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Swimming & Diving 2/28/2020 3:57:00 PM

Rebel Men In Second After Day Three Of WAC Championships

Through three days, the Rebel men have a total of 438 points, while Air Force sits first overall with a total of 577.

@UNLV_Swim_Dive | Live Results (Swimming) | Live Video (Finals)

HOUSTON (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV moved into second place after Friday's session at the 2020 WAC Swimming & Diving Championships, held at the CRWC Natatorium in the Lone Star State. Through three days, the Rebel men have a total of 438 points, while Air Force sits first overall with a total of 577.

HIGHLIGHTS:

The Rebels had just one shot at everything today, with no split prelims/finals, but instead a single "timed finals" session.

Today's highlight consisted of five new qualifiers for the postseason, with Ivan Zhukov (400 IM), Bryan Chavez (100 Fly), Hayden Hemmens (200 Free), Jack Binder (100 Breast), and Hayden Cornellison (200 IM) all earning new NCAA "B" cuts. They join teammates Sam Willstrop, Ogi Maric, Panos Bolanos, and diver Jesse Cawley who had already qualified.

The relays continued to impress, especially the 400 Medley Relay with a silver medal and a two-second drop from the midseason.

The 400 IM saw a podium finish by Zhukov, and a first-ever top-eight Conference finish by sophomore Michael Klauss.

The 100 Butterfly saw three different Rebels go 0:47, with Bryan Chavez in the bronze medal spot.

The 200 Free was the closest Rebel finish of the day, with freshman Ogi Maric getting just out-touched by Air Force freshman Wen Zhang. Both men swam times that will be in strong consideration for qualification to the NCAA Championship, with Maric only one tenth off the UNLV record.

Jesse Cawley defended his second-place prelims placing at finals today, wrapping up his springboard portion of the meet with a silver medal.

The men's 100 breaststroke was highlighted by a big drop and surprise second-place finish from lane eight by Jack Binder. The time of 54.27 was a first-ever "B" cut for the sophomore, and a first-time podium finish at the Conference meet.

Lastly. was the fastest 100 Backstroke heat in WAC history, which saw three Rebels crack the top eight. Bolanos was third, and Hayden Cornellison fifth, both with "B" cut times. Junior Richard Szilagyi was seventh with a big best time, as well.

THE RUNDOWN - MEN:

*Junior Jesse Cawley placed second on 1 meter with an overall score of 291.95,

*The 200 free relay team of Richard Szilagyi, Bryan Chavez, Sean Gage, and Hayden Hemmens touched the wall third with a swim of 1:19.73.

*Sophomore Ivan Zukov finished third in the 400 IM with a time of 3:51.08, sophomore Michael Klauss took eighth (3:56.86), and freshman Cameron Castro touched 16th (4:02.80).

*Junior Bryan Chavez placed third in the 100 fly with a swim of 47.09, followed by sophomore Michal Cukanow in seventh (47.61), sophomore Casey McEuen took 10th (47.79), freshman Aren Kariotis tied for 11th (48.33), and sophomore Bert Phung finished 18th (49.57).

*Freshman Ogi Maric touched second in the 200 free with a time of 1:34.28, senior Hayden Hemmens followed in fifth (1:36.27), freshman Christopher Mykkanen placed eighth (1:36.84), Chavez took 13th (1:39.24), and sophomore Wyatt Marsalek took 21st (1:40.84).

*Sophomore Jack Binder placed second in the 100 breast with a swim of 54.27 and junior Sean Gage took 17th (55.98).

*Freshman Panos Bolanos tied for third in the 100 back with a time of 46.99, sophomore Hayden Cornellison followed in fifth (47.62), junior Richard Szilagyi took seventh (48.19), Kariotis placed 18th (50.57), and Phung finished in 22nd (51.34).

*Closing out today's session, the 400 medley relay team of Bolanos, Binder, Cukanow, and Szilagyi touched second with a time of 3:10.71.

QUOTABLE-

"There have been a lot of strange curveballs at this meet, and our men were very resilient today. We didn't quite match the point tally of Air Force, but we certainly were one of the best performing teams in the natatorium. We are looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule, and finishing this meet on our terms. There are a lot of highlight swims for us tomorrow; it has the potential to be - and needs to be - a huge day for us."

- HEAD COACH BEN LOORZ

NEXT FOR THE REBELS: The Rebel men will begin preliminaries for final day at 10:30am (CT) Saturday.

2020 WAC Swimming & Diving Championships

CRWC Natatorium at University of Houston

Houston, Texas

Friday, February 28

Third Day Results

Men's Team Scoring

1. Air Force- 577

2. UNLV- 438

3. Grand Canyon- 395.5

4. Wyoming- 374

5. Cal Baptist- 270.5

6. CSU Bakersfield- 245.5

7. Seattle U- 105.5

Top-Eight Finishes

1-Meter: 2nd Place (291.95)- Jesse Cawley

200 Free Relay: 3rd Place (1:19.73)- (Richard Szilagyi, Bryan Chavez, Sean Gage, Hayden Hemmens)

400 IM: 3rd Place (3:51.08)- (Ivan Zukov) 8th Place (3:56.86)- (Michael Klauss)

100 Fly: 3rd Place (47.09)- (Bryan Chavez) 7th Place (47.61)- (Michal Cukanow)

200 Free: 2nd Place (1:34.28)- (Ogi Maric) 5th Place (1:36.27)- Hayden Hemmens 8th Place (1:36.84)- (Christopher Mykkanen)

100 Breast: 2nd Place (54.27)- (Jack Binder)

100 Back: 3rd Place (46.99)- (Panos Bolanos) 5th Place (47.62)- (Hayden Cornellison) 7th Place (48.19)- (Richard Szilagyi)

400 Medley Relay: 2nd Place (3:10.70)- (Panos Bolanos, Jack Binder, Michal Cukanow, Richard Szilagyi)

^-NCAA 'A' Automatic Time

*-NCAA 'B' Provisional Time

~-NCAA Diving Zone Qualifying Score

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Players Mentioned

Jack Binder: Breast; 6' 3"; Sophomore

Jesse Cawley: Diving; 5' 9"; Junior

Hayden Cornellison: Back; 6' 1"; Sophomore

Michal Cukanow: Fly; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Sean Gage: Breast; 6' 1"; Junior

Hayden Hemmens: Free; 6' 0"; Senior

Michael Klauss: Fly; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Wyatt Marsalek: Distance; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Casey McEuen: Free; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Sam Willstrop: Breast; 6' 4"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jack Binder
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: Breast

Jesse Cawley
: 5' 9"; Junior
: Diving

Hayden Cornellison
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: Back

Michal Cukanow
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: Fly

Sean Gage
: 6' 1"; Junior
: Breast

Hayden Hemmens
: 6' 0"; Senior
: Free

Michael Klauss
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: Fly

Wyatt Marsalek
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: Distance

Casey McEuen
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: Free

Sam Willstrop
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: Breast