Winning momentum helped the men’s and women’s swimming and diving team be victorious over the University of North Dakota.
The TCU men defeated North Dakota 192-150. The women had a 277-75 win over North Dakota, but fell short to Kansas, 204-142.
“We are up against a pretty good Big 12 team in KU,” head swimming and diving coach Richard Sybesma said. “I thought the momentum shifted a little when we felt we would be second, third or fourth and Kansas was getting those points.”
Sybesma said the momentum started with a win from junior Luiz Azarias and sophomore Cooper Robinson.
Luiz Azarias won the 200-meter fly along with a second place finish by Ryker Saunders, and Grayson Whitten placing third.
TCU also swept the 100-meter backstroke event. Cooper Robinson finished first, followed by Josh Mangus in second and Thor Stenfjord in third.
Freshman Harrison Bui won four events: 100-meter breast, 200-meter individual medley, and contributions to team wins in the 200 and 400-meter medley relay.
On the women’s side, senior Sabine Rasch dominated in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle. She led the Frogs in the 200-meter free relay, touching the wall at 23.77 seconds.
“[The women] are swimming better than we did a week ago when we won at Rice,” Sybesma said.
Sybesma said Rasch had a great swim in the 50 free.
Freshman Sara Brzozowski went neck-and-neck with Jayhawks’ Rebecca Swank in the 1,000-meter free. Brzozowski had the lead with 150 yards to go and held on to win.
Another freshman, Mikayla Winkler, finished third in the event, about three seconds later. Winkler took home first in the 500 free in 4:57.60.
“We brought Winkler and Brzozowski in to be really good distance swimmers and they have stepped up to the challenge,” Sybesma said.
The Frogs took home second, third and fourth on the 3-meter high diving boards. Senior Katie Lybbert led the team with 256.40 for second place.
In the 1-meter, sophomore Lauren Mikulecky took fourth place.
Diving coach Wayne Chester said Mikulecky has been very consistent as well as sophomore Ricky Bradley.
Bradley won the 1-meter and took second in the 3-meter.
The men will compete against SMU Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. in Dallas. Both the men and women divers return to action together at the Cougar Invitational in Houston on Nov. 15.
