Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, February 22
Minneapolis, Minn. / Freeman Aquatic Center
All Day
Colorado State
vs
Mountain West Championships Day 4
Rams Surge to Fifth on Final Day of Mountain West Championships
2/22/2020 9:16:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Junior diver Skylar Williams establishes another school record
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The and is very important.
Not just swimming. Swimming AND diving. Colorado State junior Skylar Williams most definitely had an impact following the conjunction at the Mountain West Championships this weekend, writing her name atop the school's record board on two occasions with two of best individual finishes for the Rams at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatics Center.
And, by definition, connects things, and the Rams certainly were as seven different athletes competed 13 times in the championship finals, record numbers in both cases in coach Christopher Woodard's nine-year tenure. A trio of them hit the lanes in the 200-yard butterfly finals Saturday, and after six total Rams placed in the race, it vaulted CSU into fifth place where they stayed, closing with 830.5 points -- the most they've had since the conference went to a 24-place format in 2017.
"What separates the good teams and the weaker teams is remaining focused," Woodard said. "Making sure you're still stretching, you're still warming up, you're not distracted by things and you don't give in to that fatigue, and they didn't. They absolutely came in still focused, still laughing and they were looking at the scoreboard, and I think that showed in their performances. They were in it."
Platform was the final diving competition of the festivities, and the one the Rams can't practice on regularly without one at the Moby Pool. No matter, as diving coach Chris Bergere said Williams "absolutely crushed her dives."
How that happens, with just mock platform at 1 meter to practice takeoffs, is based on past experience and loving the event.
"I've always really loved platform," she said. "I just find it's so exhilarating, you get that rush. I used to dive platform in high school, so I've had a little background with it. Honestly, I was pretty shocked with my performance today, but it was cool. I love platform."
For Williams, the event produced her second school record of the weekend, having done so on the 1-meter springboard on the opening day. In both instances, she didn't just ease by the marks, she obliterated them.
That was especially true Saturday, as her 270.90 in the preliminary round of platform cleared Madeline Mitchell's 245.70, set back in 2012. She improved just a smidge in the finals, taking fourth with a score of 271. 50. While Rachel Holland didn't make it back, her personal best of 204.30 ranks third best in school history.
Williams will now head to NCAA Zone E (March 8-10) for the first time in her career qualified in all three competitions, feeling like she couldn't be in a better position.
"No. Honestly, I feel really confident and excited going to zones," she said. "I feel like I came to conference and I did what I came here to do, what I wanted to do. Now I'm just more excited and feel more prepared for zones."
Colorado State saved the best group individual effort for the final swim of the program, the 200 butterfly. Not only did the Rams qualify six swimmers for the finals, half of them reached the championship heat. Freshman Amanda Hoffman closed strong to lead her teammates to the wall in 2:00.63 to place fourth. Julia Box was next (2:00.71), with Hannah Sykes sixth in 2:01.01. Box leaves with the third best time in program history (her 2:00.33 in the prelims), while Hoffman and Sykes rank four and five now. In the earlier heats, Jennae Frederick won the B final in 2:01.42, with Madison Hunter 13th in 2:03.40, while Marie Goodwyn's final CSU swim produced a win in the C final at 2:03.68.
It was a big race for points, but also emotionally as eras collided.
"It's not wholly surprising, because we knew what they were capable of, but maybe not to this level, considering what they've done so far this year … To see them get in there was great," Woodard said. "And it very much was a passing of the torch. I could see the seniors talking to freshmen and sophomores about this is your event now, and I can't wait to see what you can do. That's a special thing."
Maddie Ward made it back to the A final of the 200 breaststroke, placing fifth in a time of 2:12.04, while Kate Meunier was 21st in 2:19.26. It was an event Ward won last year at conference as a sophomore, her chance at defending the crown derailed by a pair of offseason surgeries. In the end, it stood as a testament to her fight, as it was the lone swim by the team which produced an NCAA 'B' cut. Before the meet started, she tagged a US Olympic Trials cut in the 100-meter breaststroke, achieving one goal she set four years ago.
