Feb. 22, 2011

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's and women's swimming and diving teams will begin competition on Wednesday in this year's Mountain West Conference Championships, which will be held at the Oklahoma City Community College Aquatic Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., with the four-day meet running through Saturday, Feb. 26.

The UNLV men's squad is ranked 16th in the nation, and won its third MWC regular season title after a perfect 5-0 dual meet season (9-1 overall). The Rebels are favored to win a seventh straight championship meet title, as they come into the competition with the fastest time in 14 of the 18 swimming events. UNLV has hopes to sweep all five relays for the third straight year, and come in with the top time in four of the five, while the Rebels are seeded second in the 800 free relay.

Four different Rebels are seeded first in two different individual events each. Senior Kier Maitland, two-time MWC Swimmer of the Year, ranks first in the 500 free and the 1650 free. Junior Andrew Morrell holds the top times in the 100 and 200 breast events, while freshman Giacomo Gremizzi is seeded first in both the 200 IM and the 400 IM. Junior Steven Nelms is the top sprinter in the MWC, ranking first in the 50 and 100 free. Two more Rebels rank first in the MWC this year in their events, senior Kyle Virva in the 200 free and sophomore Cody Roberts in the 100 fly.

Two freshmen from the Rebel women's squad have their eyes on individual titles, as Katelyne Herrington is ranked first in the 100 fly while Jessica Heim comes in as the league's top swimmer in the 200 free and the 1650 free events. Anja Crawford, a junior, is seeded first in the 200 back. The Rebels also come into this week with the fastest times in the 400 free and 800 free relay events.