COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (10/21/23) – The University of Wyoming swimming and diving team took to the road for the first time this season. Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls traveled to Air Force on Saturday, and even though they were away from Laramie, they felt right at home.

The men dominated the Falcons, 191-109, winning all but four events. The women downed the Falcons, 169-131.

Saturday marked the Cowboys' first regular-season meet of 2023-24. Head coach Dave Denniston knew his team was itching to race and couldn't have been more pleased with the performance.

"We absolutely dominated," Denniston said. "We went 1-2-3 in several events and never looked back. It's nice to be able to win and still see areas that we can improve. Our best swims and dives are still ahead of us."

As Denniston said, the men took the top three spots in a number of different races. Three to be exact, while the Cowboys placed in each of the top two spots in five different events.

That run started during the first individual race of the meet. Charlie Clark won the 1,000-yard freestyle, boasting a time of 9:47.16, while Derek Long and Caleb Ozenne took second and third with times of 9:55.03 and 10:04.49.  

The following individual event, the 200-yard freestyle, was a carbon copy of the first one. Quinn Cynor touched first, clocking in at 1:40.68. Gavin Smith went a 1:41.99 to place second, and Luke Walker was third at 1:43.03.

The 500-yard freestyle was the third and final 1-2-3 showing from Wyoming's men's team. Clark was first after recording a time of 4:42.14, while Long and Adam Pannell placed second and third with times of 4:48.77 and 4:50.45.

Collin Davis and Reilly Gilbert went 1-2 in the 100-yard backstroke, recording times of 51.96 and 52.58. Drew Ravegum and John Wargin claimed the top two spots in the 100-yard breaststroke with times of 57.11 and 57.18.

Harry Tjaden and Pannell dominated the 200-yard butterfly after swimming times of 1:52.39 and 1:54.06. Cynor and Smith finished first and second in the 100-yard freestyle, logging times of 45.70 and 46.58. Smith and Tjaden went 1-2 in the 100-yard butterfly with times of 49.19 and 50.11.

Jakob Borrman went a 21.22 in the 50-yard freestyle and Ravegum a 1:53.31 in the 200-yard individual medley rounded out the victorious individuals for the Cowboys. The 200-yard medley relay – comprised of Cynor, Wargin, Tjaden and Borrman – and the 400-yard freestyle relay – made up of Borrman, Cynor, Smith and Tjaden – bookended the meet with first-place finishes in times of 1:31.95 3:05.93.

Maisyn Klimczak, Sage Morton and Britt Nichols went 1-2-3 in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Klimczak boasted a time of 10:38.03, while Morton and Nichols went 10:42.69 and 10:57.66.

Alicia Gonzalez, Nettie Knapton and Marnie Howard took all three top spots in the 3-meter event. Gonzalez accumulated a score of 297.90 and Knapton and Howard scored 253.35 and 241.58 points.

A different combination seized the top three in the 1-meter competition. Gonzalez won with a score of 268.73, Howard was second at 233.70 and Natalie Six took third with 225.30 points.

Heidi Billings and Kayla Cunningham went 1-2 in the 200-yard backstroke with times of 2:02.56 and 2:05.67. Morton and Tara Joyce also finished first and second in the 500-yard freestyle after clocking in at 5:11.36 and 5:14.49.

Joyce won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:53.12. Rachael Horne claimed first in the 100-yard breaststroke, clocking in at 1:05.66. Carly Palmer touched first in the 200-yard IM in a time of 2:06.37 and Brynlee Busskohl topped the field in the 200-yard breaststroke after swimming a 2:21.36.

The 400-yard freestyle relay team – composed of Kali Franckowiak, Horne, Veronika Ozimek and Joyce – put an exclamation point on the victory with a first-place finish and a time of 3:28.37.

"The women had another great fight against Air Force but came away with a win in large part thanks to diving," Denniston said. "Sage Morton swam great in the distance events. Carly Palmer sealed the win by winning the 200 IM. There was a great Wyoming crowd at the meet that kept our energy high and helped us win."

Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls return home next weekend. They host Colorado School of Mines at 3 p.m. at Laramie High School.