AUSTIN, Texas/Grand Junction, Colo. -

Texas Invite - Day 2   | Colo. Mesa Invite - Day 2  

The University of Wyoming swimming teams continued action at the Texas Invite and Colorado Mesa Invite on Friday. Wyoming set high marks in Austin, Texas with two Cowboys posting top times in the Western Athletic Conference and a Cowgirl posting the top time in the Mountain West.

"I was pretty impressed in our swims today," UW head coach Tom Johnson said. "We just have struggled at the end of races, but the competition will bode well for us come conference championships."

Junior Ryan Nelson led Wyoming finishing fifth in the 400 individual medley with a time of 3:51.04. In the preliminaries, he swam a WAC best time of 3:49.99. Senior Adam Kalms finished seventh in the 200 freestyle with a mark of 1:36.30. He also swam a WAC best time of 1:35.88 in the preliminaries. Freshman Ryan Ball swam a season-best for a Cowboy in the 100 backstroke at 50.11.

In the women's events, junior Emily Ridout finished ninth recording a MW best time of 1:01.80 in the 100 breaststroke. She was followed by freshman Maria Harutjunjan with a time of 1:01.87. Her time is the second-fastest in the MW this season. Junior Emma Dow finished 17th in the 400 individual medley with a season-best time of 4:24.28. Sophomore Abby Sullivan recorded a Cowgirl season-best time of 56.16 in the 100 backstroke.

"We have done a lot of speed work in the 100 breaststroke, but they raced well today and it benefits them to push each other," Johnson said.

In the 200 medley relay the Cowboy team of Kalms, junior Kyle Scalise, junior George Eglesfield and junior Bryce Carter finished 10th at 1:29.22.

At the Colorado Mesa invite, sophomore Dylan Sether got the Cowboys off to a fast start winning the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:09.18. He dropped nine second off his season-best mark. In the 100 butterfly, freshman Jacob Porter placed second in the event with a time of 50.62. In the 200 freestyle the Pokes had a strong showing. Junior Matt Cook finished second at 1:42.60. He was followed by freshmen Eric Oleson in second, Sam Loescher in third and Slade Sheaffer in fourth.

In the women's events, freshman Rachel McKivigan won the 200 freestyle at 1:52.18. Fellow freshman Kara Guenther finished second at 1:53.77. In the 100 backstroke, freshman Connor Tarver won the event cutting four second off her season-best with a mark of 55.88. Sophomore Emily Stevens finished second at 56.02.

"Our young kids stepped up and overall we swam very tough," UW assistant coach Kirk Ermels said. "It was a long day for the kids and it was good to see them overcome that this evening."

Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls finished second in the 200 medley relay. The team of junior Austin Layman, senior Michael McCormick, Porter and Loescher clocked in at 1:32.17 for the Cowboys. Tarver, freshman Susanna Schumann, sophomore Mary Uselmann and junior Sarae Dydo recorded a time of 1:45.97.

The Cowgirls lead the team standings with 658 points. The Cowboys are second with 505 points.

Action will continue tomorrow morning at both the Texas Invite and Colorado Mesa Invite.