LARAMIE, Wyo. – Cowgirl Swimming and Diving will clash with conference foe Boise State this weekend beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. with exhibition races at the Boise West Valley YMCA. The second day of competition, with a traditional dual format, is slated to begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The Cowgirls fell to Boise State, 127-173, in their final home dual of the 2016-17 season, and will look settle the score against the conference champs this time out.
The Broncos are putting together another impressive season in their campaign to defend their Mountain West title from last season. Boise State also won the conference in 2014, and placed second in 2015 and 2016. The Broncos are 2-0 this season in duals, and most recently placed eighth at the Art Adamson Invitational at Texas A&M. The team is led by senior Emma Chard, along with juniors Abbey Sorensen and Ally Kleinsorgen. Chard holds the top 200 freestyle time in the conference, and is a two-time MW champion in the event. Kleinsorgen currently has the fastest 100 backstroke time this season among MW swimmers, and won the event at last year's MW Championship. She also holds the fastest 100 freestyle time in the MW. Sorensen will also be a threat in the sprint events, with the second-fastest 50 freestyle time and fourth-fastest 100 freestyle mark in the conference.
UW's strengths will be in the breaststroke, butterfly and diving events, where the Cowgirls have some of the top talent in the conference. Senior
Maria Harutjunjan holds the MW all-time record in the 100 breaststroke and the second-fastest time this season. She also has the seventh-fastest time in the 200 breaststroke. Freshman
Hannah Mclean-Leonard has made waves this season in the butterfly events, currently with the fourth-fastest 100 butterfly time in the conference and the eighth-fastest time in the 200 butterfly.
The Cowgirl divers could have the biggest impact on the weekend, with sophomore
Karla Contreras and juniors
CeeJay Harris and
Peyton GrandPre leading the charge. At last year's MW Championship, Contreras placed second in the 1-meter and platform, and third in the 3-meter. Boise State did not finish in the top six in any event. The Bronco divers were also swept by Arizona State in their last outing.
Action will start at 5 p.m. MT on Friday at the Boise West Valley YMCA. Races will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Follow @Wyo_SwimDive on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
