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Aztecs' Meyer named Freshman of the Meet
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo: McKenna Meyer courtesy goaztecs.com
February 19, 2017 (College Station, Tx.) - The San Diego State swimming and diving team captured second place in the final team standings at the 2017 Mountain West Championships being contested this week at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. In addition to the team’s stellar effort, Aztec McKenna Meyer was named the Freshman of the Meet for her performance over the four days of competition in the pool.
Boise State won its second conference title in the past four seasons with 1,390 points as it pulled away from the field by over 250 points. The Aztecs placed second place with 1,139 points as it held off defending champion Nevada (1,089.50 points). Wyoming ended the day in the fourth spot with 1,004 points.
Meyer earned the 2017 Freshman of the Meet award for her rookie performance at this year’s conference championships. She placed in the top five in three individual events, including a win in the 400-yard individual medley on Friday night. She finished fourth in the 500-free and fifth in the 1,650-free. Meyer also swam the leadoff leg of the Aztec’s 800-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay races.
On Saturday, Meyer got things going for the Aztecs as she placed fifth in the 1,650 freestyle with a time of 16:38.07. It was a personal best and also ranks as the fourth-fastest time in program history. Teammate Corinn Casper also won points for SDSU as she finished 11th in 16:59.16, 10th-best time ever by an Aztec swimmer.
In the 200 backstroke, senior Andrea VanderMey was the Aztec’s top finisher, placing seventh in the final with a time of 1:58.13. Her mark of 1:58.09 in the prelims goes into the SDSU record book as the fifth-best mark in the event. Fellow Aztec McKenna Garfein was eighth in the B Final with a time of 2:00.47.
The 100 freestyle race saw freshman Alma Thormalm capture fifth in the finals in 50.00, eight-best time in program history. Peyton Wilson, who won the B Final, actually bettered Thormalm’s time by .01 second (49.99) to rank seventh on the Aztec all-time top times list.
Junior Frida Berggren the notched a second-place finish in the 200 butterfly in 2:00.28. The Aztecs had two other swimmers in the championship final of the 200 fly including Rachael Kelch (5th – 2:01.19) and Samantha Guttmacher (8th – 2:04.32).
In the platform diving competition, junior Alexandra Caplan was the lone Aztec diver to advance to the finals where she placed sixth with a score of 238.65. A trio of her teammates qualified for the B Final with Makena Chamoures finishing 11th (237.75), Nicole Dutton placing 13th (229.25) and Payton Gabris taking 14th (227.60).
Other SDSU divers competing on the platform included freshmen Marie Yacopino (23rd – 208.70) and Delaney Gallagher (26th – 197.30). Fellow frosh Wella Hsu was an exhibition diver for the Aztecs and posted a score of 213.95.
In the final event of the meet, the SDSU 400 freestyle relay team of Meyer, Thormalm, Wilson and Guttmacher turned in a time of 3:21.17 to take third place in the race.
The Aztecs will now await a determination of which swimmers will qualify for the NCAA Championships to be held March 15-18 at the Indiana University in Indianapolis, Ind.
Prior to the NCAA Championships, the Aztec divers will participate in the Zone E Regional March 6-8 at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff Arizona as individuals look to qualify for the national title meet. The Mountain West all-conference team is expected to be announced on Tuesday.
2017 MW Championships
Boise State.............1,390
San Diego State.....1,139
Nevada..................1,089.50
Wyoming...............1,004
Colorado State..........791
New Mexico.............697
Fresno State............624
UNLV......................520
San Jose State.........496.50
Air Force.................479
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