Feb. 20, 2015
San Antonio, Texas----- Junior Riley Spitser became the second San Jose State University swimmer in two days to set a new school record at the 2015 Mountain West Women's Swimming and Diving Championships.
The Spartans' freestyle record holder in the 200, 500, 1,000 and 1,650 swims posted a 1:47.72 time in a 200 free preliminary round to surpass her previous best of 1:48.07 at the 2014 Mountain West Championships. Her morning swim also was an NCAA Championship B cut qualifier. Spitser, from San Diego, would be one of two Spartans finishing fourth in a championship final on the third day of the four-day championship.
San Jose State moved from ninth to eighth in the 10-team standings with 140 points. Spitser, sophomore Cassidy Robinson from West Linn, Ore., senior Michaela McLean from San Diego, and freshman Morgan McCormick, from Golden, Colo., accounted for all of the Spartans' scoring on the day.
The foursome put San Jose State's first points on the scoreboard in the February 20 finals with a sixth-place finish in the 400-medley relay. Their time of 3:42.83 was a team season best and the number-five all-time mark at San Jose State.
McCormick was timed in her second NCAA Championship B cut mark at the Mountain West Championships with her 54.42 qualifying time in the 100 backstroke. McCormick, seventh in the 200 individual medley on February 19, placed fourth in the 100 backstroke with her second 54.42 time of the day in the championship final.
"Morgan swam very well again today. She had another B cut and was very consistent. She was within .04 seconds in her three swims of the day," observed San Jose State head coach Sage Hopkins.
Robinson was 15th in the 100 breaststroke and McLean 16th in the 100 butterfly for San José State's other points on the day.
"Cassidy's 1:02 in the relay was her swim of the meet so far. And, Michaela had four big swims for us today. She did a great job of swimming for her team today and a great job of showing her senior leadership as one of our team captains," the Spartans' coach added.
San Diego State leads the team competition with 493 points. The Spartans trail seventh-place Colorado State by a point and sixth-place Air Force only by 28.
"We have clawed our way back in the team scoring," said Hopkins who remains impressed with the way his squad continues to handle the relay race disqualifications from day one. "Many of our swimmers have their best events tomorrow."
Seven events - 100 and 1650 freestyles, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, platform diving and 400 freestyle relay - are scheduled for the February 21 final day of the championships.
2015 Mountain West Women's Swimming & Diving Championships
Palo Alto College Natatorium, San Antonio, Texas
February 20, 2015
Day 3 of 4
Team Scores - 1, San Diego State, 493. 2, Boise State, 446.5. 3, Nevada, 368. 4, Wyoming, 268. 5, UNLV, 212.5. 6, Air Force, 168. 7, Colorado State, 141. 8, San Jose State, 140. 9, New Mexico, 136. 10, Fresno State, 111.
400 Medley Relay - 1, San Diego State, 3:35.19. 2, Boise State, 3:36.02. 3, Wyoming, 3:37.63. 4, Nevada, 3:38.09. 5, UNLV, 3:39.69. 6, San Jose State (Morgan McCormick, Cassidy Robinson, Michaela McLean, Riley Spitser), 3:42.83. 7, New Mexico, 3:43.56. 8, Colorado State, 3:44.20. DQ, Fresno State. DQ, Air Force.
400 Individual Medley - 1, Yawen Li, Nevada, 4:07.65. 2, Frida Berggren, San Diego State, 4:12.34. 3, Kimberly Davis, Air Force, 4:17.42. San Jose State finishers - 22, Haley Smith, 4:32.40. NP, Allyson Fellows, x4:35.91.
100 Butterfly - 1, Brittany Aoyama, Boise State, 52.09. 2, Summer Harrison, San Diego State, 52.73. 3, Molly Coonce, Wyoming, 54.04. San Jose State finishers - 16, Michaela McLean, 57.17. 21, Angel Van Hofwegen, 56.54. 23, Kayla Nakamoto, 57.44. 25, Cassidy Robinson, 56.79. NP, Alyssa Cable, x56.82.
200 Freestyle - 1, Teresa Baerens, Nevada, 1:45.68 (Mountain West record). 2, Emma Chard, Boise State, 1:46.40. 3, Genevieve Miller, Air Force, 1:47.81. 4, Whitney Weisz, San Diego State, 1:48.25. 5, Savannah Miller, San Diego State, 1:48.56. 6, Riley Spitser, San Jose State, 1:48.59. 7, Felicity Cann, Boise State, 1:48.66. 8, Henny Ericksen, Nevada, 1:50.27. Other San Jose State finishers - 19, Christina Bruni, 1:50.81. 22, Brynne Beneke, 1:51.00. 30, Amber Nelson, 1:52.54. 32, Allison Davis, 1:52.67. NP, Morgan Miller, x1:54.61. NP, Brooke Hammond, x1:53.05.
100 Breaststroke - 1, Maria Harutjunjan, Wyoming, 1:00.84. 2, Lina Rathsack, UNLV, 1:01.33. 3, Emilie Campbell, San Diego State, 1:01.85. San Jose State finishers - 15, Cassidy Robinson, 1:04.74. 17, Taylor Solorio, 1:03.13. 18, Jenner Johnson, 1:03.56. 19, Dominique Yoder, 1:03.98. 21, Amanda Buxbaum, 1:04.21. NP, Shannon Slaught, 1:04.93.
100 Backstroke - 1, Anika Apostalon, San Diego State, 52.38. 2, Samantha Wicks, Boise State, 52.64. 3, Jaeger Turner, Nevada, 53.30. 4, Morgan McCormick, San Jose State, 54.42. 5, tie, Nicolette Cannon, Boise State, & Jordan Denny, Wyoming, 54.85. 7, Elena Gavriova, UNLV, 55.19. 8, Kaela McKee, New Mexico, 55.34. Other San Jose State finishers - 17, Colleen Humel, 54.74. 22, tie, Lisa Ellis, 57.48. 27, Michaela McLean, 57.70. NP, Morgan Miller, x58.91. NP, Haley Smith, x57.70.