The Western Kentucky University swimming and diving team closed out its regular season on Saturday afternoon, sweeping the field of Vanderbilt, Marshall and University of the Cumberlands at Bill Powell Natatorium.
The men’s team was up against UC and claimed a 251-75 win. The women had a perfect 3-0 mark against the teams with a 177.5-145.5 win over Vandy, 241-78 win against UC and 225-100 win over Marshall.
Twelve individual wins helped WKU to its victory, including Michelle Craddock tallying a pair of wins. Craddock won the 100 free in 52.44 and 500 free in 5:01.78.
Three of the 11 seniors honored prior to the meet also finished with first-place times. Richard Russell had a time of 46.27 in the 100 free for a win while Heitor Rodrigues stopped the clock in 48.85 in the 100 fly, just shy of breaking his own pool record of 48.48.
WKU men’s relay teams had the fastest times in each the 400 medley and 200 free, as two of the Tops’ 200 free relay squads tied in the day’s final event at 1:24.80.
Madison Rylee and Giorgi Meyer once again closed out the day with the top scores on the diving boards. Rylee finished with a score of 237.82 on the three meter while Meyer put up 328.12 points on the one meter.
WKU now has approximately one month to prepare for the Conference USA Championships at the end of February in Atlanta. It will be the first C-USA event for the women, but second for the men, as the Hilltoppers finished second to SMU last year.
