HOUSTON (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV women's swimming and diving team earned three medals and set two more school records as it wrapped up the Mountain West Championships Saturday at CRWC Natatorium.

Starting the day strong, sophomore Ava Olson earned a bronze medal in the 1650 free. Her time of 16:27.73 went down as the second-fastest time in program history.

The Rebels' 400 free relay 'A' team of junior Erika Carlson (48.98), seniors Bridget Sullivan (49.45) and Pilar Cohen (49.28) and sophomore Fernanda Mendez Guerra (48.62) earned a silver medal and broke the school record in the event (3:16.33). The squad broke the old mark that was set exactly 11 years ago in 2014.

Adding her fourth medal of the weekend, Mendez Guerra took bronze in the 100 free, posting a time of 48.90.

As a team, the Scarlet & Gray finished in second place for the third straight year with 1,178 points, landing ahead of Fresno State (1022 points) in third, UNR in fourth (998 points) and Washington State (975) in fifth. With the higher finish over the Wolf Pack, the Rebels claimed 1.5 points in the Silver State Series presented by America First Credit Union in a split of this season's points with UNR. San Diego State (1,283) won the team title.

THE RUNDOWN:
- In her third A final of the meet, freshman Grace Wharton swam a 1:59.61 to place seventh and wrap up her debut conference event with three top-8 finishes.
- Adding more points in the 200 back, sophomore Dominika Trentkiewicz won the B final  and placed ninth overall (1:57.19).
- Also joining Mendez Guerra in the 100 free, Carlson earned a fourth-place finish (49.29), swimming the third-fastest time in program history.
- Swimming in the 200 breast B final, senior Heather Gardner placed third in the heat and 11th overall (2:15.43).
- Just four events after her mile swim, Olson notched her second top-8 finish of the day in the 200 fly when she finished sixth with a time of 2:00.97. She ended the meet with three top-8 finishes.
- In the 200 fly B final, freshman Lauren Palacios posted another Rebel heat victory and finished ninth overall (2:01.58). Additionally, her time was the ninth-fastest in the UNLV record book.
- Representing the Rebels on platform, senior Vika Yanovska broke her own school record during prelims (259.75). Later in the finals, she placed eighth (185.50) for her second top-8 finish of the meet. 

QUOTABLE: "I'm so proud of how our women competed. We set several school records, won some events and put pressure on the defending champs. We're hungry to get back here next year and compete for a title!"

-UNLV Head Coach Pat Ota

UP NEXT: The Rebel men will go for a fifth consecutive WAC Championship next week in Houston, Texas, at CRWC Natatorium from Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 26-March 1.

2025 Mountain West Women's Swimming & Diving Championships
CRWC Natatorium at the University of Houston
Houston, Texas
Saturday, February 22
Day Four Results

Team Scoring

1. San Diego State - 1,283
2. UNLV - 1,178
3. Fresno State - 1022
4. UNR - 998
5. Washington State - 975
6. Wyoming - 856
7. Colorado State - 697
8. Air Force - 546
9. New Mexico - 392
10. San Jose State - 285

Top-8 Finishes

1650 Free – 3rd place - 16:27.73 (Olson)
200 Back – 7th place - 1:59.61 (Wharton)
100 Free – 3rd place - 48.90 (Mendez Guerra), 4th place - 49.29 (Carlson)
200 Fly – 6th place - 2:00.97 (Olson)
Platform – 8th place - 185.50 (Yanovska)
400 Free Relay – 2nd place - 3:16.33 (Carlson, Sullivan, Cohen, Mendez Guerra)

-UNLV-