Colorado State University Athletics
Thursday, February 20
Houston, Texas
9:30 AM Prelims/5 PM Finals
Colorado State
vs
Mountain West Championships
Photo by: CSU Athletics Communications
The Alpha Dogs Come to Play
2/20/2025 8:31:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
The Second Day of Mountain West Swim Championships
 No record is safe from the Rams.
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Colorado State Swimming and Diving is on their second day of Mountain West Championship competition, and breaking records appeared to be second nature.
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One swimmer who approached the water as if it would fight back was junior Lexie Trietley, a sprint freestyle swimmer. The 50-yard freestyle, one of the high-energy events included during the championship, finishes in less than 25-seconds. Just two passes across the pool with a blinding finish.
Trietley broke her own record with a time of 22.70 cementing her place as third overall in the record book just under swim legend Amy Van Dyken's 1994 record and recent alumni Kristina Friedrichs. Her time also got her fourth during competition.
"I'm kind of frustrated because I've gotten a 22.7 something so many times in college," Trietley said. "Hopefully next year I can take that second spot. But I just focus on being more excited than nervous."
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But the sprinter wasn't alone while she attacked the water, senior Maisy Barbosa too set a new personal best in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:00.99 earning her seventh place.
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And her personal best was not the only thing to write home about, with her time she passed Kristen Schneider's 2004 CSU record becoming third overall in the event. Getting the record represents even more though, as it is her last conference championship.
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"It's not an event I normally do," Barbosa said. "I was looking forward to more of a sprint race because most of my races don't tend to be as short. So I got on the block knowing that this was my last one. I went into it thinking about giving it my all and wanted to finish as strong as I could."
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However, fighting back is not only about jumping the rankings, but also redemption. One swimmer looking for that very thing was senior Erin Dawson.
Â
Looking to defend her title for the 500 freestyle, Dawson was set right next to her teammate Maya White for the race. Coming into the race with a preliminary time of 4:49.17, she would have a long way to go to beat the No. 1 winner freshman Macey Hansen from Wyoming.
Â
Though Dawson ended seventh along with White coming in eighth, the two showed mental fortitude and finished the race together sticking with their friendship. Both came out in costumes, one peanut butter and another jelly, bringing a bit of humor behind the blocks.
Â
"We just had to get over that mental hurdle," coach Christopher Woodard said. "We've got some people swimming secondary and third events and if they don't see what they want, they start to question themselves. Every team here you have battled against and come close to beating or have won. There was some strategy for sure, but it was mostly mental preparation."
Â
However, the day finished on a high note, with the 400-medley relay team comprised of Trietley, Dawson, Tess Whineray and Skyler Lyon displaying the true teamwork the roster has been building all season.
Â
Emulating the wall in their locker room at Moby pool with lists of things they are most proud of, the new school record of 3:38.36 for the event takes the cake.
Â
"It's awesome seeing people break their best times and records," Barbosa said. "We've always had that brick-by-brick mindset but with the wall in the locker room, those are our bricks. It's being able to see that and bring it back to the meet which has really resonated with me.
Â
"I can tell that it works. I can tell that we really have been building up, and now that we have our wall, nobody is going to knock it down."
Â
Just like during their first day of competition, laying brick after brick paid off in a noticeable way and has set CSU off toward greater things.
Â
And those things come from the ambition Woodard hopes his athletes feel. Keeping with the mental game behind the block Woodard looks to Trietley as a way to fire up her other teammates, describing her as an "alpha dog" behind the block, especially in the way she finished off the 400-medley relay.
Â
"(Lexie) very much has a presence," Woodard said. "She's arguably the strongest swimmer out there and I call her the alpha dog. She's a bit weaker on the underwaters where her competitors are stronger. But when you put her into open water, she just hauls.
Â
"So, I think they all take their lead from her, like if she's feeling confident, then it pumps them up too."
Â
The first full day of competition was rife with CSU building further upwards, ending the day with 267 points in seventh place.
