Utah Swimming & Diving to Host Seattle and Arkansas

12/1/2010 12:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving

Dec. 1, 2010

THIS WEEK

The University of Utah swimming and diving team will finish off the semester by hosting Seattle on Friday at 6 p.m., and Arkansas women's team on Saturday at 10 a.m., at the Ute Natatorium.

LAST WEEK

While the Utah diving team headed to the Wildcat Diving Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., the swimming team competed against 17 other university teams at the Arena Invitational on Nov. 18-20 in Long Beach, Calif.

At the Wildcat Diving Invitational, Kwan Ling Yu scored 216.30 points in the platform dive to earn the runner-up spot out of 40 other divers.

At the Arena Invitational, the Utah men placed 10th overall with 267.50 points and the women earned 13th place overall, scoring 231 points.

Traycie Swartz posted the second-fastest time ever by a Ute in the 100 back (56.85). Jana Willsey also worked her way into school history, posting the ninth-fastest time ever by a Ute in the 400 IM (4:32.92).

Natalie Edge, Hannah Caron, Samantha Zuch, and Swartz achieved a season-best time in the 200 free relay when they tied for seventh place with ASU (1:33.80). Willsey and Kayla Buck each shaved 10 seconds off of their respective season-best times in the 500 free (5:08.36 and 5:11.44). Willsey also swam a season-best time in the 200 fly (2:05.77). Rebecca Bott shaved five seconds off of her season-best time in the 500 free as well (5:14.55).

Major Robinson, Garrett Peterson, Luke Donohue, and Garret Beaman finished ninth the 400 medley relay for a season-best time (3:25.56). Beaman also assisted Bjorn Gunnarsson, Eric Murray, and Brent Murray to an eighth-place finish and another season-best time in the 200 free relay (1.23.32). Brent and Eric Murray, Gunnarsson, and Robinson led the Utes to an eighth-place finish in the 800 free relay (6:59.91).

Robinson and Brent Murray placed 13th and 17th in the 200 back with respective times of 1:51.70 and 1:51.15. Peterson placed in 17th place in the 100 breast final heat (57.82).

The scores between Utah and San Diego State at the Arena Invitational were compared separately for a conference dual meet. The SDSU women took the win with a score of 153 to 127. Ellis Walter's score of 234.10 on the 3-meter dive at the Wildcat Diving Invitational earned her first place against the Aztec divers.

LAST MEETING

The Seattle swimming and diving team previously swam against the Utes last fall in a quad meet that included Boise State and New Mexico. The Utah women were undefeated in all of their events, and earned a score of 234 - 53 against Seattle. The Ute men also finished ahead of Seattle with a final score of 186.5 - 87.5.

The Utah women last swam against Arkansas in January of the 2010 season. The Utes lost by a score of 195 - 100. Current Utes Edge, Caron, Kristina Evans, Buck, Willsey, Yu and Walters all achieved high placements against the Razorbacks.

QUOTING HEAD COACH Greg Winslow

"Seattle is a talented team. It will be good for our men to get some races against them and have our last race of the semester. Then the kids can focus on their final exams and get good grades, which we talk about often."

"Seattle will be a good measuring stick especially after our meet in Long Beach where we didn't perform as well as we could have. Seattle put up a good fight against us last year so we'll see how it goes."

"The women will be facing Arkansas which is one of the best teams in the SEC. They have been ranked nationally and they are a very good team. Going up against them will be our toughest competition all season."

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

At the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Championships last season, many school records were shattered by the Seattle swim team. Joe Wertz won the conference title in the 200 back, setting a school record in the process. Garrett Nugent earned the 200 fly title as well. Eric Pedack (fly), Andrew Martinez (distance freestyle), Jordan Anderson (free sprints), and Murray Longbotham (fly and free) all hold school records.

School-record holders for the women include Kelsey Henan (free), Heather Nelson (fly, breast, IM), Casey Hoffman (distance free), Hayley Cobb (free), Alexis Morehouse (IM and breast), Briley Boggs (fly and free), Marina Pomar-Enders (distance free), and Nicole Doi (free sprints). Morehouse earned the 200 breast title at the 2010 PCSC championships

Collegeswimming.com ranked seven Arkansas swimmers in the top 25 in the nation for the 2010-11 season. Chelsea Franklin placed third in the 1,000 free and eighth in the 500 free. Alison Templin is ranked 19th in the 1,000 free top 25 as well. Katie Whitbeck is eighth in the nation in the 200 free and 14th in the 100 fly. Nicole Menzel joins Whitbeck in the top 25 in the 200 fly, having earned the 21st spot. Carly Mercer and Jamie Marks are ranked 19th in the 50 free and 200 fly, respectively. Marks is also ranked 25th in the 200 breast. Hayley Smith holds the 20th spot on the 200 back top 25.

-UU-