Boise State Extends MW Lead on Day 3, Marutjunjan Sets Conference Mark

Mountain West Conference – Women

• Wednesday, February 15 – Saturday, February 18
• Texas A&M Natatorium, College Station, TX (Central Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Nevada (results)
• Live results
• Live Video – Mountain West Network
• Championship Central

The Boise State Broncos hold the lead after the penultimate night of Mountain West Competition, with nearly two hundred points over the field (972). San Diego State made a big move into second place (769), while Nevada now sits third (748).

The biggest individual swim of the night came from Wyoming junior Maria Harutjunjan who kept her perfect 100 breaststroke conference championship record with her third conference title. Her 59.85 made her the first Mountain West swimmer in history under the minute mark.

400 Medley Relay – Finals

Top 3 finishers:

1. Boise State – 3:34.40
2. Colorado State: 3:51.35
3. Wyoming – 3:39.55

Boise State won its fourth straight relay of the meet and broke its third conference relay record yesterday with 3:34.40. Senior Katelyn Martin spearheaded the effort, anchoring the team with a 47.75 split, a full two seconds ahead of every other freestylers in the field. Swimming their way to the record with Martin were sophomore Allyson Kleinsorgen on backstroke, sophomore Laura Williams on breaststroke, and senior Brittany Aoyama on butterfly.

The finish came over five seconds ahead of second-place Colorado State, who hit the wall in 3:39.50. The Colorado State squad of Rowan Hauber, Jenna Beaury, Tonicia Thomas, and Katie Kicklighter were able to hold off Wyoming’s 3:39.55 by just .05 for the silver medal.

400 IM Finals

Top 3 finishers:

1. McKenna Meyer, San Diego State: 4:12.54
2. Haley Rowley, Colorado State: 4:14.15
3. Frida Berggren, San Diego State: 4:14.83

Freshman McKenna Meyer of San Diego State grabbed an NCAA ‘B’ cut and with her first Mountain West Conference title in the 400 IM with 4:12.54. Colorado State sophomore Haley Rowley held even with her through the backstroke leg, hitting the midway point exactly even with Meyer at a 2:00.11 halfway split. But, Meyer pulled ahead in the breaststroke leg, splitting 1:04.89 on the breast to Rowley’s 1:05.68, and Rowley ended up second with 4:14.15. Frida Berggren of San Diego State made it a 1/3 finish for the team, grabbing third just behind in 4:14.83.

100 Fly – Finals

Top 3 finishers:

1. Brittany Aoyama, Boise State: 52.04
2. Summer Harrison, San Diego State: 52.68
3. Kanoha Shinada, New Mexio: 53.62

Boise State’s Brittany Aoyama continued her three-year-long 100 fly dominance with 52.04 for her third 100 fly conference title. Both Aoyama and Summer Harrison of San Diego State came out of the event with NCAA ‘B’ marks, with Harrison finishing secondin 52.68. Third place went to New Mexico’s Kanoha Shinada in 53.62.

200 Free – Finals

Top 3 finishers:

1. Emma Chard, Boise State: 1:45.59
2. Teresa Baerens, Nevada: 1:46.32
3. Genevieve Miller, Air Force: 1:47.19

Emma Chard of Boise State, a junior, came up with her second 200 free Mountain West championship in as many years, winning the event in 1:45.59. Senior Teresa Baerens of Nevada finished second in 1:46.32, followed by her fellow senior Genevieve Miller of Air Force in 1:47.19.

The top three all hit NCAA ‘B’ times, along with fourth-place Nevada sophomore Rebecca Murray in 1:47.60.

100 Breast – Finals

Top 3 finishers:

1. Maria Harutjunjan, Wyoming: 59.85
2. Sofia Carnevale, UNLV: 1:00.48
3. Jenna Beaury, Colorado State: 1:01.89

Maria Harutjunjan, a junior out of Wyoming, pulled off the biggest swim of the night yesterday, setting a new Mountain West Conference record, and retaining her perfect record three conference championships in the event. Her 59.85 made her the first swimmer in Mountain West history under a minute.

UNLV freshman Sofia Carnevale took the silver (1:00.48), and Colorado State senior Jenna Beaury won the bronze (1:01.89). Boise State sophomore Laura Williams (1:02.29) and her freshman teammate Robin Pinger (1:02.46) each also made it in under the NCAA ‘B’ standard of 1:02.49.

100 Back – Finals

1. Allyson Kleinsorgen, Boise State: 53.24
2. Tonicia Thomas, Colorado State: 53.79
3. Rowan Hauber, Colorado State: 53.86

Though Colorado State made a big point grab with second and third going to sophomore Tonicia Thomas (53.79) and junior Rowan Hauber (53.86), the conference title went to Allyson Kleinsorgen of Boise State with 53.24. The top ten swimmers all came in under the NCAA ‘B’ standard of 55.09.

Team Scores After Night 3

1. Boise State 972
2. San Diego State 769
3. Nevada 748
4. Wyoming 669
5. Colorado State 540
6. New Mexico 433
7. San Jose State 362.5
8. U N L V 337
9. Air Force 334
10. Fresno State 305.5