Simon Fraser Swimming Splits With Seattle, Northern Colorado

Simon Fraser swimming had a strong outing against Seattle and Northern Colorado. The men beat Seattle, 132-72, while the women lost 112-93 to Seattle and 112.5-92.5 to Northern Colorado.

Simon Fraser Press Release:

Simon Fraser University got a big lift from its freshmen class in their first collegiate swim meet, winning four individual races to lead the Clan men’s team to a 132 to 72 dual meet victory over Seattle University Thursday at the Connolly Center Pool.

The Clan men’s team, which consists of seven freshmen and just one senior among the group of 18, captured nine events. Freshmen took first place honours in four of those races, led by Mackenzie Hamill of Oakville, ON, with convincing victories in the 1000-yard and 500-yard freestyle races.

Hamill won both races by at least 10 seconds on his closest competitor, capturing the 1000 free in 9 minutes 40.39 seconds and the 500 free in 4:37.34. Nicolas Hernandez, a freshman from Bogota, Columbia by way of St. Thomas Aquinas high school, captured the 200 freestyle in 1:44.73 while freshman Nicholas Lau of Hong Kong, China, won the 100 freestyle in 47.89, edging teammate Colton Peterson (48.17).

Freshman Alicia Kan of Burnaby also won one of two races for the women’s team. The Clan women lost dual meets to Seattle U 112 to 93 and to Northern Colorado 112.5 to 92.5.

“We have a strong incoming freshmen class and I expect several of our newcomers will qualify, compete and score at the NCAA championships,” said Donnelly. “It is an exciting start to the season.”

Sophomore Adrian VanderHelm also won two races for the men beating teammates, taking the 200 IM (1:51.21) and the 100 Butterfly (50.08).

The meet started with the quartet of Gabriel Lee, Colton Peterson, Justin Kiedrzyn and Nicholas Lau winning the 400 medley relay in 3:27.68, almost two seconds ahead of Seattle U. The Clan closed the meet with the quartet of Kiedrzyn, Lee, VanderHelm and Hernandez winning the 200 freestyle relay over SU 1:25.75 to 1:26.84.

In between the Clan won seven of nine individual races on the men’s side.

The Clan women’s swim team picked up key victories during Thursday night’s season-opening meet, including two wins by junior Lauren Swistak of Port Moody and one by the freshman Alicia Kan.

Swistak blazed to a first-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:54.87 and then followed that by a convincing victory in the 500 freestyle in 5:08.89, two seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

In one of the closest races of the meet Kan won by just 8/100ths of a second (58.23 to 58.31) over SU’s Jane Liggett.

The Clan women also had some near-misses. Sophomore Sidney Peake was second in the 200 IM (2:12.80) and senior Carly Guraliuk was second in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.60).

The Clan returns to competition Friday against Whitman College and the University of Idaho in Moscow, ID.

Seattle Press Release:

The Seattle University women’s swim team picked up key victories during Thursday night’s season-opening meet, including a win in the 200 freestyle relay, to clinch dual meet victories over Northern Colorado, 105-100, and Simon Fraser, 112-93, at the Connolly Center Pool.

The meet started with the quartet of Katie Rottman (Phoenix, Ariz.), Blaise Wittenauer-Lee (Portland, Ore.), Jane Liggett (Portland, Ore.), and Paige Treff (Orland, Calif.) winning the 400 medley relay in 3:56.84, just 28/100ths of a second ahead of Northern Colorado. The Redhawks needed to defeat the Bears in the 200 freestyle relay as well, with Treff, Kristin Hoffman (Mercer Island, Wash.), Kelly Hartman (East Wenatchee, Wash.), and Maddie Dickman (Sacramento, Calif.) accomplishing the feat with a time of 1:39.11.

Treff blazed to a first-place finish in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.18 seconds, followed by a convincing victory by Wittenauer-Lee in the 200 individual medley in 2:08.49, over four seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. However, some near-misses by the Redhawks allowed their opponents to come back, starting with Liggett finishing second in the 100 butterfly to Simon Fraser’s Alicia Kim by just 8/100ths of a second (58.23 to 58.31).

Hoffman was out-touched in the 100 freestyle by Northern Colorado’s Sydney Kovar by 4/100ths of a second (54.21 to 54.25), and then the Bears and the Clan both defeated the Redhawks in both the 100 backstroke and 500 freestyle. Northern Colorado took a short lead after Leilani Herrera posted a time of 1:04.98 in the 100 breaststroke, 1/100th of a second ahead of Wittenauer-Lee, but the Redhawks responded in the final event to earn its first dual-meet victory over a Western Athletic Conference rival since joining the conference in 2012.

“That last relay showed that we have the ability to step up and get the job done. It was a really close race across the board, and it showed us that we have to stay focused on the details. Getting out there and racing for the first time this season, some people are not as crisp as they need to be, but we will keep working on that,” Seattle U head coach Craig Nisgor said.

