TCU
CSU Early Bird Invitational (M&W)
TCU swimming & diving teams sweep CSU Early Bird Invitational
10/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Oct. 22, 2005
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The TCU men's and women's swimming and diving teams both earned tournament championships Saturday at the CSU Early Bird Invitational in Fort Collins, Colo. The men were able to maintain their lead from the first day, while the women made an impressive push into the top spot on the final day.
On the women's side, TCU garnered 1,152.5 points to outduel host school and Mountain West Conference member Colorado State (1,087.5). Northern Colorado (603), Denver (500), Colorado School of Mines (172), Colorado (122) and Metro State (91) rounded out the seven-team field.
Meanwhile, the men scored 1,024.5 points to upend fellow MWC foes Wyoming (968) and Air Force (832), who finished second and third, respectively. Denver (339), Colorado-Boulder (229.5), Colorado School of Mines (218) and Metro State (145) also swam in the invite.
"It's really nice for both programs," head coach Richard Sybesma said. "We were happy with how everything worked out. The teams swam well and we were able to eye some of the Mountain West competition that we'll be facing in the coming months."
The Horned Frog women made their move early in the day by taking the top three spots, racking up 53 total points in the process, in the 400-individual medley. Christi Cannon snatched first place with a time of 4:37.96, ahead of Keleigh Wentworth (4:46.55) and Michelle Pottenger (4:46.98).
TCU also swept the medal positions in the 200-breaststroke with Maribeth Pottenger (2:25.97), Katie Rosen (2:26.52) and Cannon (2:28.65), and in the 1650-freestyle with Keilah Walker (7:51.69), Cheryl Townsend (7:57.92), and Sarah Bardwell (8:00.93).
Erica Tate continued her strong early-season swimming, taking the 100-butterfly in 58.43 and the 100-free in 52.89. Teammate Maribeth Pottenger was the champion in the 100-breaststroke (1:08.80), while Wentworth grabbed victory in the 200-butterfly (2:10.30). In the day's diving competition, Kelly Seely had a first-place showing in the 1-meter with a total score of 258.30.
In relay action, TCU's contingent of Rikki Covey, Karen Sandifer, Tara Sullivan and Emily Duerringer touched the wall first in the 800-freestyle event (7:47.72). The Frogs capped off their victory with a triumph in the 400-free relay courtesy of Duerringer, Sandifer, Covey and Tate (3:33.98).
One individual highlight for the men's squad was Teylor Arboleda's win in the 100-fly (52.15). In addition, Guillermo Ramirez took first place in the 100-backstroke with a time of 51.61, finishing just ahead of teammate Jonathon Berrettini (52.56). The two swimmers switched positions in the 200-back, as Berrettini (1:52.49) clipped Ramirez (1:52.65) on the touch.
TCU continued its relay dominance at the meet, winning the 200-medley relay with a time of 1:34.98 (Berrettini, Aran Bean, Arboleda and Scott McCracken). The 800-free relay team of Alejandro Gomez, Yousif Del Valle, Jason Hauck and Diego Palacios also took the gold, posting a time of 7:06.71.
TCU's men and women are next in action against MWC foe UNLV Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at the University Recreation Center. It is the home opener for both Horned Frog squads.
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