Feb. 21, 2006
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – MWC CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW: Oklahoma City Community College will host the 2006 Mountain West Conference Swimming & Diving Championships February 22-25 at the Aquatic Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. This will mark the seventh time in conference history that the event will be held at the Aquatic Center.
New Mexico (2-10 overall, 0-8 MWC) enter the Championships in eighth place in the conference. In last year’s Championships, the Lobos placed sixth out of eighth with 387 points.
Finals action begins Wednesday night at 6 p.m. with the 200-yard medley relay, one-meter springboard and 800-yard freestyle relay. Last year, the Lobos finished sixth in the medley and third in the free relays. On the board senior Becca Barras won gold with a score of 283.30 while teammate junior Carrie Quinn finished seventh.
This year, the Lobos return three of the four competitors to make up the relays while Quinn returns on the boards. The top time in the 200-yard medley relay this year is 1:50.11 turned in by juniors Jen Hale and Jenna Syverson and sophomores Tori Clarridge and Rachel Evans. The best time for the Lobos in the 800-yard free relay is 7:49.57, the eighth best in the MWC. UNM will have an excellent chance of repeating last year’s first place finish on the one-meter as Quinn (298.19) holds the second best score in the conference this season.
On Thursday, the finals for the 500-yard free, 200-yard individual medley, 50-yard free, three-meter board and 200-yard free relay are scheduled. In the 500-yard free last year, senior Robyn Miller and then-sophomore Hale both scored as Miller finished third and Hale 12th. The 200-yard IM did not see any scoring by the Lobos. Clarridge and Syverson had the best finishes in the 50-yard free, placing eighth and 15th, respectively. The 200-yard free relay team of Syverson, Clarridge, Miller and then-junior Kelsey Leckovic took fourth. On the three-meter board, Barras solidified the silver.
This year, day two could be even more rewarding. In the 500-yard free, Miller has the fourth best time in the conference (4:59.72). Sophomore Ashley LaBree, who currently holds the top time for the Lobos (2:14.19) in the 200-yard IM, will be a tough competitor. Clarridge (24.62) and Syverson (24.87) currently hold the top times for the Lobos in the 50-yard free, respectively, and should definitely score points for the Lobos in this event at conference. At the 2005 Speedo Cup Invitational the Lobos recorded the best 200-yard free relay time at 1:39.08, good enough for a tenth place ranking in the MWC. Quinn could also finish first on the three-meter as she already sits in that positions in the conference with a total of 414.40. Don’t count out sophomore Tiffany Blackstone (347.10) and junior Joanna Garcia (321.70) who sit five-six in MWC standings, respectively.
Friday will most likely be another great day of competition for the Lobos. First will be the 400-yard IM followed by the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard free, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke and 400-yard medley relay.
Last year Miller raced to the silver in the 400-yard IM and this year has the sixth best time in the conference. Miller has turned in a time of 4:31.70. Miller will also likely score in the 100-yard fly. She currently holds the top time for the Lobos in this event with a time of 59.77. Miller could grab another medal in the 200-yard free. She currently holds the recoed for the Lobos in this event with a time of 1:50.52. Other great contenders are Leckovic, who placed 14th last year, Hale and Clarridge who have excellent times in the 200-yard free this year.
The freshmen and sophomores lead the way for the Lobos in the 200-yard breast. Sophomore Rachel Evans holds the top time in the event this year at 1:08.73. Zarins and freshman Kristen Naber are right behind with times of 1:10.76 and 1:12.29, respectively. Each of these times do not show however, that all three of these women have bettered their times in each event so they could make a big splash in the placings at the championships.
The final individual event of Friday night’s finals is the 100-yard back. Clarridge holds the top time for the Lobos (58.76) going into the competition. She also finished eighth (58.23) in this event last year at conference.
Friday night concludes with the 400-yard medley relay. UNM finished 6th in 2005 and return all but one of that team’s members. This year the Lobos clocked in their best time, 4:01.95, at the Speedo Cup Invitational, a 13th best in the conference.
The final day begins with the 1,650-yard free. In her first and only year as a Lobo senior Cassidy Lespreance currently holds the top time for the Lobos in this event (18:06.34), placing her 20th in MWC standings.
The second event will be the 200-yard backstroke. Last year then-sophomore Katy Vandam placed 16th (2:11.18) and is looking to score again this year.
Clarridge should lead the hunt for the Lobos in the 100-yard free. Clarridge holds the MWC’s 14th best time this season at 52.88. She also placed fourth in the event last year at conference.
Zarins and LaBree will be called upon in the 200-yard breast for New Mexico. They both hold top times for the Lobos in this event.
Miller could both medal in the 200-yard fly. Miller did medal last year, taking silver. This year, Miller’s 2:05.95 is the fourth best time in the MWC.
With a second place finish in the 400-yard free relay last year, the Lobos enter this year with the 11th best time in the conference with a time of 3:34.67.
Finally, Quinn will aim to medal on the platform. Last year Quinn placed seventh.
TOTAL DOMINATION: Miller is arguably the best female swimmer that UNM has seen. She currently holds seven school records, which will most likely stand for a long time: 200-yard freestyle record with a time of 1:05.52, 500-yard free record with a time of 4:54.70, 200-yard butterfly record with a time of 2:04.07 and 400-yard individual medley record with a time of 4:22.50. Miller also helped set the 200-yard free relay record (1:35.28), 400-yard free relay record (3:26.47) and 800-yard free relay record (7:29.42). All of these records were set at the 2005 MWC Championships. Miller has made the All-MWC team (placing in the top three) three years in a row.