Women's Swimming & Diving | 1/21/2016 1:31:00 PM

GUNNISON – Western State Colorado University women's swimming and diving will put its perfect undefeated dual record on the line this weekend in a Multi Dual hosted by Colorado Mesa University. Western will take on Division I opponent University of Northern Colorado and Colorado Mesa tomorrow afternoon in a three team dual.
 
The Mountaineers are coming off of a huge win in Golden last weekend over the Colorado School of Mines. The last time Western competed in the El Pomar Natatorium, the Orediggers defeated the Mountaineers by ten points in the Maverick Invitational. Western State returned to Colorado Mine's pool to break four pool records and leave with a 189-125 victory to remain perfect in dual action.
 
Freshman Ma'alaea Lawrence looks to make her mark on the national rankings after breaking multiple pool records and winning the 200 breast, 400 free relay, 100 breast (pool record), 200 free relay (pool record), and 400 medley relay (pool record).
 
Also looking to prep for the upcoming conference championships is freshman Randi Yarnell. Yarnell is currently ranked 12^th in the 100 free and fourth in the 200 free. The lone Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference competitor ahead of her in the 100 is Cal-Baptist's Patricia Hapsari, who is ranked fourth in the 100. Yarnell leads Hapsari by half of a second and three spots in the national rankings. The Mountaineers have never had a RMAC Champion in swimming and diving since the program was reinstated four years ago.
 
Northern Colorado proves to be a good test for the Mountaineers. The team is led by distance swimmer Carleigh Barrett who holds school records in the 500, 1,000, and 1,650 free. The Bears also boast a strong sprinter named Valeria Mihhailova. Mihhailova has broken 24 seconds in the 50 free and 52 seconds in the 100 free, and is a strong backstroke swimmer as well with a sub-56 second 100 back personal record.
 
This is the last competition for the Mountaineers until the conference meet, which will be hosted by Colorado Mesa in the same pool. The RMAC Championships will be Feb. 10^th through Feb. 13^th. For more information on the championships go to rmacsports.org.