Courtesy: Fresno State Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Fresno State juniors Manuela Mendolicchio and Irina Nikolaeva have been named MW Swimmer and Diver of the Week, respectively, the conference announced on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs became just the second team this season to sweep the weekly conference honors. Mendolicchio earned the accolade for the second time this season while Nikolaeva, who missed the first half of the season due to injury, earned her first Diver of the Week award.
Mendolicchio won all three events in which she swam to help lead the Bulldogs to a 186-75 win at San Diego on Saturday. She won the 100 Breast by more than two seconds, won the 200 Breast by more than five seconds in 2:19.36., and won the 200 IM by more than a second. She also medaled in the 200 Breast at San Diego State, placing third. Mendolicchio won the 100 Breast for the third meet this season, won the 200 Breast for the fourth time, and won the 200 IM for the second time
Nikolaeva earned wins against both San Diego State and San Diego, picking up victories on both boards. Against the Aztecs, she scored a season-best and NCAA Zone Qualifying score of 284.40 on 3-meter, winning the event by nearly 10 points. Nikolaeva also won the only diving competition in the San Diego meet, claiming first on 1-meter. She added a fourth-place finish on 1-meter against San Diego State in a field of 10. She recorded her second 1-meter win of the season and her first victory on 3-meter.
Fresno State is back home this week to host UC Davis for Senior Day on Saturday at 1 p.m.