MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE – WOMEN
- Wednesday, February 20 – Saturday, February 23
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Central Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Boise State (2x) (results)
- Live results
- Championship Central
San Diego State wrapped up the meet, extending their lead on the final day for a 102-point margin over second-place Nevada. SDSU almost doubled their lead from Day 3, but without winning a single event on the final day. Instead, they crowded the top 8, putting 3 into the A final of the 100 free, 200 breast, and platform diving.
This was SDSU’s first conference championship since 2015 and 4th overall.
Boise State, the two-time defending champs, finished third.
Award Winners:
- Diver of the Meet – Ximena Lechuga Gonzalez of San Diego State won the women’s 1-meter and was runner-up on platform.
- Co-Swimmers of the Meet – Adriana Palomino of New Mexico won the 200, 500, and 1650 freestyles; while Boise State’s Abbey Sorensen won the 200 back and 50 free.
- Freshman of the meet – UNLV’s Carissa Armijo took 2ilver in the 500 ffree (4:46.90), 6th in the 400 IM (4:17.66), and 7th in the 200 fly (2:01.86).
Final Team Scores
- San Diego State – 1363.5
- Nevada – 1261.5
- Boise State – 1159
- New Mexico – 792.5
- Fresno State – 781.5
- Wyoming – 743.5
- Colorado State – 636.5
- San Jose State – 515.5
- UNLV – 501.5
- US Air Force Academy – 409
Adriana Palomino of New Mexico won her third event of the meet, taking the 1650 in 16:20.53 to add that title to the 500 and 200 free. But the event was not without intrigue, as Haley Rowley of Colorado State tracked Palomino closely, and as late as 1200 was within a second (11:53.53-11:54.46). But Rowley faded just slightly in the last few hundred, and finished 4.80 seconds back in 16:25.33. Rowley finished 4th-2nd-2nd in the “distance triple” of 500-400 IM-1650, but couldn’t quite win one.
Abbey Sorensen of Boise State took her second title of the meet, winning the 200 back tonight in a Conference record after taking the 50 free two days ago. Sorensen was out like a rocket, splitting 26.14-28.48-29.10-30.18 for a Mountain West Conference record time of 1:53.90. Second was Ally Kleinsorgen of Boise State in 1:55.03, and third was Ugne Mazutaityte of Fresno State in 1:55.88.
Rebecca Murray of Nevada won the 100 freestyle in 49.11, powering away over the second 50. Murray finished only 7th and 5th in the 50 free and 200 free, but the 100 ended up being the perfect middle distance for her. Alma Thormalm (49.66) of San Diego State just outtouched Cody Evans (49.67) of Boise State for second.
Madison Ward of Colorado State won a fast 200 breaststroke, coming from behind to touch in 2:09.85. Ward was only fifth at halfway (1:02.72), as 100 breast champ Morgan McKenna of San Diego State led (1:01.95). But Ward closed in 32.59-34.54 to take the win, while McKenna settled for second in 2:10.59. Manuela Mendolicchio was third in 2:11.31, as the top six here got B cuts.
In the 200 butterfly, Zofia Niemczak took the title in 1:58.34 ahead of a slew of 1:59s. Niemzak was actually faster in prelims (1:58.10), but took the lead at the 100 (56.18), and never looked back. Hannah McLean-Leonard of Wyoming was second in 1:59.22, while 100 fly champ Courtney Vincent of San Diego State was third (1:59.39).
In platform diving, Tamara Shmitova was top seed in the morning, and she won the event tonight: 263.30. Lechuga Gonzalez (SDSU; 247.00), Victoria Rice (Nevada; 245.45), and Isabel Vazquez (Nevada; 240.85) took the next three spots, as Cassidy Bose (Boise State; 247.25) won the B final in a score that would have been good enough for second place.
As the team crown was being lifted off their heads, Boise State had a last hurrah in the 400 freestyle relay. Abbey Sorensen (49.78), Cody Evans (48.91), Ally Kleinsorgen (49.32), and Robin Pinger (49.18) took the win in 3:17.19. Evans had the fastest split in the field, and Boise State was the only squad with all four swimmers under 50. Nevada touched second (3:19.73), and team conquerors San Diego State were third (3:20.40).