Not getting exactly what she wanted had to take a back seat to all she actually achieved when she put it all in perspective.
"I mean, of course the goal is always to come out on top, but three months ago I could barely lift my arms above my head," she said. "I was barely able to finish a 200, so all in all, I feel like these fifth- and sixth-place finishes almost mean more to me than my first and my third last year.
"I didn't really know how I would recover from this. I'm just happy to be able to be here and compete with my team. I've never experienced … I had two surgeries back-to-back, so to bounce back from that was probably one of the hardest things I've had to endure mentally and physically."
Kristina Friedrichs capped her tremendous weekend by recording another big time drop to reach the 100 freestyle finals. After posting a 50.35 in the prelims to tie for fourth, she was faster in the finals, placing fifth in a time of 50.07, the fourth fastest time in program history. She was the last Ram in the water as she anchored the 400 free relay to an eighth-place finish, the time of 3:22.92 delivered with help from Sarah Mundy, Sydnee Whitty and Box sitting as the second best in program history.
The Rams had four placers in the 200 backstroke, all in the C final, and they came in a nice row, going 2-3-4-5 in the heat. Olivia Chatman led the pack (18th, 2:01.52), followed by Caroline Perry (19th, 2:01.73), Elsa Litteken (20th, 2:02.12) and Katelyn Bartley (21st, 2:02.46). The longest event of the meet, the 1,650 freestyle, provided a trio of placers for CSU as Abbey Owenby placed ninth (17:03.08), Hunter 15th (17:13.94) and Madison Gordley 24th (17:29.44).
The team was constantly finding inspiration on deck from each other, and the final two days proved the program is starting to build the needed depth.
This was the first year for Woodard where every scoring member of the team produced points. Seniors closed out careers strong, and freshmen were starting to take a more prominent role. He's pretty sure it's a drive which will provide motivation for the future.
"When they were looking at the scoreboard they were looking at fourth and third place and thinking, they are attainable. This is very much within our grasp," Woodard said. "It was commitment. It was All In, and every single position scored a point for the team. I'm not sure the last time it happened in John Mattos tenure when I was an assistant."
Not just swimming. Swimming AND diving. Colorado State junior Skylar Williams most definitely had an impact following the conjunction at the Mountain West Championships this weekend, writing her name atop the school's record board on two occasions with two of best individual finishes for the Rams at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatics Center.
And, by definition, connects things, and the Rams certainly were as seven different athletes competed 13 times in the championship finals, record numbers in both cases in coach Christopher Woodard's nine-year tenure. A trio of them hit the lanes in the 200-yard butterfly finals Saturday, and after six total Rams placed in the race, it vaulted CSU into fifth place where they stayed, closing with 830.5 points -- the most they've had since the conference went to a 24-place format in 2017.
"What separates the good teams and the weaker teams is remaining focused," Woodard said. "Making sure you're still stretching, you're still warming up, you're not distracted by things and you don't give in to that fatigue, and they didn't. They absolutely came in still focused, still laughing and they were looking at the scoreboard, and I think that showed in their performances. They were in it."
Platform was the final diving competition of the festivities, and the one the Rams can't practice on regularly without one at the Moby Pool. No matter, as diving coach Chris Bergere said Williams "absolutely crushed her dives."
How that happens, with just mock platform at 1 meter to practice takeoffs, is based on past experience and loving the event.
"I've always really loved platform," she said. "I just find it's so exhilarating, you get that rush. I used to dive platform in high school, so I've had a little background with it. Honestly, I was pretty shocked with my performance today, but it was cool. I love platform."
For Williams, the event produced her second school record of the weekend, having done so on the 1-meter springboard on the opening day. In both instances, she didn't just ease by the marks, she obliterated them.
That was especially true Saturday, as her 270.90 in the preliminary round of platform cleared Madeline Mitchell's 245.70, set back in 2012. She improved just a smidge in the finals, taking fourth with a score of 271. 50. While Rachel Holland didn't make it back, her personal best of 204.30 ranks third best in school history.
