2020 WAC Championships Day 1: UNLV Men Smash WAC 800 Free Relay Record

2020 WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 26 – Saturday, February 29
• CRWC Natatorium – Houston, TX
• Defending Champion: Northern Arizona women (6x), Grand Canyon men (1x)
• 2019 Results
• Estimated NCAA Invite Times
• NCAA ‘A’ Cuts
• Live Results
• Championship Central

The 2020 Western Athletic Conference Championships kicked off tonight in Houston, Texas with the 200 medley relay and 800 free relay. The UNLV men blew away the WAC Record in the 800 free relay. Ogi Maric dropped a second off his best to lead them off in 1:34.74. Bryan Chavez (1:35.55), Christopher Mykkanen (1:35.53), and Hayden Hemmens (1:34.22) followed as they set the mark in 6:20.04. That took 4 seconds off the former record set by Wyoming (6:24.21) in 2014.

Air Force was 2nd in 6:26.78, with freshman Wen Zhang leading off in 1:35.15, a best by over 2 seconds, and fellow freshman Jaykob Williams anchoring in 1:36.30. Cal State Bakersfield (6:27.86) took the bronze as Ryan Brimer split a 1:34.40 on the 3rd leg.

Air Force raced to a 1:25.71 victory over UNLV (1:26.51) in the 200 medley relay. Cal Baptist was a close 3rd in 1:25.71. Splits for that events are not yet available on live results or meet mobile.

MEN’S TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1

1. Air Force 121
2. Grand Canyon 91
3. UNLV 85
4. Cal Baptist 83
5. Wyoming 77
6. Seattle 48

Cal Baptist dominated the women’s 800 free relay in 7:20.58. Rebecca Oviedo (leadoff- 1:50.81) and Mackenzie Mergel (1:50.57) took on the front half. Isabella Rhodes (1:50.30) and freshman Mackenzie Dang (1:48.90) closed. Northern Arizona (7:25.98) took the silver. Katherine Smith swam their fastest split with a 1:51.06 on the 2nd leg.

Neza Kocijan made a huge drop, leading off for New Mexico State in 1:50.31 as they took 3rd in 7:27.02. That was her lifetime best by 4 seconds. Kocijan anchored NMSU’s winning 200 medley relay (1:39.94) with a 22.61. She was joined by Maude Boily-Dufour (back-25.59), Ashley Reynolds (breast- 28.09), and Reagan Nentwich (fly- 23.65).

Cal State Bakersfield (1:40.38) was 2nd. Autumn D’Arcy matched Nentwich’s field-best fly split in 23.65. Freshman Mikayla Popham anchored in 22.52. Northern Arizona’s Hope Williams had the fastest breast split (27.91) as they took bronze in 1:40.82.

WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1

1. NAU 118
2. Cal Baptist 97
3. Grand Canyon 88
4. New Mexico State 85
5. Northern Colorado 67
6. Idaho 67
7. Seattle 46
8. Cal State Bakersfield 37