Nikolaev named WAC Swimmer of the Year on final day of Championships

Saturday, February 25

Houston, TX

9:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

WAC Championships Day 4

Nikolaev named WAC Swimmer of the Year on final day of Championships

2/26/2017 9:58:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving

By: Lisa Amsler

HOUSTON -- The Grand Canyon men's and women's swimming and diving team wrapped up the WAC Championships in Houston, Texas placing third (men) and fourth (women) overall.

The Lopes won 11 events total, eight of which were by sophomores or freshmen.

"Overall it was a very good meet for us," Head Coach Steve Schaffer said. "It highlighted the quality of our top end swimmers, the talent of many of our first year kids, and the need to continue to add quality depth swimmers and divers in the future. Our goal all along was to be well positioned for our first NCAA eligible season in 2017-18 and we have done just that."

Following the meet, Mark Nikolaev was the recipient of the WAC Men's Swimmer of the Year award. The sophomore went on to set his third WAC record in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:42.00, a GCU record as well. Nikolaev is the first GCU swimmer to earn an NCAA A-cut time, which was swam on Friday, and currently his 100-yard backstroke time ranks fifth in Division 1.

Wiktor Jaszczak received another personal best with his second place finish and D1 B cut time in the 1650-yard freestyle event (15:22.66). Daniil Antipov defended his 2016 WAC title in the 200-yard butterfly for his second win of the meet and a D1 B cut time of 1:43.03.

"For our men to be able to place third in a year where we are red-shirting two of our top swimmers is really a statement of how strong we are getting and sets the table for next year when we will make our debut at the NCAA Championships," Schaffer continued.

Leading the women was Estela Davis Ortiz who claimed her third WAC title on the final day of the Championships with a D1 B cut time of 1:55.90 while Elisha Walker achieved a personal best in the 1650-yard freestyle, finishing fifth overall (17:04.05).

Pietro Hufnagel Toscani continued to rack up the points for the diving team, placing third overall in the platform dive event with a D1 A standard score of 292.90. Menna Elmidany went on to finish eighth in the women's with a score of 186.85. Had the Lopes been eligible, Toscani would have qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships and earned a trip to the NCAA postseason along with swimmers Nikolaev and Antipov.

"The unsung hero of the meet for us was our athletic trainer Travis Armstrong," Schaffer added. "We had three of our top sprinters - Jake Lambros, Bogdan Plavin and Jovanna Koens - all suffer injuries during the finals on Thursday, and Travis was able to treat and patch them up so the could race and score for us on Saturday. Without his help, and some gutsy swimming by those three, we would have finished a place lower for both men and women."

Qualifying swimmers will return to the water for the final time this season for USA Swimming's Arena Pro Meet in Mesa, Ariz. beginning April 13-15.

Women - Team Rankings
1. Northern Arizona University - 615.5
2. New Mexico State - 551
3. Idaho - 544
4. Grand Canyon University - 509
5. The University of North Dakota - 507
6. CSU Bakersfield - 358
7. University of Northern CO - 277.5
8. Seattle University - 274

Men - Team Rankings
1. US Air Force Academy - 794.5
2. Wyoming - 754
3. Grand Canyon University - 563
4. University of Nevada Las Vegas - 525.5
5. The University of North Dakota - 357
6. CSU Bakersfield - 300
7. Seattle University - 220