University of Denver
Denver Relays (Swim Only)
Pioneers Sweep Denver Relays
10/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Swimming
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DENVER - The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs each won nine of 11 relay events, and swept the Denver Relays on Saturday afternoon at El Pomar Natatorium.
Team Scores
Men
- [RV/25] Denver - 1130
- Wyoming - 802
- Colorado School of Mines - 494
Women
- Denver - 1058
- Wyoming - 822
- Northern Colorado - 788
- Colorado School of Mines - 212
"This was a great start and I have to applaud our athletes' efforts this afternoon," head coach Brian Schrader said. "We are still in an early part of our training and season, so our measuring stick today was attitude and effort, and I felt like we hit that mark. It was really fun to have so many loud alums, parents and friends in the stands today. With so much varied racing and many of our kids racing six-to-seven times, they all did a nice job supporting each other. In short, today showcased fast swimming and fun. I think a college season should always start with some relays to emphasize "team"."
Denver was led on the women's side by five wins apiece from senior Morgan McCormick (Golden, Colo.) and freshman Aysia Leckie (Georgetown, Ontario), while senior Anton Loncar (Hillsboro, Ore.) and Sid Farber (Portland, Ore.) led the men's side with five relay wins each.
The Pioneers had three swimmers grab four wins on Saturday afternoon, as junior Bailey Andison (Smiths Falls, Ontario) and junior Lauren Moden (Parker, Colo.) added in impressive afternoons for the women's program, and redshirt-freshman Stephen Calkins (Calgary, Alberta) won four relays on his debut.
Denver opened its annual relay event with a sweep in the 200 Medley Relay. McCormick, Andison, senior Heidi Bradley (Victoria, B.C.) and Leckie combined for a time of 1:42.55 to start the season-opener with a victory, while Loncar, freshman Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho), sophomore Peter Webster (Odense, Denmark) and Farber touched first in the men's event with a 1:30.52.
In the lone distance swim of the afternoon, 2017 NCAA Championships qualifier Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) led-off for Denver's 3x750 free relay, combining with junior Kyle Ewoldt (Gilbert, Ariz.) and senior Alex Walton (Atlanta, Ga.) for a time of 14:04.07. Gilbert swam his 250 in 4:38.83. Ewoldt's relay win was his first of three on Saturday.
Sophomore Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.), Bradley and sophomore Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) got the Denver women back in the win column in the fifth event of the afternoon with a 2:49.88 in the 3X100 butterfly relay. The win was one of three for Bradley, while Valette was part of two relay wins for the Pioneers on Saturday.
Denver's backstrokers both swept the 3x100 back relay. McCormick, Moden and junior Annelyse Tullier (Dallas, Texas) pulled off a 2:50.38, while sophomore Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas), senior Jared Smith (Boulder City, Nev.) and Loncar touched the wall in 2:28.66. Tullier's win was her first of two on Saturday, Wacthler's was his first of three and Smith was part of his first of two winning relays.
To the breaststroke, Denver's women's trio of freshman Charlotte Simon (Saint Remy, France), Andison and junior Courtney Laird (Overland Park, Kan.) turned in a time of 3:12.90 to touch the wall first. Simon's win was her first of two in her first collegiate meet.
The freestyle sprinters took to the water in the 4X25 relay in events 11 and 12 of the afternoon. Denver's women's A-relay of Leckie, Moden, senior Morgan Wice-Roslin (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and McCormick won the relay by 1.6 seconds, while the quartet of Farber, freshman Jackson Gainer (San Jose, Calif.), Loncar and Calkins finished in 36.45 to win by over 1.5 seconds in the men's relay.
Following the break, Denver swept the two 100 yard underwater relays. Valette, freshman Deniz Ozkan (Istanbul, Turkey), Leckie and Moden swam the rare event in 24.12. In the 14th event of the day, Loncar, Ewoldt, Calkins and Smith swam underwater in 39.69.
Denver grabbed another sweep in the IM events. Andison, Simon, senior Maddie Myers (Arvada, Colo.) and McCormick touched the wall first in 3:56.17. In the men's IM event, Ewoldt, freshman Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas), Wachtler and freshman Trent Panzera (Gauteng, South Africa) turned in a 3:32.45.
Leckie, Moden, Tullier and Myers took the crescendo free relay (50-100-150-200) by a half a second with a 4:35.61, while the men took the men's event when Farber, Calkins, senior Ray Bornman (Mackay, Queensland) and Gilbert swam a 3:59.53 to take the event by 8.7 seconds.
The Pioneers swept the 4x25 medley relay in the second to last events of the afternoon. McCormick, Andison, Bradley and Leckie edged out Wyoming with a 47.76, and the men's A-relay of Loncar, Jager, Webster and Farber won by seven-tenths, clocking in at 41.6.
Denver's men's 400 relay took the Pioneers final official event win of the day when Farber, Calkins, Bornman and Wachtler swam 4.5 seconds faster than the Cowboys to take the event with a 3:01.51.
The yearly cherry on top of the Denver Relays is the 200 mixed medley exhibition, featuring two male and two female swimmers from each team.
Loncar, Andison, Ozkan and Farber won the event with a 1:38.27 to cap off Denver's season opener.
UP NEXT:
Denver will have two meets next weekend. On Friday, October 13, Denver's women host New Mexico, while the men have an intersquad at El Pomar, beginning at 4 p.m. MT. The Pioneers' will then travel together to Wyoming for a meet Saturday, October 14. First swim is set for 1 p.m. in Laramie.
Pioneer Movement
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