SWM: Gaucho men leading MPSF Championships

LOS ANGELES – As Day Three of the 2015 MPSF Swimming Championships comes to an end, the UC Santa Barbara men have maintained a prominent lead, while the Gaucho women trail behind Hawaii in second. With a tough day of competition behind them, the Gauchos left the East L.A. College pool having accomplished two individual event victories and another new school record.

FULL MPSF CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Heren Alanis began the evening of finals with an impressive victory in the 400 IM. Her time of 4:17.09 was good for an NCAA “B” time standard and was over two seconds faster than her closest competition. Freshman Alyssa Shew (4:22.38) placed third and Reid Whaley (4:27.13) followed in eighth.

In the men’s 400 IM Dylan Kubick (3:50.64) placed fourth, earning 15 points for the Gaucho men.

To follow up the 400 IMs Freshman Allie Stevens (55.49) placed seventh in the championship finals heat of the women’s 100 butterfly.

The men’s 100 butterfly featured the Gauchos’ top three butterfliers, who placed 2-3-4. Wade Allen (47.30) placed second, Yoessef Tibazi (48.03) third, and Mickey Mowry (48.44) fourth.

Lauren Vosseler represented the Gaucho women in the championship heat of the women’s 200 freestyle, placing seventh with a 1:50.02.

An impressive finals heat of the men’s 200 freestyle hosted four Gaucho men placing fourth through seventh. Freshman Billy Mullis (1:37.47) came in fourth with a time under the NCAA “B” time standard, followed by Chase Lemley (1:38.27) in fifth, Clayton Young (1:38.90) in sixth, and Eddie Sanchez (1:39.58) in seventh.

An even more impressive championship heat for the Gauchos was next up with the women’s 100 breaststroke. Katie Records (1:02.18) led the pack with her second first place finish of the meet. Carissa Metcalf (1:02.51) followed in fourth, Charis Hoppe (1:03.13) in sixth, Kathleen Benjamin (1:03.35) in seventh, and Jiana Vargem (1:03.95) in eighth.

In the men’s 100 breaststroke Andy Castilleja (53.21) took second with a time well under the NCAA “B” time standard. Freshman Simon Wong (55.25) followed in fifth.

Next up Allie Stevens (56.01) and Julia Mikota (56.52) took sixth and eighth, respectively, in the women’s 100 backstroke.

The men’s 100 backstroke finals heat featured Mickey Mowry (49.93) in fifth and Josh Smith (50.88) in eighth.

The day concluded with the women’s and men’s 400 medley relays. The women’s “A” relay (3:43.00) placed fourth, with Allie Stevens (56.13) swimming backstroke, Katie Records (1:01.20) breaststroke, Faith Travis (56.51) butterfly, and Lauren Vosseler (49.16) freestyle. Records’ and Vosselers’ relay splits were both the fastest in the pool.

The men’s “A” relay set a new school record, with a time of 3:12.57. Billy Mullis (48.82) led off, followed by Andy Castilleja (53.44), Wade Allen (46.80), and Chase Lemley (43.51).

Tomorrow the Gauchos will wrap up MPSF Championships with the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, and 400 freestyle relay.