Air Force swim teams wrap up Speedo Cup

  • Published
  • By Nick Arseniak
  • U.S. Air Force Academy
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AFPN) --  The Air Force swim teams completed their final day of action at the 2006 University of California at Irvine/Speedo Cup on a strong note Nov. 19 at the Belmont Plaza here. Three Falcons women finished in the top five in their swim events leading the team to finish 11th, while the men's team placed third.

The women's team finished with 345 points. The men's team finished with 908 points, trailing Speedo Cup Champion Stanford (1803.5) and conference rival Brigham Young University (911) by just three points.

The Falcon women's team saved its best performances for the last day. Senior Lauren White opened the meet by placing second in the 1,650-meter free with a season-best time of 17:22.44. Two events later, in the 100 free, sophomore Jane Hwang swam the 6th fastest time in school history, placing fourth with a time of 52.56.

Senior Blair Leake had a solid 200 breaststroke, finishing fifth with a time of 2:22.32. Senior Stephanie Hirst followed up in 28th with a time of 2:28.37.

The Falcons also had fast swims from freshmen Katelyn Hunter and Becky Gleason. Hunter was the Falcons' top swimmer in the 200 backstroke, placing 45th with a time of 2:16.90. Gleason was the team's top swimmer in the 200 butterfly, placing 30th with a time of 2:12.78.

The women capped off the meet with a 12th-place finish in the 400 free relay. Laken Stogner, White, Kallyn Johnson and Hunter combined to swim a time of 3:41.97.

Senior Chris Knaute opened the meet for the men by taking fourth in the 1,650 free with a season-best time of 15:38.13. Freshman Sean O'Keefe continued his strong swimming, taking sixth with a time of 15:49.72, which is the 10th fastest mark in academy history.

The Falcons were strong in the 200 breaststroke with three Falcons placing in the top 16. Andrew Bergman swam a career-best and seventh-fastest time at the academy with a 2:04.16, en route to a sixth-place finish. Justin Day followed up in 11th place with a time of 2:08.43, and Nick Burton took 16th with a time of 2:10.74.

The Air Force placed five swimmers in the top 25 in the 200 backstroke. Senior Justin Lapin led the academy by finishing sixth with a time of 1:50.32. Kai Yamashiro followed in 13th, 1:52.54; Alex Yee in 17th, 1:53.99; Spencer Liedl in 19th, 1:55.47; and Matt Jurcak in 23rd, 1:59.14.

Senior Nick Uzelac led the Falcons in the 100 free with a time of 46.17, good for 11th. T.J. Cowling followed up in 12th at 46.42, and Ryan Moss placed 24th with a time of 46.99.

The academy was also strong in the 200 fly, with four Falcons placing in the top 13. Senior Matt Sievers finished in seventh place with a time of 1:51.16. Bryan Avery finished eighth, 1:51.26; Nick Dixon in 12th, 1:53.79; and Sean O'Keefe in 13th, 1:53.75. Knaute also swam the 200 fly and swam the fifth fastest time in school history with a 1:49.31, but placed 33rd as he did not swim in the finals.

The academy closed out the meet with a fourth place finish in the 400 free relay. Cowling, Uzelac, Paul Parmenter and Knaute swam a time of 3:02.18.

The Falcons return to action Jan. 5 in a scrimmage at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.