Williams will now head to NCAA Zone E (March 8-10) for the first time in her career qualified in all three competitions, feeling like she couldn't be in a better position.
"No. Honestly, I feel really confident and excited going to zones," she said. "I feel like I came to conference and I did what I came here to do, what I wanted to do. Now I'm just more excited and feel more prepared for zones."
Colorado State saved the best group individual effort for the final swim of the program, the 200 butterfly. Not only did the Rams qualify six swimmers for the finals, half of them reached the championship heat. Freshman Amanda Hoffman closed strong to lead her teammates to the wall in 2:00.63 to place fourth. Julia Box was next (2:00.71), with Hannah Sykes sixth in 2:01.01. Box leaves with the third best time in program history (her 2:00.33 in the prelims), while Hoffman and Sykes rank four and five now. In the earlier heats, Jennae Frederick won the B final in 2:01.42, with Madison Hunter 13th in 2:03.40, while Marie Goodwyn's final CSU swim produced a win in the C final at 2:03.68.
It was a big race for points, but also emotionally as eras collided.
"It's not wholly surprising, because we knew what they were capable of, but maybe not to this level, considering what they've done so far this year … To see them get in there was great," Woodard said. "And it very much was a passing of the torch. I could see the seniors talking to freshmen and sophomores about this is your event now, and I can't wait to see what you can do. That's a special thing."
Maddie Ward made it back to the A final of the 200 breaststroke, placing fifth in a time of 2:12.04, while Kate Meunier was 21st in 2:19.26. It was an event Ward won last year at conference as a sophomore, her chance at defending the crown derailed by a pair of offseason surgeries. In the end, it stood as a testament to her fight, as it was the lone swim by the team which produced an NCAA 'B' cut. Before the meet started, she tagged a US Olympic Trials cut in the 100-meter breaststroke, achieving one goal she set four years ago.
Not getting exactly what she wanted had to take a back seat to all she actually achieved when she put it all in perspective.
"I mean, of course the goal is always to come out on top, but three months ago I could barely lift my arms above my head," she said. "I was barely able to finish a 200, so all in all, I feel like these fifth- and sixth-place finishes almost mean more to me than my first and my third last year.
"I didn't really know how I would recover from this. I'm just happy to be able to be here and compete with my team. I've never experienced … I had two surgeries back-to-back, so to bounce back from that was probably one of the hardest things I've had to endure mentally and physically."
Kristina Friedrichs capped her tremendous weekend by recording another big time drop to reach the 100 freestyle finals. After posting a 50.35 in the prelims to tie for fourth, she was faster in the finals, placing fifth in a time of 50.07, the fourth fastest time in program history. She was the last Ram in the water as she anchored the 400 free relay to an eighth-place finish, the time of 3:22.92 delivered with help from Sarah Mundy, Sydnee Whitty and Box sitting as the second best in program history.
The Rams had four placers in the 200 backstroke, all in the C final, and they came in a nice row, going 2-3-4-5 in the heat. Olivia Chatman led the pack (18th, 2:01.52), followed by Caroline Perry (19th, 2:01.73), Elsa Litteken (20th, 2:02.12) and Katelyn Bartley (21st, 2:02.46). The longest event of the meet, the 1,650 freestyle, provided a trio of placers for CSU as Abbey Owenby placed ninth (17:03.08), Hunter 15th (17:13.94) and Madison Gordley 24th (17:29.44).
The team was constantly finding inspiration on deck from each other, and the final two days proved the program is starting to build the needed depth.
This was the first year for Woodard where every scoring member of the team produced points. Seniors closed out careers strong, and freshmen were starting to take a more prominent role. He's pretty sure it's a drive which will provide motivation for the future.
"When they were looking at the scoreboard they were looking at fourth and third place and thinking, they are attainable. This is very much within our grasp," Woodard said. "It was commitment. It was All In, and every single position scored a point for the team. I'm not sure the last time it happened in John Mattos tenure when I was an assistant."
- CSURams.com -
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