TUCSON – The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs combined for eight event wins in a two day double dual on Friday and Saturday at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center.
Junior
Cameron Auchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) earned Denver's first NCAA B Standard of the season, and as of Saturday afternoon ranks first in the country in the 50 free after his 19.76 in the event.
Team Scores
Women
Denver 209.5, Hawai'i 143.5
Arizona 204, Denver 144
Men
Arizona 230, Denver 121
Hawai'i 203, Denver 148
Friday Recap
Denver's relays highlighted Friday afternoon for the Pioneers. Denver opened the meet with a win in the women's 400 medley relay as the quartet of
Natalie Arky (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
, Brandi Vu (Longmont, Colo.)
, Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) and
Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.) combined for a time of 3:44.63. Denver's women are undefeated in medley relays this season.
The Pioneers closed out the first day of the meet with a second place finish in the women's 200 free relay, swam by Valette,
Aysia Leckie (Georgetown, Ontario),
Sarah Lingen (Maple Grove, Minn.) and
Livi Schmid (Fairfax Station, Va.) in 1:34.66, and a win in the men's 200 free relay swam Auchinachie,
Hugo Sykes (Weston, Conn.),
Jackson Gainer (San Jose, Calif.) and
Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas), swam in 1:20.44.
For the Denver men,
Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) and
Riley Babson (Vail, Ariz.) were the first individuals to earn podium finishes, taking second (15:57.27) and third (16:06.36) respectively in the men's mile race. Gilbert climbed back into a podium position later on Friday afternoon, taking third in the 200 fly with a time of 1:52.50.
Auchinachie had a busy Friday, taking second in the 100 back (49.89) and second in the 100 free (44.19) before helping lead the Pioneers to the 200 free relay victory.
Vu turned in another podium swim a few events later with a third place finish in the 100 breast on Friday, reaching the wall in 1:03.60.
Cronin continued her impressive start to the season as the two-time Summit League Women's Swimmer of the Week finished first in the 200 fly for her second event win of the opening day of the double dual, out-swimming the field by nearly a second with her 2:02.53.
Melissa Funes (Seattle, Wash.) turned in another fast swim in her freshman season, clocking in at 52.25 to take third in the 100 free.
Saturday Recap
The Pioneers opened the second day of competition against Hawai'i and Arizona with a victory in the women's 200 medley relay. Arky, Vu, Cronin and Valette won their second medley race of the weekend, combining for a 1:42.14.
Gilbert followed the medley races up with another second place finish in a distance race, finishing the 500 free in 4:32.53. Babson finished third for the second-consecutive afternoon with a 4:37.76.
Cronin capped off a weekend sweep of the women's butterfly races with her 54.85 in the 100 on Saturday. Valette finished in a tie for second in the race with a 54.97.
Charlotte Simon (Saint Remy, France) earned her first win of the weekend, taking the 200 breast title with a 2:18.12.
Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas) got Denver's men back in the podium places in the 200 breast, finishing second with a 2:01.70.
Nosack and Arky took second and third in the women's 200 back to earn points for the Crimson and Gold with times of 2:01.48 and 2:02.63, respectively.
Patrick Groters (Santa Cruz, Aruba) represented the men's program in the 200 back, taking second with a 1:50.37.
Simon earned another podium spot in the 400 IM on Saturday, taking third with a 4:29.27. Mihalic reached the wall in second on the men's side with a 4:00.54.
Valette won the women's 50 free in 23.35 before Auchinachie earned the first NCAA B Standard of the season with his 19.76 on the men's side.
Sammy Walker (Los Gatos, Calif.) dove for third on the women's 1-meter board, tallying a 236.80.
This Weekend's Event Wins
Women's 400 Medley Relay –
Natalie Arky,
Brandi Vu,
Kylie Cronin,
Josie Valette – 3:44.63
Women's 200 Fly –
Kylie Cronin – 2:02.53
Men's 200 Free Relay –
Cameron Auchinachie,
Hugo Sykes,
Jackson Gainer,
Neil Wachtler – 1:20.44
Women's 200 Medley Relay –
Natalie Arky,
Brandi Vu,
Kylie Cronin,
Josie Valette – 1:42.14
Women's 100 Fly –
Kylie Cronin – 54.85
Women's 200 Breast –
Charlotte Simon – 2:18.12
Women's 50 Free –
Josie Valette – 23.35
Men's 50 Free – Cameron Auchinachie – 19.76 – NCAA B Standard
UP NEXT: Denver will not compete again as a team until heading to the Princeton Invite in December for a three-day event from the sixth to the eighth.
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