Swimming and Diving Finish Sixth at WAC Championships

Feb. 24, 2001

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Fresno State finished sixth in the Western Athletic Conference Championships held at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas, which concluded Saturday.

The Bulldogs were fired up with anticipation entering the final day of the tournament. The `Dogs swam 15 lifetime bests and set seven new all-time top five times including two school records. Freshman Julian Hill (Bakersfield, Calif.) stuck first setting a school record in the 200 backstroke with her time of 2:02.55. Hill would soon replaced by senior Summir Case (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) who swam a 2:02.15 in the next heat to set a new record.

The day was only just beginning for the `Dogs. Swimming in her final WAC meet of her collegiate career, senior Jennifer Brown (West Hills, Calif.) swam two lifetime bests in one event. Brown swam a 17:02.17 in the 1650 freestyle, 23 seconds below her personal low. Her second best was in the 1000-yard split of the 1650 with 10:20.38, which also set the new all-time number four spot. Brown finished third in the tournament making her a 1650 freestyle All-WAC team selection.

Fellow seniors Temple Cowden (Redlands, Calif.) and Heidi Olsen (Sanger, Calif.) also turned in top performances. Cowden swam two lifetime bests in the 200 butterfly, once in the morning and again in the evening finals. Cowden's low time set the number three all-time spot and placed seventh in the tournament. Olsen achieved her lifetime best in the 200 breaststroke with her time of 2:25.82.

It wasn't just the veterans getting the work done, the underclassmen did a little work too. Sophomore Deanna Braun (Antioch, Calif.) scored sixth place with her lifetime best 17:09.43 in the 1650 freestyle setting a new fifth fastest time. Braun scored a second personal best in the 1000-yard split with 10:24.04. Fellow sophomores Jessica Klenner (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Kristi Collins (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) dominated as well. Klenner scored a 2:07.22 in the 200 butterfly and Collins a :55.33 in the 100 freestyle. Freshman Greer McGettrick scored two lifetime bests with her 1000 freestyle split (10:53.23) and 200 breaststroke (2:20.72).

"We knew that this was going to be our best day," head coach Daniella Irle said. "I was very impressed with the way these athletes performed today. This was our day. These swimmers came out here fired up and showed that strength of character that I knew they had."

The Bulldogs finished with 363 points over San Jose State's 325. SMU won the championship with 917 points, a far leap over Hawai'i whose was in second with 583.50. Rice took third with 481.50, Nevada in fourth with 458 and TCU in fifth with 407.

The Bulldog's are not done for the year yet. Over the course of the three-day tournament, the `Dogs qualified more than 11 events for the U.S. Open Championships and four events for the USA Nationals.

1650 Freestyle3   Jennifer Brown        17:02.17     *Lifetime Best and School Second Fastest6  Deanna Braun           17:09.43     *Lifetime Best and School Fifth Fastest10 Jessica Klenner        17:31.9814 Greer McGettrick       17:54.7715 Bethany Starkweather  18:00.55

200 Backstroke6  Summir Case            2:02.16     *Lifetime Best and School Record7  Julian Hill           2:02.55     *Lifetime Best and School Second Fastest16 Bethany Starkweather  2:09.59

100 Freestyle13  Jesie Lewis            :51.7314  Lena Darnell           :52.6423  Kristi Collins         :55.33

200 Breast15  Greer McGettrick      2:20.72   *LTB, School Fourth Fastest16  Jennifer Brown        2:23.3322  Kristi Markiewitz     2:26.1823  Heidi Olsen           2:25.82   *LTB

200 Butterfly7  Temple Cowden       2:03.83     *LTB, School Third Fastest9  Jessica Klenner     2:07.22     *LTB11 Laurel Frisinger    2:08.01
400 Freestyle Relay6thSummir Case         :52.28   *LTBChandra Riberich    :53.59Lena Darnell        :52.38Jesie Lewis         :51.78     3:29.97

Fresno State Athletics

Swimming and Diving Finish Sixth at WAC Championships

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