California Baptist University
WAC Championships
CBU Finishes Second at WAC Championships
2/29/2020 4:51:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving
The Lancers logged two runner-up finishes (one relay) and four top-four performances on Saturday at the CRWC Natatorium on the campus of the University of Houston. CBU ended the week with a runner-up finish in record time in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Northern Arizona won its sixth-straight WAC title with 677.5 points. CBU scored 579 to hold off Grand Canyon (561). NM State (497) and CSU Bakersfield (434) took fourth and fifth, respectively, while Northern Colorado (370), Idaho (307.5) and Seattle U (168) rounded out the eight-team standings.
An all-underclassmen relay team of freshmen Mackenzie Degn, Hannah Houlton and sophomores Rita Smirnova and Isabella Rhodes took second place in three minutes, 21.36 seconds. It bested the previous CBU record of 3:22.20 and was just off the champions from NM State (3:21.02).
🚨 RECORD ALERT 🚨
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) February 29, 2020
CBU sets a new program record in the final event of the @WACsports Championships, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Rebeca Oviedo, McKenzie Kelly, Rita Smirnova and Hannah Houlton take second place in 3:21.36, besting the previous record of 3:22.20.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/6XG01XgUNo
Rebeca Oviedo secured the Lancers' second runner-up finish of the day in the 1650 free, with a time of 16:54.23. Three swimmers finished in the top-eight of the event for CBU, as Mackenzie Mergel took fourth (17:07.25) and Martha Aguilar seventh (17:16.89).
🥈🥈🥈
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) February 29, 2020
Rebeca Oviedo secures a runner-up finish in the 1650-yard freestyle in 16:54.23. Two more Lancers took top-eight spots in the event: Mackenzie Mergel (fourth, 17:07.25) and Martha Aguilar (seventh, 17:16.89).#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/ieJvGipJPT
On the platform, three Lancers finished in the top-eight. Kiree Lowe finished off her season with her third top-five finish of the meet, as she took fifth place in the finals (195.50). Madeline Wiese (184.60) and Savannah Uhlir (182.50) took seventh and eighth, respectively, while Madison Liu came in 15th (146.60).
Isabella Rhodes finishes fourth in the 100-yard freestyle to continue a 💪 week at the @WACsports Championships for the redshirt sophomore. True freshman Mackenzie Degn also took eighth in the event (50.90).#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/D0pgdRyjOS
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) February 29, 2020
Rhodes continued her strong week with a fourth-place swim in the 100 free in 50.10 seconds. Degn also took eighth place for the Lancers (50.90), while Rita Smirnova (51.35) and Houlton (51.46) finished back-to-back in 11th and 12th, respectively.
Three Lancers locked up top-14 spots in the 200 breaststroke, with the top two logging new personal records that are top-four times in program history. Alexa Melara finished eighth in 2:18.39 and Emma Lindquist took ninth (2:18.63), while Faith Brazil came in 14th (2:20.94).
Emily Longfellow also set a new personal best at CBU in the 200 backstroke to take 13th in 2:03.76.
The Lancers will now turn their attention to the 2020 Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America's National Invitational Championships, which will take place March 12-14 in Cleveland.
CBU will now turn its attention to the 2020 College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America National Invitational Championship (CSCAA NIC).
Players Mentioned
