DENVER – The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs have set their captains for the 2019-20 season, first year head coach
Alicia Hicken-Franklin announced on Thursday.
On the women's side, the Pioneers will be led in the water by
Sarah Lingen (Maple Grove, Minn.),
Blair Williams (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and
Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.).
For the men's team, junior
Cameron Auchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) and seniors
Craig Robrock (Savage, Minn.),
Hugo Sykes (Weston, Conn.) and
Graham Walker (Nairobi, Kenya) will serve as captains for the 2019-20 Pioneers.
"I am excited and confident to announce this group of captains to lead our team into 2019-20," Hicken Franklin said. "These men and women believe in themselves and are ready to lead our teams forward both in and out of the pool. I know they will give everything they can to their teammates and the program, and our staff can't wait to get started."
The 2018-19 Summit League Women's Swimmer of the Year, Valette was Denver's lone female representative at the 2019 NCAA Championships, finishing 37
th in the 100 fly and 36
th in the 200 fly last spring. Valette earned All-Summit League honors in the 200-yard Medley Relay, 800-yard Freestyle Relay, 100-yard Butterfly, 400-yard Medley Relay, 200-yard Freestyle, 200-yard Butterfly and the 400-yard Freestyle Relay in 2019. Earlier this offseason, Valette finished fourth in the 100 fly finals at the French Elite Championships with a 1:00.00 to qualify for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Lingen finished 26
th in the 100 fly and 19
th in the 100 free at the 2019 CSCAA National Invitational in Cleveland, while also swimming in 400 free and 800 free relays that reached the podium at the competition. The Denver senior earned All-Summit League honors in the 200 free relay, the 100 free and the 400 free relay. Williams has swam in nine different events in the first three years of her Pioneer career, leading the team in sprint events, while being a versatile lineup fit for a women's program that broke the Summit League points record in February.
Auchinachie earned All-America honors in the 50 free and 100 free to lead the Pioneers to a 36
th-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championships. The 2019 Summit League Men's Swimmer of the Year earned honors in the 200-yard Medley Relay, 200-yard Freestyle Relay, 50-yard Freestyle, 400-yard Medley Relay, 200-yard Freestyle and 100-yard Freestyle. Auchinachie will also represent the Pioneers at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trails.
Walker is now a two-time captain for the Pioneers entering his redshirt-senior season. A year ago, Walker earned All-Summit League honors in the 100 fly and 200 fly after taking second in both events at the Summit League Championships. Sykes is a two-time captain as well, a year following his ninth place finish in the 200 free and 19
th place finish in the 100 free at the 2019 CSCAA National Invitational. Last spring, Sykes earned All-Summit League honors in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and 400 free.
Brother of assistant coach
Kyle Robrock, Craig Robrock is coming off a 16
th place finish in the 400 IM, a 20
th place finish in the 100 IM and a 25
th place finish in the 200 breast at the 2019 CSCAA National Invitational.
Craig Robrock made significant improvements during his long course season this summer, and will look to translate that success into the 2019-20 season.
Fans interested in making a donation to the men's and women's swimming and diving programs can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
-Pioneer Together-
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