SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women’s swimming and diving team prepares to face Florida Gulf Coast and Boise State this Friday, Oct. 30 at the Ute Natatorium. The meet is set to begin at 5 p.m.
“This will be a big test for our women, continuing what is a very tough early season dual meet schedule,” said Utah head coach Joe Dykstra. “FGCU and Boise State are probably the two of the three or four best women’s swimming and diving teams from outside the power five conferences, having both placed at NCAA’s over the last few years. We are still not at full strength with injuries and illness but will be looking to continue to get better each and every week, and this meet is another great opportunity to improve.”
POWER OF PINK
Friday’s meet will serve as Utah’s annual Power of Pink event. Admission is free and the first 100 fans will receive a pink Utah beach ball. There will also be a freestyle clinic immediately following the meet which will be hosted the men and women’s squads. The clinic is open to any and all entrants ages 10 and up. Registration will be held the day of the meet.
UTAH NOTES
The women’s squad has had a rigorous first three meets, falling to No. 19 USC (138.5-112.5), No. 10 Cal (174-120) as well as No.5 Stanford (177-112).
Against USC, Jenna Marsh won the 100 flywith a time of 57.54. Petra Soininen took second (57.63) with Sydney Bull in third (1:00.04) and Ashlyn Karosas in fourth (1:01.33).
Brianna Francis captured the 200 IM with a time of 2:07.97. Taking second was Jordan Anderson (2:09.17) with Isabelle Kearns in third (2:14.15) and Karosas in fourth (2:16.35).
Against the Golden Bears, the Utes recorded three first-place finishes. Stina Colleou claimed the top spot in the 100 breast with a time of 1:03.66, the seventh-fastest time in the Pac-12 this year. Genevieve Robertson swam 1:03.96 in the same event, the 11th fastest Pac-12 time this year and then in the 200 breast, she won the event with a time of 2:14.29, the fourth-fastest in the Pac-12 this season. Jordan Anderson swam the 200 fly in 2:01.33, the seventh-fastest time in the Pac-12 and the 400 IM in 4:25.11, good for ninth in the conference
In diving, Amanda Casillas took first in the one-meter event with a score of 301.70 and also third in the three-meter (254.03).
Soininen took first in the 100 fly in 57.92 seconds against Stanford and her time in the 200 breast (2:15.31) is eighth-best in the Pac-12. Julienne Tadena earned victory in the 200 IM (2:07.75) while Casillas also took first in the three-meter diving event with a score of 276.45.
To finish off the meet on a high note, the team of Shayla Archer, Darby Wayner, Soininen and Marsh took first in the 200 medley relay touching in at 1:45.14.
Looking at the Opponents
Florida Gulf Coast’s squad is currently ranked No. 30, while BSU is right behind them at No. 34, FGCU is coming off wins against North Florida (190-91) and Notre Dame (158-104) while the Broncos recently defeated in-state foe Idaho, 185-148. The Utes fell short last season against Boise State, 156.5-143.5.
UP NEXT
The women’s squad will host UC Davis on Nov.6 at 4 p.m. MT while the men’s squad will host UNLV the following day at 11 a.m. MT.
Swimming news courtesy of Utah Swimming & Diving.