Aztecs Capture Swimming and Diving Championship
This is the third time in the past five seasons that the Aztecs have won the league title.
After taking the team lead on Friday, the San Diego State University swimming and diving team held it the rest of the way and went on to capture the 2015 Mountain West championship at the conference meet in San Antonio, Texas.
It marked the third time in the past five seasons that the Aztecs have won the league title.
SDSU ended the four-day meet with 704.5 points to out-distance Boise State which ended the competition with 679.5 points. Nevada placed third with 554 points followed by Wyoming at 420.
The Aztecs placed athletes in the championship final of five of the six individual events on Saturday and registered first-place finishes in two of those races.
SDSU's first victory came in the 100 freestyle where sophomore Anika Apostalon defended her title from a year ago, winning in a time of 47.88. She was followed in second place by teammate Chelsea Bailey who clocked a 49.06. Whitney Weisz was the third Aztec in the championship final, finishing eighth in 49.78. All three of their times were NCAA `B' cut marks.
The Aztecs' other win on Saturday was a first-place finish by sophomore Frida Berggren in the 200 butterfly. Her time of 1:58.08 established a new school record as she broke the mark she set last month during the dual meet vs. Pacific at the Aztec Aquaplex.
Berggren had to hold off teammate Summer Harrison, who captured second place in 1:58.16. Both of their times were NCAA `B" Cuts. In addition, Caroline Mitchell also scored points for the Aztecs as she finished sixth in the final in 2:00.94.
SDSU's other championship finalists during the meet's final day included Natilee Ruiz in the 200 backstroke (5th - 1:58.29) and Emilie Campbell in the 200 breaststroke (7th - 2:16.90).
On the diving side, freshman Makena Chamoures scored 237.65 in the final to capture fifth place. Also scoring points were Isabelle Choquehuanca and Alexandra Caplan who place third (218.85) and fourth (218.60) in the consolation final (10th and 11th overall respectively).
SDSU capped off the four-day championships by placing third in the 400 free relay. The foursome of Apostalon, Weisz, Taylor Johnson and Savannah Miller went 3:18.43 and their time goes into the SDSU record book as the third-fastest ever in program history.
The Aztecs will now await a determination of which swimmers will qualify for the NCAA Championships to be held March 19 through 21 at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
The Mountain West all-conference team is expected to be announced on Tuesday.