Â
As the Rams continue their competition with six events on Friday, yet another brick supports their wall.
Â
Â
Colorado State Swimming and Diving is on their second day of Mountain West Championship competition, and breaking records appeared to be second nature.
Â
One swimmer who approached the water as if it would fight back was junior Lexie Trietley, a sprint freestyle swimmer. The 50-yard freestyle, one of the high-energy events included during the championship, finishes in less than 25-seconds. Just two passes across the pool with a blinding finish.
Trietley broke her own record with a time of 22.70 cementing her place as third overall in the record book just under swim legend Amy Van Dyken's 1994 record and recent alumni Kristina Friedrichs. Her time also got her fourth during competition.
"I'm kind of frustrated because I've gotten a 22.7 something so many times in college," Trietley said. "Hopefully next year I can take that second spot. But I just focus on being more excited than nervous."
Â
But the sprinter wasn't alone while she attacked the water, senior Maisy Barbosa too set a new personal best in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:00.99 earning her seventh place.
Â
And her personal best was not the only thing to write home about, with her time she passed Kristen Schneider's 2004 CSU record becoming third overall in the event. Getting the record represents even more though, as it is her last conference championship.
Â
"It's not an event I normally do," Barbosa said. "I was looking forward to more of a sprint race because most of my races don't tend to be as short. So I got on the block knowing that this was my last one. I went into it thinking about giving it my all and wanted to finish as strong as I could."
Â
However, fighting back is not only about jumping the rankings, but also redemption. One swimmer looking for that very thing was senior Erin Dawson.
Â
Looking to defend her title for the 500 freestyle, Dawson was set right next to her teammate Maya White for the race. Coming into the race with a preliminary time of 4:49.17, she would have a long way to go to beat the No. 1 winner freshman Macey Hansen from Wyoming.
Â
Though Dawson ended seventh along with White coming in eighth, the two showed mental fortitude and finished the race together sticking with their friendship. Both came out in costumes, one peanut butter and another jelly, bringing a bit of humor behind the blocks.
Â
"We just had to get over that mental hurdle," coach Christopher Woodard said. "We've got some people swimming secondary and third events and if they don't see what they want, they start to question themselves. Every team here you have battled against and come close to beating or have won. There was some strategy for sure, but it was mostly mental preparation."
Â
However, the day finished on a high note, with the 400-medley relay team comprised of Trietley, Dawson, Tess Whineray and Skyler Lyon displaying the true teamwork the roster has been building all season.
Â
Emulating the wall in their locker room at Moby pool with lists of things they are most proud of, the new school record of 3:38.36 for the event takes the cake.
Â
"It's awesome seeing people break their best times and records," Barbosa said. "We've always had that brick-by-brick mindset but with the wall in the locker room, those are our bricks. It's being able to see that and bring it back to the meet which has really resonated with me.
Â
"I can tell that it works. I can tell that we really have been building up, and now that we have our wall, nobody is going to knock it down."
Â
Just like during their first day of competition, laying brick after brick paid off in a noticeable way and has set CSU off toward greater things.
Â
And those things come from the ambition Woodard hopes his athletes feel. Keeping with the mental game behind the block Woodard looks to Trietley as a way to fire up her other teammates, describing her as an "alpha dog" behind the block, especially in the way she finished off the 400-medley relay.
Â
"(Lexie) very much has a presence," Woodard said. "She's arguably the strongest swimmer out there and I call her the alpha dog. She's a bit weaker on the underwaters where her competitors are stronger. But when you put her into open water, she just hauls.
Â
"So, I think they all take their lead from her, like if she's feeling confident, then it pumps them up too."
Â
The first full day of competition was rife with CSU building further upwards, ending the day with 267 points in seventh place.
Â
As the Rams continue their competition with six events on Friday, yet another brick supports their wall.
Â
Players Mentioned
BK, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR, FLY, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Br
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR, BR IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving21-22 Swimming Schedule Video
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