Wyoming vs Air Force
- October 21, 2023
- Colorado Springs, Colo.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: Wyoming Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (10/21/23) – The University of Wyoming swimming and diving team took to the road for the first time this season. Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls traveled to Air Force on Saturday, and even though they were away from Laramie, they felt right at home.
The men dominated the Falcons, 191-109, winning all but four events. The women downed the Falcons, 169-131.
Saturday marked the Cowboys’ first regular-season meet of 2023-24. Head coach Dave Denniston knew his team was itching to race and couldn’t have been more pleased with the performance.
“We absolutely dominated,” Denniston said. “We went 1-2-3 in several events and never looked back. It’s nice to be able to win and still see areas that we can improve. Our best swims and dives are still ahead of us.”
As Denniston said, the men took the top three spots in a number of different races. Three to be exact, while the Cowboys placed in each of the top two spots in five different events.
That run started during the first individual race of the meet. Charlie Clark won the 1,000-yard freestyle, boasting a time of 9:47.16, while Derek Long and Caleb Ozenne took second and third with times of 9:55.03 and 10:04.49.
The following individual event, the 200-yard freestyle, was a carbon copy of the first one. Quinn Cynor touched first, clocking in at 1:40.68. Gavin Smith went a 1:41.99 to place second, and Luke Walker was third at 1:43.03.
The 500-yard freestyle was the third and final 1-2-3 showing from Wyoming’s men’s team. Clark was first after recording a time of 4:42.14, while Long and Adam Pannell placed second and third with times of 4:48.77 and 4:50.45.
Collin Davis and Reilly Gilbert went 1-2 in the 100-yard backstroke, recording times of 51.96 and 52.58. Drew Ravegum and John Wargin claimed the top two spots in the 100-yard breaststroke with times of 57.11 and 57.18.
Harry Tjaden and Pannell dominated the 200-yard butterfly after swimming times of 1:52.39 and 1:54.06. Cynor and Smith finished first and second in the 100-yard freestyle, logging times of 45.70 and 46.58. Smith and Tjaden went 1-2 in the 100-yard butterfly with times of 49.19 and 50.11.
Jakob Borrman went a 21.22 in the 50-yard freestyle and Ravegum a 1:53.31 in the 200-yard individual medley rounded out the victorious individuals for the Cowboys. The 200-yard medley relay – comprised of Cynor, Wargin, Tjaden and Borrman – and the 400-yard freestyle relay – made up of Borrman, Cynor, Smith and Tjaden – bookended the meet with first-place finishes in times of 1:31.95 3:05.93.
Maisyn Klimczak, Sage Morton and Britt Nichols went 1-2-3 in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Klimczak boasted a time of 10:38.03, while Morton and Nichols went 10:42.69 and 10:57.66.
Alicia Gonzalez, Nettie Knapton and Marnie Howard took all three top spots in the 3-meter event. Gonzalez accumulated a score of 297.90 and Knapton and Howard scored 253.35 and 241.58 points.
A different combination seized the top three in the 1-meter competition. Gonzalez won with a score of 268.73, Howard was second at 233.70 and Natalie Six took third with 225.30 points.
Heidi Billings and Kayla Cunningham went 1-2 in the 200-yard backstroke with times of 2:02.56 and 2:05.67. Morton and Tara Joyce also finished first and second in the 500-yard freestyle after clocking in at 5:11.36 and 5:14.49.
Joyce won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:53.12. Rachael Horne claimed first in the 100-yard breaststroke, clocking in at 1:05.66. Carly Palmer touched first in the 200-yard IM in a time of 2:06.37 and Brynlee Busskohl topped the field in the 200-yard breaststroke after swimming a 2:21.36.
The 400-yard freestyle relay team – composed of Kali Franckowiak, Horne, Veronika Ozimek and Joyce – put an exclamation point on the victory with a first-place finish and a time of 3:28.37.
“The women had another great fight against Air Force but came away with a win in large part thanks to diving,” Denniston said. “Sage Morton swam great in the distance events. Carly Palmer sealed the win by winning the 200 IM. There was a great Wyoming crowd at the meet that kept our energy high and helped us win.”
Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls return home next weekend. They host Colorado School of Mines at 3 p.m. at Laramie High School.
Courtesy: Air Force Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS- In the Falcons second meet of the weekend, Air Force saw a number of individual successes in Saturday’s meet with the Cowboys, falling short by a score of 169.00-131.00.
“Our team rose to the challenge against a great Wyoming team,” said head swimming coach Colleen Murphy. “In particular, our sprinters and butterfly group were amazing. Abby Turner, Anna Ashley, Abigail Hardy and Allana Clarke stepped up to lead their team.”
The aforementioned Falcons put together a special afternoon. Ashley was the victor in the 100 Backstroke, claiming the win with a time of 57.14. Ashley, Turner, Clarke, and Naomi Furman teamed up to win the 200 Medley Relay following a time of 1:42.82, winning the event by nearly three seconds.
In the 100 Backstroke, Ashley provided a winning swim after touching out at 57.14.
Turner swam to a first-place finish in the 50 Freestyle, clocking in at 23.68. The junior also raced to a win in the 100 Freestyle following a time of 51.98.
Hardy raced to a winning time in the 200 Butterfly, clocking in at 2:08.97.
Maintaining her momentum, Clarke raced to a win in the 100 Butterfly after a time of 56.51. Shayla Marke (57.86) and Ryan Mills (58.26) finished second and third in the same event. Mills also finished second in the 50 Freestyle as the result of her time of 24.27.
Alex Clark finished second in a narrow 200 Freestyle race, touching out at 1:53.78. Another second-place finisher, Furman finished runner-up in the 100 Breaststroke after clocking in at 1:06.16. Mandy Fleetwood also managed a second-place standing in the 200 Breaststroke, completing her swim with a time of 2:26.71.
On the diving board, Anna Scofield placed fourth in the 1-Meter Dive after being judged for 222.15 points.
“I am so impressed with this team and their fight today in every race,” said Murphy.
Next, Air Force will travel to Grand Canyon to take on the Lopes on Friday, November 3.
COLORADO SPRINGS- In a head-to-head dual with Wyoming, the Falcons were bested by the Cowboys 191.00-109.00 on Saturday at Cadet Natatorium.
“It was a great day of racing for the guys,” said head swimming coach Rob Clayton. “They fought through having raced last night and raced hard again today.”
Louis Body picked up a win in the 200 Backstroke, clocking in at 1:53.25, more than two seconds better than the next swimmer. Body also placed third in the 100 Backstroke, touching out at 52.84.
As well in the 200 Backstroke, Kellen Russell finished right behind Body with a time of 1:55.98.
Anthony Sebastian nabbed victory in the 200 Breaststroke, clocking in at 2:05.42. On the boards, Alex Kenyon blew away the competition, claiming victory in the 3-Meter with a score of 350.70.
In the 50 Freestyle, Chase Dwornicki swam to second-place in a hotly-contested swim, clocking in at 21.26. James Winterfield made waves in the 200 Yard IM, placing second with a time of 1:56.02. Camden Swigart finished third in the same swim, finishing with a time of 1:58.46.
“We’re getting better,” said Clayton. “We’re making progress and we’re a super young team, but we’re doing the things we need to do to be ready at the end of the year.”
Next, the Falcons will travel to Phoenix to battle Grand Canyon on Friday, November 3.
