interested in making a donation to the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.   

PRESS RELEASE – AIR FORCE MEN

USAFA, Colo. – The Air Force Academy men’s swimming and diving team fell in a sprint meet against the University of Denver, 214-162, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 1, inside Cadet Natatorium.

The unique meet saw five normal events contested, on top of four 50 meter sprint heats that resulted in four-person finals, as well as both diving events. The Falcons ended up with three event wins on the day, and a runner-up finish in six more.

AF earned wins in both the 200 free, while freshman Wen Zhang took a the victory, as well as in the finals of the 50 fly sprint, as sophomore Matthew Lattin placed in the top spot. Finally, on the diving board, the 3-meter was kind to the Falcons as they went 1-2-3, with junior Cole Armagost taking gold, followed by sophomore Jack Macceca and senior Jack Zocher.

That concludes the regular season for the swimmers, as they won’t return to action until the Western Athletic Conference Championships, Feb. 26-29 down in Houston, Texas. Meanwhile, the divers will be in action next weekend, Feb. 6-8, for the annual Air Force Diving Invite.

PRESS RELEASE – AIR FORCE WOMEN

USAFA, Colo. – The Air Force Academy women’s swimming and diving team dropped a sprint meet against the University of Denver, 255-123, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 1, inside the Cadet Natatorium.

The unique meet saw five normal events contested, on top of four 50 meter sprint heats that resulted in four-person finals, as well as both diving events. The Falcons ended up with three event wins on the day, and a runner-up finish in three more.

Air Force won one of the sprint finals, as junior Kylie Stronko took first in the 50 back. AF also dominated in the diving events, winning both. Senior Kayla Wofford won the 1-meter, while freshman Gabby Peltier took gold in the 3-meter.

That concludes the regular season for the swimmers, as they won’t return to action until the Mountain West Conference Championships, Feb. 19-22, over in Minneapolis, Minn. Meanwhile, the divers will be in action next weekend, Feb. 6-8, for the annual Air Force Diving Invite.