Colorado State University Athletics
Swimming and diving preview: Rams head to MWC championships
2/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 22, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
By Danielle Musso
Athletics Media Relations
This week...
The Colorado State swimming and diving team enters the Mountain West Conference championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Wednesday.
Finishing the season with an 8-2 overall record and a 6-2 MWC mark, the Rams go into the championships standing in third place behind the BYU Cougars and Wyoming Cowgirls, the only two teams to which the Rams lost this season.
CSU's past two weeks at Moby Pool have been dedicated to placing the finishing touches on strokes, times and rhythms. The Rams know the competition will be tough, but they are ready to take on their eight conference rivals, keep on grinding and shoot for a MWC championship victory in the Oklahoma City Community College pool.
Traveling squad...
Carmen Gisella Cianci, Sam Dole, Mary Foster, Breann Fuller, Madeline Gamble, Nora Kennedy, Jennifer Lamb, Mari Anna Loftness, Arianne Lujan, Nicole Lynch, Kathleen McCleary, Madeline Mitchell, Jennifer Muniz, Kelly O'Brien, Michelle Price, Shaelen Quigley, Shayna Solomon and Charlie Swearingen make up the Rams' championship contenders this week.
Format of championships...
The championships will begin on Wednesday and conclude Saturday. The event order is as follows, with prelims beginning at 10 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.:
Wednesday: 200 Medley Relay, 1-meter diving and 800 Free Relay.
Thursday: 500 Free, 200 IM, 50 Free, 3-meter diving and 200 Free Relay.
Friday: 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, and 400 Medley Relay.
Saturday: 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 1,650 Free, tower diving and 400 Free Relay
Each athlete is allowed to compete in three individual events and four relays.
Mountain West Conference standings...
The BYU Cougars finished the season undefeated and in first place with Wyoming right on the Cougars' heels with one loss and in second place. The Rams finished third, with San Diego State, Utah, UNLV, TCU, New Mexico and Air Force rounding out the season's standings in respective order.
Quotes from Head Coach John Mattos...
On overall consensus of the season:
"We have had, what I feel, to be a phenomenal season with how we performed throughout the season, but more importantly on how we trained throughout the season. We were at a much higher level than we have been in the past. The athletes are pushing each other very, very hard and that only leads to a higher level of success."
On preparation and training for conference meet:
"It is a long time prep. We take about a month to really taper down our training volume and then we allow them to utilize that low-key atmosphere, more resting, more relaxing and all the things you need to do to compete by the time we get to the championships."
On team's motto and goals for championship competition:
"Their motto all season has been `keep on grinding.' They have done that, no doubt. Certainly, their goal is to perform as a team at the championships and leave everything we can possibly leave in that pool and let the results come. "