Oviedo Records Team's First WAC Title
2/28/2019 7:38:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
RESULTS
HOUSTON – Rebeca Oviedo made history three times over for California Baptist University on day two of the Western Athletic Conference Championships Thursday.
The true freshman set two new CBU records to become the first Lancer in program history to win an individual WAC title in the 500-yard freestyle. It was one of eight top-eight performances from the Lancers that helped them move up to fifth place in the standings on Thursday at the CRWC Natatorium.
Northern Arizona is starting to run away with the WAC title, with 321.5 points, but it will be a dog fight for second to seventh place. Northern Colorado is in second (209.5), while Idaho (197) and NM State (196) are back-to-back in third and fourth. CBU has 189 points for a 36-point gap between it and sixth place, CSU Bakersfield (153).
It was bound to be a good night for CBU after it set two new team records in prelims, thanks to Oviedo and Isabella Rhodes.
Oviedo posted the fastest time in the 500-free prelims at four minutes, 51.45 seconds, which was already .29 of a second faster than the previous CBU record of 4:51.74 set by Christie Halverson at the 2016 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships.
It turned Oviedo was just getting started. She put in a strong final 100 yards for a come-from-behind victory in the championship race later in the evening. Her time of 4:49.27 obliterated record she set earlier in the day by more than two seconds, and was not far off the NCAA Division I Championship consideration time (4:47.20).
Two other Lancers qualified for the championship final of the 500 free to ensure it was their biggest point scorer of the week so far. Mackenzie Mergel took seventh in 4:58.72, while Buse Topcu finished in eighth place (5:04.76).
Rhodes and Emily Longfellow both produced top-four swims in the 200 individual medley. Rhodes set a new CBU record in the prelims (2:02.13) and, like Oviedo, then updated it further in the finals with a 2:02.11 that was good enough for third place, while Longfellow took fourth in 2:02.17.
Both bested the Lancers' previous 200 IM record of 2:02.67 that was set by Yosita Hapsari at the 2013 PCSC Championships.
CBU's 200-free relay team of Rhodes, McKenzie Kelly, Grace Oeser and Rita Smirnova took fifth place in 1:33.34. It was well under the CSCAA automatic time of 1:35.99.
Smirnova and Emily Dunkerson both qualified for a championship finals and took eighth place in the 50 free and 1-meter board, respectively.
Dunkerson qualified for the championships with a 248.50 in prelims and finished with a 229.70. Smirnova advanced to the A final with a 23.45 in prelims and improved upon that in the evening (23.38). McKenzie Kelly also took 14th in the 50 free (23.73).
Three other Lancers finished in the top-20 on the 1-meter, as Kiree Lowe (194.45), Savannah Uhlir (190.25) and Janae Jizmejian (182.45) took 17th through 19th.
Preliminary competition (PDF) will begin at 8:30 a.m. Pacific, with the finals beginning at 4 p.m. each day this week. Live stats will be available throughout the week for both swimming and diving. There will be video of diving and swimming prelims on the WAC's Facebook, with the finals being streamed on the WAC Digital Network. For more information, visit the WAC Championship Central.
HOUSTON – Rebeca Oviedo made history three times over for California Baptist University on day two of the Western Athletic Conference Championships Thursday.
The true freshman set two new CBU records to become the first Lancer in program history to win an individual WAC title in the 500-yard freestyle. It was one of eight top-eight performances from the Lancers that helped them move up to fifth place in the standings on Thursday at the CRWC Natatorium.
Northern Arizona is starting to run away with the WAC title, with 321.5 points, but it will be a dog fight for second to seventh place. Northern Colorado is in second (209.5), while Idaho (197) and NM State (196) are back-to-back in third and fourth. CBU has 189 points for a 36-point gap between it and sixth place, CSU Bakersfield (153).
It was bound to be a good night for CBU after it set two new team records in prelims, thanks to Oviedo and Isabella Rhodes.
Oviedo posted the fastest time in the 500-free prelims at four minutes, 51.45 seconds, which was already .29 of a second faster than the previous CBU record of 4:51.74 set by Christie Halverson at the 2016 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships.
It turned Oviedo was just getting started. She put in a strong final 100 yards for a come-from-behind victory in the championship race later in the evening. Her time of 4:49.27 obliterated record she set earlier in the day by more than two seconds, and was not far off the NCAA Division I Championship consideration time (4:47.20).
📢📢📢
— CBU Swim/Dive (@CBUswim) March 1, 2019
We have our first-ever @WACsports champion! Rebeca Oviedo wins the 500-yard freestyle in 4:49.27, updating the CBU record she set in prelims (4:51.45). Oviedo put in a strong final 100 for the comeback win.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/Dqh9Mpguu8
Two other Lancers qualified for the championship final of the 500 free to ensure it was their biggest point scorer of the week so far. Mackenzie Mergel took seventh in 4:58.72, while Buse Topcu finished in eighth place (5:04.76).
Rhodes and Emily Longfellow both produced top-four swims in the 200 individual medley. Rhodes set a new CBU record in the prelims (2:02.13) and, like Oviedo, then updated it further in the finals with a 2:02.11 that was good enough for third place, while Longfellow took fourth in 2:02.17.
Both bested the Lancers' previous 200 IM record of 2:02.67 that was set by Yosita Hapsari at the 2013 PCSC Championships.
Isabella Rhodes and Emily Longfellow finish third and fourth in the 200 IM❗️❗️ Rhodes updates the CBU record she set in the prelims (2:02.13) with a 2:02.11. Longfellow touches the wall in 2:02.17.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/qvTbDxQB7O
— CBU Swim/Dive (@CBUswim) March 1, 2019
CBU's 200-free relay team of Rhodes, McKenzie Kelly, Grace Oeser and Rita Smirnova took fifth place in 1:33.34. It was well under the CSCAA automatic time of 1:35.99.
Smirnova and Emily Dunkerson both qualified for a championship finals and took eighth place in the 50 free and 1-meter board, respectively.
Dunkerson qualified for the championships with a 248.50 in prelims and finished with a 229.70. Smirnova advanced to the A final with a 23.45 in prelims and improved upon that in the evening (23.38). McKenzie Kelly also took 14th in the 50 free (23.73).
On to diving in Houston, Emily Dunkerson is in the 1-meter championship finals for CBU and scores 43.20 points with her second dive of the round. #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/ngj5Od38eU
— CBU Swim/Dive (@CBUswim) March 1, 2019
Three other Lancers finished in the top-20 on the 1-meter, as Kiree Lowe (194.45), Savannah Uhlir (190.25) and Janae Jizmejian (182.45) took 17th through 19th.
Preliminary competition (PDF) will begin at 8:30 a.m. Pacific, with the finals beginning at 4 p.m. each day this week. Live stats will be available throughout the week for both swimming and diving. There will be video of diving and swimming prelims on the WAC's Facebook, with the finals being streamed on the WAC Digital Network. For more information, visit the WAC Championship Central.
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