HOUSTON- Fresno State swim and dive team earned their highest finish in program history since joining the Mountain West in 2013. Fresno State placed 4th with 886. 50 points.
Bulldogs Aliz Kalmar, Jenna Pulkkinen and Grace Ally all earned NCAA cuts in their respective events on the final day of conference championships.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Another strong finals lineup featured 13 finalists and four championship A finalists. Wiktoria Dabrowska, Madison Caserio, Aliz Kalmar and Jenna Pulkkinen. Three of the four A finalist were in the 200 breaststroke.
Korrie Tengan was the only Bulldog to see the 200 back final taking fifth in the bonus C final and 22nd in the event. Wiktoria Dabrowska was the first 'Dog up for a shot at the podium for the night. Dabrowska took 7th and swam a new personal best of 49.93, swimming back-to-back sub 50 races.
Four Bulldogs in the B consolation final of the 200 butterfly, Sera Hanagan, Tengan, Mackenzie Hutler, and Clara Laskey in the bonus C final. Hangan took the top spot out of the four at 10th, followed by Tengan at 11th and Hutler at 12th. Laskey claimed first in the bonus final and 19th overall.
Event of the night would once again be the breaststroker's. Going into finals Kalmar was seeded second after having the second fastest time in prelims, but Pulkkinen out touched Kalmar by .10 to take fourth. Both Pulkkinen and Kalmar earned NCAA B cuts and Pulkkinen improved by two seconds.
Another big win came from the diving well by Sheffield native Grace Ally. Ally finished prelims in third place and set herself in strong standing for a potential podium finish. Ally took the silver in the platform and also dove an NCAA A standard. A second place finish is Ally's highest finish in the platform at conference championships.
NOTES
Fresno State earned best finish in program history since joining the Mountain West in 2012-13 earning a fourth place finish
Junior Wiktoria Dabrowska swam a personal best in the 100 freestyle with a final time of 49.93 and swam sub 50 in both prelims and finals
Fresno State concludes the MW Championships with two new program records by Sera Hanagan in the 200 IM (2:01.16) and Aliz Kalmar in the 100 breast (1:00.05)
Sophomore Diver Grace Ally (1/3 meter) and Junior Sera Hanagan (400 IM), Jenna Pulkkinen (200 Breast) and Aliz Kalmar (200 breast) earned NCAA cuts over the course of the meet
Bulldogs earned three podium finishes 200 free relay 100 breaststroke
Aliz Kalmar and Grace Ally are the only Bulldogs to earn a podium finish in an individual event, 200 breaststroke and platform, respectively.
Team Results
1 San Diego State University San Diego State University 1,487. 50
2 University of Nevada Las Vegas 1,256 University of Nevada Las Vegas . 50
3 Colorado State University Colorado State University 897
4 Fresno State 886.50
5 University of Nevada 854 University of Nevada . 50
6 University of Wyoming University of Wyoming 775
7 U.S. Air Force Academy U.S. Air Force Academy 769
8 San Jose State University San Jose State University 591
9 New Mexico, University of 417 New Mexico, University of
Event 15 1650 Freestyle
6 Laura Kalmar - 16:56.62
9 Ava Elliott- 17:22.83
14 Madison Caserio - 17:31.89
Event 16 Women 200 Yard Backstroke
22 Korrie Tengan - 2:02.29
Event 17 Women 100 Yard Freestyle
7 Wiktoria Dabrowska - 49.95
19 Samarah Melia -51.33
24 Julia Matney- 51.85 1
Event 18 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
4 Jenna Pulkkinen 2:11.71 *B
5 Aliz Kalmar 2:11.81 *B
8 Sam Arredondo 2:16.93
16 Madison Caserio 2:18.29
Event 19 Women 200 Yard Butterfly
10 Sera Hanagan 2:01.06
11 Korrie Tengan 2:01.22
12 Mackenzie Hutler 2:02.16
19 Clara Laskey - 2:03.89
21 Ava Elliott - 2:06.00
Event 20 Women Platform Diving
2 Grace Ally - 321.10 *A
Event 21 Women 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
5 Dabrowska, Pulkkinen, Melia, Hutler - 3:23.96
--- Arredondo, McPhail, Baldwin, Rutkauskatie - X3:26.94 B