Air Force Academy
#4 Arizona
Air Force Swimmers Go 1-2 in Dual Action
1/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Jan. 3, 2009
TUCSON, Ariz. - In its first action of 2009, the Air Force men's swimming team went 1-2 Friday in a quad meet hosted by fourth-ranked Arizona. The Falcons fell to the host Wildcats, 262-38, and Washington, 195-104, while defeating Colorado School of Mines, 236-63, to move to 6-7 on the year.
Three Air Force swimmers notched top five finishes, led by sophomore Tom Hansen (Berkeley Heights, N.J.), who placed third in the 200 backstroke with a mark of 1:53.74. Junior Chris Morin (Crown Point, Ind.) took fourth place in the 200 IM with a time of 1:59.98, while senior Justin Day (Peyton, Colo.) finished fifth in the 100 breaststroke, clocking in with a time of 58.36.
Several other Falcons placed in the top 10 in their respective events. Seniors Kai Yamashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Nick Dixon (Canton, Mich.) finished sixth and 10th, respectively, behind Hansen in the 200 back. Yamashiro also captured sixth place in the 100 back, followed by Morin in eighth place and Dixon in ninth place.
In the 200 IM, three Air Force swimmers joined Morin in the top 10, led by Kaleb Jenkins (Fr., Savannah, Ga.) in seventh place, followed by classmates Cole Smith (Charlotte, N.C.) and Corydon Butler (Williamsburg, Va.) in ninth and 10th place, respectively. Meanwhile, in the 100 breast, Cody Deacon (Fr., Portland, Ore.) and Greg Edmonds (Sr., Fairfax Station, Va.) rounded out the top 10, placing ninth and 10th.
Butler was the top performer for the Falcons in both the 500 and 1000 freestyle events, placing seventh in both races, while junior Sean O'Keefe (Lake Oswego, Ore.) finished eighth in both races. Meanwhile, Day added a top 10 finish in the 500 free, coming in 10th in the event.
Senior captain Bryan Avery (Mililani, Hawaii) led Air Force in both the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle races, placing seventh and eighth, respectively. Sophomore Benjamin Gunn (Gainesville, Ga.) backed up Avery in the 100 fly with a ninth-place showing, while Hansen and Gunn finished ninth and 10th, respectively, in the 200 free. Gunn also added a ninth-place finish in the 100 free to lead Air Force in the event.
The Falcons landed three swimmers in the top 10 of the 200 breast, as Edmonds, Josh Hammervold (So., Sugar Land, Texas) and Deacon placed eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively. Sophomore Robert Dawson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was Air Force's top finisher in the 50 free, placing eighth, while Layne Wilson (Sr., Austin, Texas), finished ninth in the event. In addition, Eric Robinson (So., Lakewood, Colo.) and Smith came in ninth and 10th, respectively, in the 200 butterfly.
The divers were also in action for the Falcons, with senior Randy Rogers (Fort Worth, Texas) posting Air Force's top finish in the 1-meter dive, placing third with a season-best mark of 270.95. Meanwhile, freshman Jesse Bicknell (Westtown, N.Y.) was the Falcons' top performer at 3-meters, placing fourth with a mark of 301.10. Freshman Lauren Shetley (St. Louis, Mo.) was the lone women's diver competing for Air Force, finishing fourth at 1-meter and sixth at 3-meters.
The Falcons return to action next weekend, Jan. 9, when they host Incarnate Word in dual action. The meet is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. in Cadet Natatorium.
Players Mentioned
