GUNNISON, Colo. – Western Colorado University Women's Swimming and Diving returns to the pool following a 59-day break from competitions. The Mountaineers travel to Grand Junction, Colorado for a dual against Colorado Mesa University on Friday before heading to St. George, Utah for a dual against Dixie State University on Saturday.
 
Western's most recent competition came on Nov. 18 at the A3 Performance Invite in Grand Junction. The Mountaineers placed third and had recorded many season-best performances.
 
Randi Yarnell continues her tremendous career, having four of Division II's top-five times. Her altitude-converted time of 1:48.14 in the 200 freestyle is an automatically qualifying time for the NCAA Championships and is the third fastest time this season in Division II.
 
Yarnell also has the third fastest time in the 100 freestyle (49.72), the fourth fastest time in the 100 butterfly (54.01), and the fifth fastest in the 50 freestyle (23.00).
 
Also recording top times this season in the backstroke is teammate Savannah Tice. Tice has two championship B-cut times in the 100-yard backstroke and 200 backstroke. Her 56.37 time in the 100 backstroke is 27^th best in Division II, while her time of 2:01.61 is 17^th best in the 200-yard backstroke. Tice's time of 27.08 in the 50-yard backstroke is the 43^rd fastest time in Division II this season.
 
Freshman Caroline Katzmann also swam a B-cut time. Katzmann swam the 50-yard freestyle in 23.93 as part of a relay to earn a National Championship qualifying time.
 
As a team, the Mountaineers are currently ranked 40^th in all of Division II.
 
Friday's opponent, CMU, sits eighth in the championship rankings. The Mavericks defeated Western earlier in the season in Gunnison, 189-61.
 
Friday's dual against Colorado Mesa is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. from the El Pomar Natatorium.
 
Saturday will be the first head-to-head dual between Dixie State and Western. It will also be DSU's lone dual of the season. The Trailblazers are ranked enter the weekend ranked 39^th in Division II.
 
The Dixie State dual is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start on Saturday.