The Sun Belt Conference Swimming and Diving Championship meet was held at DU over the weekend, where the Pioneers took second in both the men and the women’s competitions.
The men had a final score of 857 which was second to Western Kentucky’s 965, while Florida Atlantic recorded 774.
On the women’s side, DU trailed both Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic entering the last day of competition, however, they were able to surge past WKU and finish second with 790 points, behind the women of FAU who scored 858.
WKU finished with 769, Florida International had 314.50, North Texas had 257, New Orleans had 250.5, and Arkansas-Little Rock had 102.
DU Head Coach Jim Henry was also awarded the Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year Award, while DU diving coach Jim Carter was awarded the Men’s Diving Coach of the Year Award. Henry prior to the evening session on Saturday felt confident in his team saying, “I truly do feel that if we have a solid night we will be runner up in both the men and the women’s and that will be a great accomplishment for a great year that we have had.”
And a solid night is just what Denver delivered in taking second all around.
It was a record breaking weekend, both in and outside the pool.
Sophomore Kelsey Totura broke records in the 100-back, and the 200-free taking first in both events.
In the 100-back Totura set a new SBC championship record as well as her own school record with a time of 55.76.
Totura continued her record breaking pace in the 200-back with a time of 2:02.42 breaking school, pool and conference records.
Totura was also a member of the women’s 400-free relay team that broke school and conference records with a time of 3:26.70 and assured the DU women of a second place finish in the meet.
The other members of the relay team were senior Lauren Miranda, sophomore Jackie Bradford and sophomore Karen Iverson.
Totura said her greatest moment of the meet was, “Definitely winning the 4×1 free relay at the end because that gave us a sure spot that we got second place.”
At the conclusion of the meet Totura was nothing but smiles saying, “I feel awesome, I did awesome, our team did awesome and our coaches did awesome. I don’t think the meet could have gone any better. I couldn’t be more happy right now.”
Iverson also broke a pool record in winning the 400-IM with a time of 4:23.88. Freshman Daniel Vollmer took first in the 100-back, breaking the men’s championship record with a time of 49.91.
Freshman Aaron Feight also broke records for the SBC Championship in both the 1M and 3M dives with scores of 341.85 and 740.25 respectively. His 3M score broke not only the SBC Championship record but it also broke the conference record, the school record, and the pool record.
Four days prior to the meet he was wondering whether he would have a chance to dive in the meet due to a skin infection on his calf, saying, “I was really nervous that I would not be able to compete, so I was just happy to be diving.”
Feight was also awarded the Men’s Diver of the Year Award for his performance throughout the season and throughout the championship meet.
He is also looking forward to diving in the NCAA Zone qualifying meet where he hopes to qualify for the national championship saying, “Hopefully I go in there as the underdog and am able to show up a couple other guys,” said Feight.
On the women’s side for diving Denver’s Hannah Duckett took second on the 3M dive with a score of 492.15.
Overall, it was a successful week with the Pioneers finishing runner-up for the second straight year for both teams.
