Strong final day at WAC Championships

Photo by: Deb Schaffer

2/24/2018 10:09:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving

By: Nathan Okonek

HOUSTON -- The Grand Canyon men's and women's swimming and diving teams' came short of their goal for a conference title on the final day of the Western Athletic Conference Championships.

After Saturday nights finals, the men finished in third-place with 650 points, behind the runner-up UNLV with 780 points and 2018 WAC Champion Wyoming with 615 points. The women finished in fourth-place with 519 points, behind New Mexico State with 400 points, runner-up Idaho with 415 points and WAC Champion Northern Arizona, who finished with 810 points.

Daniil Antipov added another WAC Champion title under his belt as he won the 200 yard fly with a time of 1:42.60. Noah Lambert finished in twelfth place with a time of 1:52.67.

Youssef El Kamash was named WAC Champion in the 200 yard breaststroke as the senior placed first with a time of 1:56.45. Mantas Auruskevicius placed fifth (1:59.81) and Asahi Nagahata in tenth (2:02.23).

Mark Nikolaev continued his impressive week, winning the 200 yard backstroke with a time of 1:40.81. Eran Ber was behind him in seventh (1:47.97), Cameron Carney in fourteenth (1:49.72) and Noah Lambert in seventeenth (1:52.82).

The men's 400 yard freestyle relay of Nikolaev, M. El Kamash, Plavin and Antipov finished as runner-up, with a time of 2:53.65.

In the women's 200 yard backstroke, Estela Davis Ortiz earned another title of WAC Champion as she took first with a time of 1:56.18. Iryna Glavnyk finished in third (1:57.96) and Joana Ulyte finished in seventeenth (2:05.60).

In the women's 200 yard breaststroke, Alyssa Christianson came in third (2:16.72), Marina McInelly in sixth (2:19.10) and Vangelina Draganova in twelfth (2:20.65)

Lexi Hill finished in nineteenth in the women's 200 yard fly with a time of 2:10.61.

Diana Jaruseviciute was named WAC Champion in the 100 yard freestyle with a first place time of 49.67. Mohsen came in second with a time of 50.18, Jade Howard came in fifteenth (52.82) and Kenya McCray in seventeenth (52.38).

The women's 400 yard freestyle relay team of Glavnyk, Davis Ortiz, Jaruseviciute and Mohsen finished in second with a time of 2:23.75

In the women's platform diving, Menna Elmidany finished in tenth with 201.10 points. Tasmin Stewart finished in sixteenth with 152.70 points.

Both Nikolaev and Davis Ortiz capped of the WAC Championships with honors. Both were named WAC Swimmer of the Year for the men's and women's end of the tournament awards.

Next up for the Lopes are the NCAA Diving Zone Champions from Mar. 5-7 in Flagstaff, Ariz. Followed by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America National Invitational Mar. 8-10 in Annapolis, MD.

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