Northern Colorado swim and dive
After four days at the Western Athletic Conference Championship, the University of Northern Colorado finished third with 11 medals.
UNC finished the meet with 493 points, about 10 points behind its own team record that it set at the championship last season.
The Bears moved up and down the scoreboard throughout the meet, but the strong finish gives the team its fourth top-four placement in the last five seasons and second straight third-place finish.
Northern Colorado picked up five medals on the final day of the event, for its largest singleday haul, propelling them up to the top three.
Graduate student Anna Austin started things off with a bronze medal in the 1,650-yard freestyle. She finished with a time of 16:46.97, which ranks No. 3 in program history.
Then, junior Ali Jackson added another medal in the 100 freestyle. She placed third, hitting the wall in 49.47, to break her own personal best and rank No. 2 in the record books.
Rookie Maria Erokhina and sophomore Bryanna Ungs went 2-3 in the 200 breast. Erokhina finished with a time of 2:13.47 and Ungs recorded a time of 2:15.76, respectively. The freshman’s time broke a school record, while Ungs moved into the No. 3 spot.
Lastly, junior Payten Irwin earned a silver medal in the 200 butterfly. She completed the race in 1:59.17. She didn’t quite break the program record, which she set last season, but her time was good enough for the second-best in Bears history.
Northern Arizona and Grand Canyon topped the rest of the competition, comfortably taking first and second place.
50 freestyle: Ali Jackson, 2nd (23.10)
100 freestyle: Ali Jackson, 3rd (49.47)
200 freestyle relay: UNC, 2nd (1:32.17)
100 butterfly: Payten Irwin, 3rd (53.92)
200 butterfly: Payten Irwin, 2nd (1:59.17)
100 breaststroke: Bryanna Ungs, 3rd (1:01.98)
200 breaststroke: Maria Erokhina, 2nd (2:13.47); Bryanna Ungs, 3rd (2:15.76)
1,650 freestyle: Anna Austin, 3rd (16:46.97)
200 medley relay: UNC, 3rd (1:40.11)
400 medley relay: UNC, 3rd (3:40.22)