The TCU men’s and women’s teams won the Conference USA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship and Men’s Invitational on Saturday at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium. On the women’s side, the Horned Frogs claimed its first C-USA team title with a score of 772, while the TCU men won their third consecutive title.

For the women, East Carolina followed in second (578), while Houston (538) and Cincinnati (520) followed in third and fourth place, respectively. Tulane placed fifth with a score of 486, while Louisville (347) and Saint Louis (292) rounded out the top seven.

On the men’s side, TCU earned its third consecutive C-USA crown with a team score of 896. East Carolina finished second (711), while Louisville (648.50) and Cincinnati (494.50) placed third and fourth place, respectively. Saint Louis followed with a score of 375.

Tulane, competing in its first C-USA Championship, opened the final day of competition with its second individual title of the meet. Leslie Christian posted an NCAA provisional time of 16:52.64 in the 16,50 freestyle, while teammate Nicole Taheri place second (17:08.54). On the men’s side, TCU extended its lead with a win in the 1,650 freestyle. Andy Donovan finished first, posting a time of 16:10.56.

Aimee Moreau of TCU claimed the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:02.23. East Carolina’s Holly Williams picked up a second-place finish (2:03.86), while TCU’s Tiffany Strawn nabbed third place (2:03.96).

TCU’s Craig Chapman claimed his second individual title of the meet, defending his C-USA crown in the 200 backstroke. He posted a provisional time of 1:47.14.

Tulane’s Linda McEachrane, who had won the 50 freestyle on Thursday night, captured her second individual title in the 100 freestyle. She posted an NCAA provisional mark, as well as nabbing a meet record with a time of 50.13. TCU’s Erin Irons, the 2003 C-USA champion in the 100 free, was runner-up with a time of 50.86, while teammate Erica Tate placed third (51.42).

Cincinnati went 1-2 in the men’s 100 free with Ryan Yearwood claiming his second consecutive league title (45.00) and David Gustavsson earning second-place honors with a time of 45.01.

Louisville’s Heather Meng (3:16.96) narrowly claimed first place in the 200 breaststroke, .01 faster than second-place finisher Tricia Rye of Cincinnati, who posted a time of 2:16.97.

On the men’s side, TCU’s Aran Bean claimed his second league crown, breezing to a first-place finish in the 200 breaststroke. Bean, who was victorious in the 100 fly on Friday, lowered the meet standard with a time of 2:01.41 in the 200 breast. East Carolina’s Casey Cronin followed in second place (2:04.85) and TCU’s Allan McCallum placed third with a time of 2:04.15.

Cincinnati’s Ann Degenstein claimed both butterfly titles. In the 200 fly, she broke her own meet record, winning with a provisional time of 2:00.17. Teammate Louise Gowens nabbed a second-place finish (2:03.18) and ECU’s Kate Gordan placed third (2:03.33).

Kleber Ihara of Louisville picked up his second C-USA crown of the meet, sweeping the butterfly events. In the final night of competition, Ihara won the 200 butterfly with a time of1:48.83. TCU’s Aaron McLachlan was runner-up (1:49.69) and Cincinnati’s Carlo Piccio placed third (1:50.75).

In diving events, Louisville’s Sean Wilkinson claimed his second C-USA title of the meet, placing first on the platform diving event with a score of 447.85. He concludes his C-USA career, winning eight conference individual events.

Houston took the four top spots on the women’s 10-meter platform. Anna Kiess won the platform with a meet record score of 514.70, while Azul Almazan followed in second (500.10). Rachel Gitelson finished in third with a score of 393.80 and Stephanie Mannella followed in fourth (301.70).

The meet concluded with TCU women reclaiming the 400 freestyle relay, breaking its old meet record from 2002. The Horned Frog team of Irons, Tate, Sullivan and Sandifer notched a time of 3:25.36. For the second year in a row, Cincinnati won the men’s 400 relay with a time of 3:01.84.


C-USA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship and Men’s Invitational – Day Three
CRWC Natatorium
Houston, Texas
Women’s Team Scores
1. TCU 772
2. East Carolina 578
3. Houston 538
4. Cincinnati 520
5. Tulane 486
6. Louisville 347
7. Saint Louis 292

Men’s Team Scores
1. TCU 896
2. East Carolina 711
3. Louisville 648.50
4. Cincinnati 494.50
5. Saint Louis 374



Swimmer of the Meet: Diane Parker, ECU

Diver of the Meet: Azul Almazan, Houston

Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Linda McEachrane, Tulane

Freshman Diver of the Year: Anna Kiess, Houston

Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Richard Sybesma

Women's Diving Coach of the Year: Jane Figueiredo, Houston

Men's Swimmer of the Meet: Craig Chapman, TCU

Men's Diver of the Meet: Sean Wilkinson, Louisville