Madi Lydig (Spokane, Wash.) finished second in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:42.30, and Hoffman finished third in the 200 freestyle in 1:56.77. Northern Colorado picked up four overall event victories as it defeated Simon Fraser as part of the double-dual meet, 112.5 to 92.5.

After having some fun Saturday, Oct. 17, in the alumni meet starting at 11 a.m., the Redhawks return to competition next weekend with back-to-back meets against Grand Canyon and Loyola Marymount in Phoenix, Ariz. The meets take place Friday, Oct. 23, starting at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m.

The Seattle University men’s swim team faced some of the fastest swimmers from Canada, as Simon Fraser University defeated the Redhawks, 132-72, in a dual meet at the Connolly Center Pool.

Tanner Schelling (Boise, Idaho) was Seattle U’s top performer, winning the 50 freestyle in 21.38 seconds and the 100 breaststroke in 57.22 seconds. In addition, he posted the fastest 100 breaststroke split within the 400 medley relay at 57.40 seconds, as he and teammates Morgan Montemayor (Seattle, Wash.), Jack Baldoni (Applegate, Calif.), and Mitchell Crossen (Puyallup, Wash.) finished second in 3:29.15.

Baldoni finished second in the 50 freestyle in 21.58 seconds, followed by Matt Morris (Lufkin, Texas) in fourth place in 22.29 seconds. Montemayor also picked up a second-place finish individually in the 100 backstroke with a time of 52.63 seconds.

The 200 freestyle relay quartet of Will Wertz (Richland, Wash.), Montemayor, Michael Cox (Maple Valley, Wash.), and Morris finished second in the final event of the meet with a time of 1:26.84. However, Simon Fraser’s depth was too much for the Redhawks, as the Clan won nine of 11 events during the evening.

“We had some good stuff, but after a month, they are a little tired, as we have been working them really hard. However, they know that it will take hard work to be ready for the upcoming meets over the rest of the season,” Seattle U head coach Craig Nisgor said.

After having some fun Saturday, Oct. 17, in the alumni meet starting at 11 a.m., the Redhawks return to competition next weekend with back-to-back meets against Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Ariz. The meets take place Friday, Oct. 23, starting at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m.

Northern Colorado Press Release:

The Bears Swimming team continued their 2015-16 season Thursday [Oct. 15], traveling to Seattle, Washington for a tri-meet against Seattle and Simon Fraser. The team defeated Simon Fraser, 112.5 to 92.5, but fell to Seattle, 105 to 100.

“This was a very exciting match to watch, and we had some great races,” head coach Kelly McClanahan commented. “It’s extremely tough racing on the same day that we travel, but I thought the girls fought through it very well.”

The 400 yard medley relay team of sophomore Valeria Mihhailova, freshman Leilani Herrera, junior Laura Ramirez, and freshman Karlie O’Connell finished with the second fastest time of the event at 3:57.12.

Junior Carleigh Barrett had a phenomenal 1000 yard freestyle race, finishing in 10:38.48, well before any of the other competitors. Barrett finished second in the 500 yard freestyle, too, finishing that in 5:10.85.

Mihhailova had a successful individual race in the 50 yard freestyle, finishing in just 24.84. The sophomore also finished first in the 100 yard backstroke in just 59.01 – the only competitor to finish under one minute.

“Valeria had an excellent 100 back on the MR and individually, and Carleigh really stepped up in the 1000 for us and battled it out with the Simon Fraser swimmer in the 500.

In the 200 yard freestyle race, sophomore Sydney Kovar finished second overall, touching the wall in 1:56.19. Kovar also finished first in the 100 yard freestyle race with a time of 54.21, winning by a fraction of a second, as the second place competitor finished in 54.25.

Herrera made a name for herself individually as well, finishing .01 second faster than a Seattle swimmer to take first place in the 100 yard breaststroke (1:04.98). She tied for third in the 100 yard backstroke, touching the wall at 1:00.65 – the exact same time as one of the Simon Fraser competitors.

“Leilani had a breakout meet with an excellent swim on the MR and 100 back. Her 100 breaststroke win was against one of the best breaststrokers in the conference, so that match will definitely be a fun one to watch at WAC Championships in February.”

In the 200 yard freestyle relay, Kovar, O’Connell, freshman Brianna Salanitro, and junior Kim Kuni finished with a time of 1:40.85, a time that would land them second place in the race.

“All in all, the team swam very well individually, but the relays still need to come together better than what we showed tonight. I thought the freshmen really showed what they’re made of and that they’re here and ready to race. Now all we can do is turn our focus to Idaho.”

The swimmers continue their season (and the divers will begin their season) in the first 2015-16 combined WAC dual meet against Idaho in Moscow, Idaho on Sunday (Oct. 18). The home opener for the Bears follows two days later, when they host Nebraska-Omaha on the 19th at 5 p.m. MT.

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Teresa White

8 years ago

Way to go Mackenzie!! Jeanne Hamill

Brigitte Peake

8 years ago

Great start to the season sfu Sfu Swim-Coach