158-84 win over Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The University of Arkansas swim and dive team came back from the loss against BYU to beat Utah 158-84 on Saturday morning in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Hogs improve to a 6-2 dual record after picking up nine first-place finishes at the Ute Natatorium.

Nicole Menzel paced the 1,000 free with a time of 10:22.80. Arkansas took the next two places with Ashley Largo in second with 10:25.49 and Alison Templin in third. Menzel also led in the 500 free with a time of 5:07.34. The Hogs captured the next three places as well with Largo in second once again with a time of 5:09.16 and Templin capturing third as she clocked 5:10.21. Jillienne Schilling picked up a time of 5:13.96, good for fourth overall in the 500 free as well.

Arkansas also collected the best two times in the 200 free as Katie Whitbeck and Chelsea Franklin were first and second, respectively. Whitbeck earned a time of 1:53.38 was less than one second faster than Franklin’s 1:54.03. Schilling and Courtney Hubbard picked up fourth and fifth in that event, respectively.

"We obviously had a better result today coming out with a win," head coach Jeff Poppell said. "I really feel like coming off the Purdue meet, that we have not prepared as a team the same way over the last two weeks as we have all fall, and I think that is reflective in our results and times this weekend."

Kesha Naylor led the divers in both the three-meter and the one-meter dive events. Her score of 294.6 in the one-meter was more than 20 points above second place. She scored 304.05 in the three-meter is among her best marks in her first season as a Razorback. Alex Roman picked up second-place in the 3m event with a score of 267.83.

In the 100 free, Carly Mercer led the race with a score time of 52.67. Whitbeck was second behind the freshman with 53.17. Mercer came in second with 24.31 in the 50 free as well. Arkansas also finished first in the 200 backstroke when Haley Smith stopped the clock at 2:04.31. Julia Kucherich was just behind her with 2:05.93.

Jamie Marks paced the 200 breast with 2:23.80. Sarah Howard, Erin Neumann and Erica Totten followed in third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Arkansas improves its record to 6-2 this season and takes a break for the winter before getting back in the competition pool at Kansas on Jan. 13, at 4 p.m.

*Times do not reflect altitude adjustments.

Download: mm3results1coldefaultcumsub.pdf