WKU Swim and Dive tops Delta State

With 23 individual wins and all four relays bringing home a top time, the Western Kentucky University swimming and diving team opened the 2013-14 season with wins over Delta State. The women defeated the Lady Statesmen 195-90 while the Hilltoppers finished the meet with a 182.5-107.5 win over DSU.

Seven student-athletes won two or more events, including four newcomers. For the returners, junior Claire Conlon won the 100 (1:03.89) and 200 (2:18.66) breast, junior Allie Duff topped the field in the 100 (58.12) and 200 (2:05.08) back, and senior Heitor Rodrigues won the 100 (49.14) and 200 (1:51.64) fly.

Freshman Cody Reul was a triple winner for the Hilltoppers with top times in the 100 (46.56), 500 (4:41.52) and 1000 (9:35.60) free. Fellow classmate Jesse Musser recorded the fastest times in two events, including the 200 free (1:42.50) and 200 IM (1:55.68), while junior TJ Bland won the 100 (56.88) and 200 (2:08.66) breast. Diving freshman Amy Crayne swept the boards for WKU with scores of 245.40 in the three meter and 257.77 in the one meter.

DSU took first-place points in just five of the 28 individual events.

It marked the debut meet for 22 newcomers on The Hill, as the group accounted for 10 of WKU’s 23 wins. Along with Reul, Musser, Bland and Crayne, freshman Maggie Patterson posted the fastest time in the 100 fly (57.63).

Each relay team also recorded a win. The crew of Duff, Conlon, Patterson and junior Paige Drazga finished the 200 medley in 1:44.98 while on the men’s team of Neal Rushing, Bland, Rodrigues and freshman Christian Aragona took it on their respective relay in 1:33.46.

For the 200 free relay, Patterson, Duff, senior Aiste Dobrovolskaite and Drazga finished in 1:37.19 while Rodrigues, senior Richard Russell, sophomore Brennan Elsas and Aragona took the fastest time in 1:25.06.

After a weekend off, WKU returns to the pool to host its home opener on Friday, October 25 at 2 p.m. against Northwestern in the Bill Powell Natatorium.

For more information on WKU swimming and diving, visit WKUSports.com or follow the team on Twitter via @WKUSwimDive and Facebook via WKUSwimmingandDiving.

This release was provided to SwimSwam courtesy of WKU Swimming & Diving.