Minneapolis, Minn.----- Brenna Bushey shattered her own school record in the preliminary round and finished fourth in the 100 butterfly final leading San Jose State University to a comprehensive day of outstanding performances at the 2019 Mountain West Women's Swimming and Diving Championship.
Bushey was the #2-qualifier in her specialty with a 52.76, bettering her previous school record of 53.10 set at last year's conference championship by 0.34 seconds. Her morning swim also was a NCAA Championship "B-cut" qualifying mark – the first for a Spartan this season.
The San Jose State co-captain posted a 53.62 time in the championship final for her fourth place finish – the highest individual finish by a Spartan the first three days of the four-day championship. Courtney Vincent of San Diego State, the #1-qualifier in the preliminary round, won the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.04.
Bushey's day went beyond powering through the 100 fly. She also anchored San Jose State's 200 freestyle relay foursome of Antoinette Loya, Madelyn Sailors and Taylor Lehr that placed third with a season best 1:31.75 time, which also is #4 on the Spartans' all-time list.
The 100 fly was San Jose State's best individual event of the day led by Bushey. Loya won the "C" group final for 17th place with a 55.19 clocking. Violani Auva'a won the "B" group final for ninth place with her time of 54.50. Vieira finishing 15th and Gabby Heng, 16th, gave the Spartans five scoring swimmers and 78 points in the event.
"Today was one of our best days in program history highlighted by Brenna's school record in the fly, Chloe (Limargo) dropping a 1:01 in the (100) breast, and our 200 free relay making the podium," said San Jose State women's swimming and diving head coach Sage Hopkins whose team had eight changes to the school's all-time top-10 list in the day's two sessions.
San Jose State scored points in each of the six contested races. Freshman Chloe Limargo's 1:01.98 in the 100 breaststroke was good for 11th place. Junior Blanca Saez-Illobre Molinaro was 15th in the 400 individual medley with a 4:23.80 time. Both marks now are #3 on the Spartans' top-10 list in the respective races.
Katie McIntee and Kendal Guy were 16th and 22nd, respectively in the 200 freestyle.
Lehr, 16th, Auva'a, 20th, and Madison Grimes and Gabriela Vieira tying for 21st place in the 100 backstroke added to San Jose State's point total.
The Spartans moved up one spot in the team standings for the second consecutive session and head into the final day in eighth place with 383.5 points, 50.5 behind seventh place Colorado State and 16.5 points ahead of ninth place UNLV in the 10-team battle for the team championship.
The Mountain West Women's Swimming and Diving Championship wraps up on February 23 with seven events – platform diving, 1650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly and 400 freestyle relay.
Floswimming is providing live streaming coverage of the final day of the meet.
2019 Mountain West Women's Swimming & Diving Championship
Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
February 22, 2019
Day 3 Results
Team scores (through 14 events) – 1, San Diego State, 924. 2, Nevada, 862.5. 3, Boise State, 740. 4, New Mexico, 537. 5, Fresno State, 516.5. 6, Wyoming, 456.5. 7, Colorado State, 433. 8, San Jose State, 383.5. 9, UNLV, 367. 10, Air Force, 284.
400 individual medley – 1, McKenna Meyer, San Diego State, 4:12.41. San Jose State finishers – 15, Blanca Saez-Illobre Molinaro, 4:23.80. 30, Jamie Dodd, 4:32.10.
100 butterfly – 1, Courtney Vincent, San Diego State, 52.04. 2, Hannah McLean-Leonard, Wyoming, 53.21. 3, Konoha Shinoda, New Mexico, 53.27. 4, Brenna Bushey, San Jose State, 53.62. More San Jose State finishers – 9, Violani Auva'a, 54.50. 15, Gabriela Vieira, 55.53. 16, Gabby Heng, 55.54. 17, Antoinette Loya, 55.19. NP, Kimberlee Giggey, x1:00.53.
200 freestyle – 1, Adriana Palomino, New Mexico, 1:47.03. San Jose State finishers – 16, Katie McIntee, 1:51.37. 22, Kendal Guy, 1:51.94. 27, Erin Wayman, 1:52.94. 42, Madelyn Sailors, 1:57.92.
100 breaststroke – 1, Morgan McKennan, San Diego State, 59.50 (new meet and conference record). San Jose State finishers – 11, Chloe Limargo, 1:01.98. 25, Kate Hanf, 1:05.15. 26, Angelika Yngson, 1:05.27. xx, Maleah Schmidt, x1:10.11.
100 backstroke – 1, Isobel Ryan, Wyoming, 52.66. San Jose State finishers – 16, Taylor Lehr, 55.57. 20, Violani Auva'a, 56.19. 21, tie, Madison Grimes, Gabriela Vieira, 56.20. NP, Shelby Mullendore, x56.71.
200 freestyle relay – 1, San Diego State, 1:29.80. 2, Nevada, 1:31.22. 3, San Jose State (Antoinette Loya, Madelyn Sailors, Taylor Lehr, Brenna Bushey), 1:31.75. 4, UNLV, 1:32.20.
x – exhibition swim
