The Colorado State swimming & diving team ended the dual meet season with a big conference win over the Air Force Falcons on Saturday, 163-137. The win closes the Rams' dual meet season with back-to-back victories and a 5-3 record. It is the program's highest winning percentage since 2009-10, and the first time CSU has posted back-to-back winning seasons since the program did it three years in a row from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
"I'm really excited about not only this win, but where our team is at right now," Head Coach Christopher Woodard said. "Our goal at the beginning of the season was to be .500 in dual meets, which we obviously accomplished, but more than that, we're coming together at the right time. Our girls are tired, and we knew we had to get through this meet before conference, but we came together and swam really well, which is really gratifying."
In addition to the dual meet against the Falcons, CSU's divers competed in the two-day AFA Diving Invitational, which began Friday. CSU and Air Force's diving scores were counted toward the dual meet, but additionally, they counted toward the invitational standings, which featured 14 others schools.
Freshman Katie Kicklighter and junior Jessica Shepard were both dominant, winning two events apiece. Kicklighter won the 50 Freestyle (23:79) and 100 Freestyle (52:48), while Shepard took first in the 100 Backstroke (57:65) and 200 Backstroke (2:07.09), and placed second in the 200 IM (2:09.87). Megan Lloyd also swam to a first-place time, finishing tops in the 200 Butterfly (2:06.64).
Despite several dominant efforts, Air Force swam out to an early lead, winning the first two individual swimming events before Shepard's first of two wins. It was her second, though, that really set the Rams apart, as CSU went 1-2-3 in the 200 Backstroke, with Colleen Olson and Elizabeth Prasse following Shepard's lead.
"The pendulum kept swinging and we kept fighting," Woodard said. "Obviously the first-place finishes stand out, but it was a total team effort. I'm most excited about some of our other performers, the ones who finished third, fourth, fifth, and showed what they are capable of doing."
As they have done all season, the Rams' divers were among the best in the region. On Friday in the 1-Meter, two Rams placed in the finals with Ariana Milone taking fourth (273.30) and Erin Taylor finishing 12th (214.95). Milone was seeded first after a preliminary score of 274.35, before scoring 273.30 in the finals. CSU was one of just three schools to have multiple divers place. In total, 47 student-athletes competed in the event, with each of CSU's divers finishing in the top 28. Mary Kate Hardy just missed the finals cut, finishing 13th in the prelims (232.40).
On the 3-Meter on Saturday, Milone again was the team's top performer, finishing with a score of 304.65, which was first among all CSU and Air Force divers. Hardy finished second (277.95), while Emily Williams finished fifth (221.25).
"Our divers led our team, once again," Woodard said. "There is a lot of talent among that group, and I'm just excited to see what they can do at conference, because I know they can perform extremely well.”
As Woodard noted, several other athletes scored for the Rams, including: Cristina Bassani (100 Breaststroke, third; 200 Breaststroke, second); Jenna Beaury (200 Breaststroke, third); Madison Evans (1000 Freestyle, third; 500 Freestyle, fourth); Teagan Griffith (200 Freestyle, fifth; 100 Freestyle, fourth);Michelle Hawkins (100 Backstroke, fifth); Alexandra Jacobs (200 Butterfly, fourth; 200 IM, fourth); Gabby Morley (500 Freestyle, fifth); Olson (200 Freestyle, fourth); Katie Polich (100 Butterfly, fifth); Prasse (100 Backstroke, third); Karin Roh (100 Freestyle, second); Gianna Salanitro (200 Breaststroke, fourth; 200 IM, fifth); Tess Simpson (100 Breaststroke, second; 100 Butterfly, third); Hailey Spratte (1000 Freestyle, fifth); and Bailey Williamson (100 Butterfly, fourth). Additionally, CSU won both the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay.
The team will now have two and a half weeks to prepare for the Mountain West Championships, which will take place Feb. 18-21 in San Antonio, Texas. The Rams look to carry their late-season momentum and hope for several top individual performances as the team competes against the rest of its conference foes.
"We still have a lot of work to do, but the girls are excited and I'm eager to see what we can do in San Antonio," Woodard said.
The Colorado State Rams defeated Air Force, 163.00-137.00 in a women’s swimming dual meet Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Academy’s Cadet Natatorium. The Falcons fell to 7-8 in dual meet action.
Senior Kim Davis and sophomore Genevieve Miller each won three events. Davis won the 100 breaststroke (1:05.42), 200 breaststroke (2:14.52) and the 200 IM (2:07.45). Miller won the 1000 free (10:41.36), the 200 free (1:53.87) and the 500 free (5:13.13).
Sara Menke was second (10:43.53) in the 1000 free. In the 200 free, Menke was second (1:54.54) and Jinan Andrews was third (1:55.29). In the 500 free, Menke was second (5:13.89) and Clara Heffernan was third (5:18.64).
Maria Schroeder won the 100 butterfly (54.77) while Jenna Tasic was second (57.45).
The Air Force women’s team is off until the Mountain West Championships, Feb. 18-21 in San Antonio, Texas.
