Feb. 28, 2016
Federal Way, Wash. --- Swimming both long course and short course at the Pac 12 Invitational, the Spartans swimming team posted five personal best times in search of bids to the NCAA Championships and the USA Olympic Trials on Sunday.
"Finishing up the season at the Pac 12 Invitational with five more best times was a great way to conclude the year," said San Jose State swimming and diving head coach Sage Hopkins.
Posting career best times in two events, sophomore Colleen Humel clocked a time of 53.95 in the 100-yard backstroke to move into second all-time in the Spartans record books. Humel improved on her NCAA B Standard provisional qualifying time by 0.32 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke. She also has a 'B' cut time in the 200-yard backstroke.
In the 100-meter backstroke time trial Humel swam a time of 1:03.99, missing the 2016 Olympic Trials time standard by 0.60 seconds.
"We are particularly excited with how close several of our swims were to qualifying for this summer's Olympic Trials," Hopkins said.
Climbing into the fifth spot all-time in the 100-yard freestyle, senior Brynne Beneke posted the fastest time of her career in the preliminary round of time trials with a time of 50.28. In the final round she touched with a time of 50.35 in the 100 freestyle. Switching to meters in the 50 freestyle Beneke swam a best time of 27.11, missing the cut for the Olympic trials by 0.82 seconds.
Just shy of her best time in the 500-yard freestyle, senior distance swimmer Riley Spitser clocked a time of 4:46.50 in a lone time trial. In the 800-meter freestyle she clocked a time of 8:55.88. Spitser holds NCAA provisional times in the 200-yard freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1650-yard freestyle.
Sophomore Brenna Bushey swam a career best in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 1:02.38. In the 100-yard butterfly Bushey placed third with a time of 54.82. She posted a NCAA B Standard time at the Mountain West Championships.
Time Trial Meet Results
Preliminary Round
500-yard Freestyle - 1, Riley Spitser, San Jose State, 4:46.50.
100-yard Freestyle - 1, Rachael Acker, California, 48.86. 2, Katie McLaughlin, California, 49.43. 3, Whitney Weisz, San Diego State, 50.14. San Jose State Finishers - 4, Brynne Beneke, 50.28.
100-yard Backstroke - 1, Taylor Garcia, Arizona, 52.47. 2, Colleen Humel 53.95.
100-yard Butterfly - 1, Brittany Aoyanna, Boise State, 52.74. 2, Summer Harrison, San Diego State, 53.44. 3, Brenna Bushey, San Jose State 54.82.
Final Round
100-yard Freestyle - 1, Brynne Beneke, San Jose State, 50.35.
100-meter Backstroke - 1, Colleen Humel, San Jose State, 1:03.99. 2, Megan Kawaguchi, Utah, 1:04.51.
800-meter Freestyle - 1, Riley Spitser, San Jose State, 8:55.88. 2, Kendra Griffin, Washington State, 9:09.61.
50-meter Freestyle - 1, Haley Love, Washington State, 26.53. 2, Katelyn Martin, Boise State, 26.62. 3, Sarah Kaunitz, UCLA, 26.75. San Jose State Finishers - 5, Brynne Beneke 27.11.
100-meter Butterfly - 1, Madison Applegate, UCLA, 1:01.49. 2, Brenna Bushey, San Jose State, 1:02.38. 3, Jenna Marsh, Utah, 1:04.98.