Air Force Academy

Feb. 24, 2011

Results

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Four Air Force swimmers cracked the schools' top 10 record book, highlighting day two action at the 2011 Mountain West Conference Swimming & Diving Championships at the OCCC Aquatic Center. The Falcon men's team sits in sixth place with 151 points and the women's team is in ninth with 64 points.

The BYU men and San Diego State women's swimming and diving teams lead the rankings with 297 and 251 points, respectively.

Three Falcon freshmen women swam school top-10 times, including a pair in the 500 yard freestyle. Alivia Berg swam the eighth-fastest 500 free time (5:02.53) in school history and Erin Bleyl swam the ninth-fastest (5:02.76). Fellow freshman Michelle Kuyper also swam a season-best in the 500 free with a time of 5:05.98.

In the 200 individual medley, Gabby Aranda swam the fourth fastest time in school history, clocking in at 2:06.59. Katrina Castellanos (2:06.59), Haley Holcombe (2:10.03) and Kaeli Kluesner (2:10.06) also had season-best times in the 200 IM.

Air Force's top swimmer in the 50 free was junior Cassie Fletcher, who was .01 off her career-best with a time of 23.99. Hannah Cesare (24.26), Alison Ceranski (24.45), Lauren Delaney (24.73) and Lauren McGuire (24.90) also swam season-bests in the 50 free.

The Falcons' top diver was freshman Moranda Hern, who scored 178.65 points in the 1m springboard. Freshman Rachel Kennedy followed with 171.60 points.

The 400 medley relay team placed fourth with a NCAA B-cut time of 3:15.83. Benjamin Gunn, Cody Deacon, Anthony Chiaro and Robert Dawson combined to beat the teams previous season-high by close to three seconds.

Junior Corydon Butler was Air Force's top finisher, placing third in the 500 free. His time of 4:25.83 was the fourth fastest in school history and is a NCAA B-cut time. Tom Hansen took 12th in the 500 free (4:32.93) and Jon Jones followed in 18th (4:36.14).

Senior Benjamin Gunn was unable to defend his back-to-back titles in the 200 IM, but finished in fourth place with a prelim time of 1:47.76 and finals time of 1:48.88, which was an NCAA B-cut time. Paul Leonhardt followed in 14th (1:51.93/1:52.49), Josh Hammervold in 16th (1:52.25/1:53.12) and Eric Robinson in 19th (1:52.45).

In the 50 free, Dawson was Air Force's top swimmer, winning the consolation finals with a time of 20.58. His prelim time of 20.45 was the fastest 50 free time a the Falcon this season. Cole Smith followed in 19th with a season-best time (20.93). Time Martinelli took 21st (21.01), Micah Newmann 24th (21.14), Anthony Chiaro 25th (21.34), Deacon 27th (21.38) and Nate Roesler 31st (22.09).

Freshman Peter Cialkowski was AFA's top diver in the 3m springboard, placing 12th with 260.75 points in the prelims and 250.80 in the finals. Freshman Alex Pecci followed in 14th with 248.40 points in the finals.

Day three action of the four-day event resumes tomorrow. Live stats will be available through the MWC website at www.theMWC.com.