MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University swimming and diving squads completed the third day of competition at the Big 12 Championships at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.
Currently, both squads sit in second place behind Texas, the women have scored 375 points, while the men have scored 551 points.
Senior Rachael Burnett once again impressed, winning the 200 free with a time of 1:45.22, breaking the 200 free record for the second time in the meet after setting the previous record on Wednesday in the 800 free relay. Senior Kata Fodor placed seventh with a time 1:48.86, and freshman Kelsey Frantz finished in 12th with a time of 1:52.34.
“What an exciting night of swimming. Rachael, Mandie (Nugent) and Jenelle (Zee) all broke school records with first, second and fourth place finishes,” coach Vic Riggs says. “Chris (Brill) had a great 100 breast. Also, in a heat of Texas Longhorns and Mountaineers in the Men's 200 Ross (Glegg) had a great finish to break up a Longhorn sweep with his third place finish.”
In the women’s 100 fly, senior Mandie Nugent placed second with a school record time of 52.67, while sophomore Julie Ogden, and junior Eva Burlingham, placed fifth (53.89), and sixth (54.00), respectively. Freshman Jaimee Gillmore placed second in the bonus final, finishing with a time of 56.19.
In the 100 breast, sophomore Jenelle Zee placed in fourth with a school record time of 1:01.76, while freshman Morgan Emter placed 13th overall with a time of 1:04.56.
In the men’s 100 fly, freshman Andrew Marsh placed fourth with a time of 49.27, with freshman Chase Williams placing sixth (49.65) and freshman Jay Hickey placing eighth with a time of 51.37. Freshman Kyle Bandy finished in the consolation final with a time of 51.32.
In the men’s 100 breast, sophomore Christopher Brill placed third with a time of 55.02, freshman Aidan Fumagalli, and junior Peter Murto, placed seventh (57.34) and eighth (57.65), respectively. Freshman Jake Iotte won the consolation final, finishing with a time of 56.35.
In the women’s 400 IM, senior Austen Carrington placed 15th with a time of 4:28.63
Danielle Smith finished fourth in the back with a time of 54.20, while freshman Courtney Miller placed 13th overall with a time of 56.89.
“Along with other great swims tonight, Julie (Ogden), Eva (Burlingham), Kata (Fodor), Nathan (Cobbe), Hugh (Simmonds), Julien (Vialette), Andrew (Marsh), Chase (Williams), Jay (Hickey), Aidan (Fumagalli), Peter (Murto) and Danielle (Smith) all had excellent swims in their championships heats which was very important to the team races,” Riggs says.
In the men’s 100 back, Marsh placed seventh (49.93), followed by Hickey in eighth (50.94) and sophomore David Palley in tenth (51.11), while in the men’s 200 free, sophomore Daeton Davenport placed third with a time of 1:39.8. Iotte placed fifth with a time of 1:41.14 and sophomore Miles Molinaro placed eighth with a time of 1:44.47.
The WVU divers also continued their competition with finals in the 3-meter board. For the men, junior Richard Pokorny placed fifth with a score of 335.75, with sophomore Liam McLaughlin and freshman Christian Parker placing sixth (318.05), and eighth (302.60), respectively.
For the women, sophomore Haily VandePoel placed fifth with a score of 305.70.
“The divers had another great day with Haily (VandePoel), Christian, Liam and Richard all finished in the Top 8,” Riggs says.
The action finished with the 200 free relay, while the women’s “A” team was disqualified, the men’s “A” team of Julien Vialette, Ross Glegg, Marsh and Cobbe placed second with a time of 1:19.92.
“We finished with a great men's 200 free relay and unfortunately our women's relay was disqualified,” Riggs says. "We are solidly in second for the men and a good position for a second place finish for the women tomorrow as well if we do our job.”
The Mountaineers will make a push in the fourth and final day of the Big 12 Championships tomorrow. A full recap will be available following the action on WVUsports.com.
