HOUSTON (UNLVRebels.com) – Senior
Vika Yanovska captured the UNLV women's swimming and diving program's first Mountain West diving title as part of three podium finishes to open the MW Championships Wednesday at CRWC Natatorium.
Yanovska won the Rebels' first MW gold in the 1-meter competition with a program-record score of 330.80. It was the school's first conference diving title since Angela McCumsey (1 meter) at the 1996 Big West Championships and surpassed Montse Urzua's previous school record (313.95) set during the 2019-20 season.
The victory came in between a pair of UNLV silver medals in the 200 medley relay and 800 free relay races.
THE RUNDOWN:
*After taking the lead in the fifth round of the 1-meter event, Yanovska unleashed her highest-scoring dive in the sixth and final round with a 61.10.
*In the 200 medley relay, the Rebel 'A' team of
Dominika Trentkiewicz,
Calysta Bartlett,
Fernanda Mendez Guerra and
Pilar Cohen snuck ahead of rival UNR (1:38.52) by 11-hundredths of a second for the silver medal. Their time of 1:38.41 moved them into fourth all-time on the UNLV record chart in the event.
*Ending the night's events, UNLV's 'A' squad of
Ava Olson,
Marta Klimek,
Gina Miller and
Erika Carlson glided their way to second place in the 800 free relay. They combined to log the third fastest time in program history with a mark of 7:13.41.
QUOTABLE: "I'm just over the moon for Vika and Coach Anne (Schwemmer). To put that list together as a senior, and to get the 'W' and the school record in such dominant fashion, is a real testament to Vika's growth - physcially, mentally and competitively. That's what UNLV swimming and diving is all about - improvement on purpose, day after day and year after year. Vika really showed that today."
-UNLV Head Coach Ben Loorz
UP NEXT: The championship meet picks back up Thursday with prelims at 8:30 a.m. PT and finals at 4 p.m. PT.
2024 Mountain West Women's Swimming & Diving Championships
CRWC Natatorium at the University of Houston
Houston, Texas
Wednesday, February 21
Opening Night Results
Team Scoring
1. San Diego State - 196
2. Wyoming - 152
3. UNR - 151
4. UNLV - 144
5. Air Force - 126
6. Colorado State - 121
7. San Jose State - 119
8. Fresno State - 116
9. New Mexico - 108
Top-8 Finishes
200 Medley Relay - 2nd place - 1:38.41 (Trentkiewicz, Bartlett, Mendez Guerra, Cohen)
1-meter Diving - 1st place - 330.80 (
Vika Yanovska)
800 Free Relay - 2nd place - 7:13.41 (Olson, Klimek, Miller, Carlson)
