Utes Take First Road Trip Of Season

Friday, October 27

Tempe, Ariz.

5:00 PM

University of Utah

Arizona State

10/23/2017 7:24 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah swimming and diving teams make their first road trips of the season this weekend, as the Utes get ready to take on Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.

The meet against ASU will be this Friday, Oct. 27, in Tempe and is slated to begin at 5 p.m. in the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The Sun Devils currently have the No. 8 ranked men's swimming team in the nation, with their women's team on the brink of cracking the top 25.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, the Utes will be in Tucson to take on the No. 24 ranked University of Arizona. The meet against the Wildcats is set to begin at 12:00 p.m., with the competition being held in the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center.

UTES IN USA COLLEGE CHALLENGE

Four Utes, Genevieve Robertson, Jack Burton, Austin Phillips and Paul Ungur, took to the pool last weekend at the USA College Challenge. The event, featuring 15 Team USA Olympians, pitted the best of the Pac-12 against members of the US National Team.

Ungur turned in the highlight performance for the Utah contingent with a 21.0 backstroke split in the 200 medley relay to lead the Pac-12 to a win in the event. The Utah record holder in the 100 back then swam the second-fastest time for a Pac-12 student-athlete in that event (46.24).

Burton, another Utah school record holder taking part in one of his signature events, was fourth among Pac-12 swimmers in the 100 breast with a time of 55.24. Burton also took part in the 200 breast, finishing with the second-fastest Pac-12 time and fifth overall.

Robertson had the fourth-fastest time of any Pac-12 swimmer in the 100 breast with a 1:01.97. She was also sixth in the 200 breast with a time of 2:13.50 and took part in the 400 medley relay with her group finishing fifth.

Phillips also took part in a pair of events. The junior placed fourth among Pac-12 competitors in the 200 free with a time of 1:39.64. He then suited up for the 400 free relay with his quartet finishing fourth.

UTAH NOTES

The University of Utah swimming and diving team's most recent action came against No. 1/3 Stanford, as the Utes fell short 141.5-95.5 (men) and 143-95 (women).

Nathan Makarewicz was able to improve on his performance from the opener against Cal, by taking the 1-meter diving competition. Makarewicz topped the field with a final score of 318.38.

Junior Chris Taber took first in the 200 fly, finishing with a final time of 1:50.76. The Utes also chalked up a win in the 100 free, with Feliix Chiun hitting the wall with a time of 46.15.

In the 200 breast, Ganem Tebet was able to get another win, finishing with a final time of 2:07.96.

On the women's side, a team consisting of Dorien Butter, Gillian St. John Claire Jackson and Kenzie Ford were able to get a win in the 200 free relay with a final time of 1:34.85.

The Utes' final win of the day came in the men's 200 free relay. Rodolfo Moreira, Liam O'Haimhirgin, Chiun and Tommy Baker clocked in with a final time of 1:23.91.

ARIZONA STATE NOTES

ASU returns to the pool under head coach Bob Bowman. From the men's side, the Sun Devils return Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Cameron Craig and NCAA qualifying divers Youseff Selim and David Hoffer.

On the women's side, Finnish World Championship team members Fanny Teijonsalo and Silja Kansakoski, are joined by diver Mara Aiacoboae, who won the Pac-12 title in the platform last year.

ARIZONA NOTES

Arizona women's swimming and diving opened the 2017-18 season with a convincing victory on the road at Washington State. Sophomore Hannah Cox led the Wildcats with three victories in the 500 free (4:52.53), 1,000 free (9:58.52), and 400 IM (4:23.06). Senior Cameron McHugh also dominated with two wins in the 200 free (1:51.13) and 200 back with 1:57.68 (NCAA B cut).

This will be the first meet of the season for the men who had Chatham Dobbs, Nick Thorne and Justin Wright represent Arizona at the USA College Challenge. Thorne placed sixth in both events he competed in, the 200 fly (1:45.65) and 400 IM (3:50.36).Wright placed fifth in the 200 fly with 1:44.86 and eighth in the 100 fly with 48.43.