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Duo Earn Swimmer-of-the-Week Honors
October 18, 2016 05:21 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Coming off a dominant and record-setting weekend, West Virginia University swimmers Merwane El Merini and Emma Skelley have been named Big 12 Swimmers-of-the-Week by CollegeSwimming News.
Skelley set a WVU Natatorium record and won three races, while El Merini posted victories in all seven races he competed in as the pair led the Mountaineers to a second consecutive Big 12 vs. Big East Weekend title, from October 14-15.
“Emma and Merwane both had very strong performances last week,” WVU coach Vic Riggs said. “It’s nice to see them recognized for that.”
Skelley’s record-setting time came in the 1,650 freestyle, with a 16:56.11. She competed in three individual events, winning them all with season-best times, against Butler, Seton Hall and Xavier. Three of El Merini’s seven wins came in individual events, while four were part of relay teams, as he helped West Virginia to wins over Seton Hall and Xavier.
A career-best and pool-record 16:56.11 in the 1,650 freestyle was the highlight of Skelley’s three wins. Her time bested WVU graduate Rachael Burnett’s previous record of 16:59.32. In addition to her record-setting performance, the senior added wins in the women’s 500 freestyle, with a 1:52.45 and the women’s 200 freestyle with a 1:52.45. She also earned a third place finish as a member of the 400 freestyle relay.
El Merini claimed seven victories, three individually and four as part of relay teams. His first individual win came in the men’s 50 freestyle, where he touched the wall in 20.83 to win by 0.57 seconds. In the men’s 100 backstroke, El Merini placed first with a season-best time of 50.90, winning by 0.97 seconds. The sophomore grabbed his third and final individual win in the men’s 100 freestyle, with a 46.84. As a member of four winning relay events, the 200 and 400 freestyle relays and the 200 and 400 medley relays, El Merini added season-best times in the 50 freestyle (20.69) and 100 freestyle (45.86).
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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