The Pioneer women’s swimming and diving team finished second to Boise State over the weekend with a final score of 158-83 in a two-day competition that started with senior day at the El Pomar Natatorium and continued Saturday with diving at the Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs.
“The girls raced really well where they could, and you can’t fault anybody’s efforts today,” said head coach Brian Schrader. “I’m still pretty pleased with how we raced, but it’s always tough to stomach a loss, especially on senior day.”
In her final meet at home, senior Alex Suppan led the Pioneers in the first event, the 400 medley relay. Suppan, along with freshman Madeline Eyolfson and sophomores Samantha Corea and Drew Matthews, collectively scored a final time of 3:48.64, just 0.05 seconds short of Boise State, to grab second place for the event.
Suppan also placed in her two other events, taking first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:05.98 and third in the 200 fly with a time of 2:05.60.
“We started out with almost a win in the 400 medley relay, which was great for us,” said Suppan. “I also had a really good time in my 200 today. That’s the fastest I’ve been untapered all season, so I’m really happy about that.”
Also placing first for the Pioneers were sophomore Samantha Corea in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:00.34 and sophomore Bridgette McNally with a 5:04.15 in the 500 freestyle.
The team took second in the last event of the meet, the 400 freestyle relay, with a final time of 3:31.93, four seconds behind Boise State. Competing in the event were freshmen Morgan Mullenix and Zoe Huddleston, sophomore Drew Matthews and, in her final home meet, senior Tia Totura. Totura also finished fourth in 200 butterfly.
“Senior Day is bittersweet; it’s weird saying goodbye to these girls, and it just makes conference that much sweeter,” said Totura. “My goal is to just have fun, finish out this year well and wrap this career up as best I can.”
The diving squad wrapped up the competition against Boise at the Air Force Invitational the next day, adding seven points to the overall score. Sophomore Dana Gau scored a 227.4 for the Pioneers in the three-meter dive.
According to Totura, the team is coming back from the loss and looking forward to finishing out the rest of conference preparing for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship.
“We’re getting ready now for the WAC championship, and, for the first time in a long time, we’re going in as an underdog, and I think that motivates our girls,” said Schrader.
Also a motivation factor for the five seniors is the chance to claim a conference championship in Denver’s sole season as a member of the WAC.
“Our seniors are tremendous,” said Schrader. “They’ve given us great leadership over the four years. Every one of our seniors took a chance on our program and have been very impactful.”
Totura is the third in her family to swim for DU, and, according to Schrader, his goal for her is to medal at the conference in the 200 butterfly and hopefully break a school record.
“We’ve had local kids that came and gave us everything they had, like Kristen Milberg,” said Schrader. “Also Alex Suppan coming from Vermont, setting a school record and winning an event today, it’s just telling about what kind of an athlete she is.”
Senior Bailey Beins has been out with injury all year, but she continues to hold a school record and to provide leadership as a team captain, and next year she’ll be a graduate student in the MBA program. Cimone Miner underwent surgery in the summer and Schrader said he’s proud of what an accomplishment it is to have her racing again.
“Swimming has definitely been the biggest part of my career here,” said Suppan. “I’m actually going to continue to swim in the spring and the summer and see where that takes me, because I’m not ready to give it up yet.”
The men’s team will host its senior day on Saturday against Air Force at 1 p.m. in El Pomar Natatorium.
