USAFA, Colo. – The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving program's swept Air Force in a sprint championship-style meet at the Air Force Academy on Saturday afternoon.
Denver vs. Air Force Dual Scores
Men:
Denver 214
Air Force 162
Women:
Denver 255
Air Force 123
In her final collegiate season,
Sammy Walker (Los Gatos, Calif.) will represent the Pioneers at the 2020 NCAA Zone Diving event in Seattle after earning her standards in both the 1-meter (265.80) and 3-meter (306.23) on Saturday.
Sid Farber (Portland, Ore.) earned four NCAA B times in the 50 free (19.45 best time) and
Cameron Auchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) finished just behind Farber in the 50 free final with an NCAA Standard time of 19.77. Freshman
Jason Gleason (Olalla, Wash.) added a diving event win to his early-career success with a score of 289.43.
The Pioneers opened the meet with continued success in the 200 medley relay. On the women's side,
Natalie Arky (Highlands Ranch, Colo.),
Brandi Vu (Longmont, Colo.),
Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) and
Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.) combined for a winning time of 1:40.67, while the quartet of Auchinachie,
Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho),
Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas) and Farber won the men's race with a 1:27.72.
Andi Johnston (Fort Collins, Colo.) picked up Denver's first individual win of the afternoon with her 1:50.82 in the 200 free. Following the 200 free, the two teams competed in the prelims of the 50 fly, 50 back, 50 breast and 50 free. Johnston got back in the water again after the prelims, winning the 500 free for the fourth time this season with a 5:00.05. Denver swept the podium in the distance race as
Angie Lindsay (Beaverton, Ore.) finished second in 5:08.63 and
Olivia Kercheval-Roig (Tallahassee, Fla.) took third with a 5:10.36.
Following the semifinals in the four sprint events,
Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) won the men's 500 free for the seventh time in 2019-20, reaching the final wall in 4:33.96.
Riley Babson (Vail, Ariz.) finished just behind Gilbert in second with a 4:36.50.
The finals started with the 50 fly on Saturday with four swimmers qualifying for each final. Cronin led a trio of Pioneers swimmers in the first sprint final, taking first with a 24.60. Senior
Sarah Lingen (Maple Grove, Minn.) took second in 24.78 and Valette finished fourth in 25.01.
In the first men's sprint final of the day, Sanes was the only Pioneer swimmer in the 50 fly, taking second in 21.92.
Moving to the 50 back, three Pioneers qualified, taking the 2-4 spots in the final. Arky finished second in 26.45,
Gaby Antonini (Key Biscayne, Fla.) finished third in 26.51 and
Emily Vandenberg (Ajax, Ontario) clocked in fourth with a 27.16.
In the men's 50 back, Auchinachie won the sprint with a 21.35 and
Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas) finished third with a 22.60.
Starting the second half of the sprint finals, Vu won the women's 50 breast with a 28.50.
Charlotte Simon (Saint Remy, France) took second in 29.18 and Vandenberg finished third with a 29.34.
Denver had two finalists once again in the men's 50 breast. Jager won the race with his 24.74 and Sanes clocked in at 25.55 to take third.
Following a tie for first in the 50 free semis, Valette edged out Leckie in the 50 free finals on Saturday afternoon, reaching the wall in 23.23. Leckie was 0.07 seconds behind her in the final (23.30) and Lingen finished third with a 23.35. Valette's victory was her third in the event this season.
Farber and Auchinachie continued their season-long dual in the men's 50 free with Farber once again edging out his teammate, taking the race in 19.45. Auchinachie clocked in at 19.77 and
Jackson Gainer (San Jose, Calif.) finished fourth with a 20.47. Farber's win was his fourth in the event in 2019-20 to match his teammate Auchinachie.
Following the sprint finals, Simon led a Pioneer podium sweep in the women's 200 IM. Simon finished the race in 2:04.34, Vu finished second in 2:06.97 and Cronin took third with a 2:07.14.
On the men's side, Groters won his first 200 IM of the season with a 1:50.47.
The swimming portion of Saturday's meet ended with a Denver sweep of the 200 free relays. Valette, Leckie,
Melissa Funes (Seattle, Wash.) and Lingen earned the program's fifth 200 free relay win of the season with a 1:33.13, while Denver's men earned their sixth 200 free event victory with a 1:19.83 swam by Farber, Auchinachie, Gainer and Jager.
Saturday Afternoon's Event Wins
Women's 200 Medley Relay –
Natalie Arky,
Brandi Vu,
Kylie Cronin,
Josie Valette – 1:40.67
Men's 200 Medley Relay –
Cameron Auchinachie,
Cy Jager,
Adriel Sanes,
Sid Farber – 1:27.72
Women's 200 Free –
Andi Johnston – 1:50.82
Women's 500 Free –
Andi Johnston – 5:00.05
Men's 500 Free –
Colin Gilbert – 4:33.96
Women's 50 Fly –
Kylie Cronin – 24.60
Men's 50 Back –
Cameron Auchinachie – 21.35
Women's 50 Breast –
Brandi Vu – 28.50
Men's 50 Breast –
Cy Jager – 24.74
Women's 50 Free –
Josie Valette - 23.23
Men's 50 Free –
Sid Farber – 19.45
Women's 200 IM –
Charlotte Simon – 2:04.34
Men's 200 IM –
Patrick Groters – 1:50.47
Women's 200 Free Relay –
Josie Valette,
Aysia Leckie,
Melissa Funes,
Sarah Lingen – 1:33.13
Men's 200 Free Relay –
Sid Farber,
Cameron Auchinachie,
Jackson Gainer,
Cy Jager – 1:19.83
Men's 1-Meter Dive –
Jason Gleason – 289.43
NCAA Standards
Sid Farber – 50 Free Prelims – 19.57 – NCAA B Standard
Sid Farber – 50 Free Semis – 19.57 – NCAA B Standard
Sid Farber – 50 Free Final – 19.45 – NCAA B Standard
Cameron Auchinachie – 50 Free Final – 19.77 – NCAA B Standard
Sid Farber – 50 Free (200 Free Relay leadoff) – 19.78 – NCAA B Standard
Sammy Walker – 1 Meter Dive – 265.80
Sammy Walker – 3 Meter Dive – 306.23
UP NEXT: Denver's divers will be back in action at the Air Force Diving Invite from Feb. 6-8 before the entire men's and women's squad head to Sioux Falls for the 2020 Summit League Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 19-22.
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2020 DENVER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME RECEPTION:
Denver announced its
2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class in January. The inductees will be honored on the DU campus May 16. For more information, registration for the reception and donation information,
click here.
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