DENVER, Colo. (Jan. 8, 2000) - The TCU men's and women's swimming and diving teams each had individual stars shine during the weekend's Denver Pentathlon as part of the team's week-long training trip prior to the 2001 spring season.

For the women, junior Marisa Schenke was TCU's top finisher, placing fifth overall in the five-event competition with a composite time of 2:56.34. Against 46 competitors, she finished in the Top 15 in each event and placed sixth or better three times.

Schenke finished third in the 50 backstroke (:28.15), third in the 100 individual medley (1:01.24), sixth in the 50 breaststroke (:31.89), 11th in the 50 butterfly (:27.64) and 15th in the 50 freestyle (:25.80). As a result of her efforts, she earned a team-high 20 points for the Frogs.

Fellow junior Jamie MacCurdy placed sixth with a time of 2:57.14 to give the Frogs 19 points. TCU had three other competitors among the Top 15: freshman Jamie Robinson (11th-2:59.10), freshman Erin Irons (12th-2:59.77) and sophomore Kate Swearingen (15th-3:02.09).

On the men's side, sophomore Jeff Parkinson (2:35.89) placed third overall to pace TCU, while Aaron Ewert (2:37.49) claimed fourth. Other Top 10 finishers for TCU included: senior Ryan Mammarella (7th-2:44.32), sophomore Scott Cessac (8th-2:44.55) and sophomore Dana Kizer (9th-2:44.88).

Parkinson placed first in the 50 freestyle (:21.64), second in the 50 butterfly (:23.93), third in the 50 backstroke (:25.02), third in the 100 IM (:55.90) and eighth in the 50 breaststroke (:29.40). Ewert took first in the backstroke (:24.00), second in the freestyle (:21.91), fourth in the butterfly (:24.32), fourth in the IM (:57.25) and 11th in the breaststroke (:30.01).

As for team results, the women placed second among three teams with 92 points. Washington State grabbed first place with 147 and the University of Denver was third with 61. The men dueled with Denver and suffered an 11-point loss: 73.5 to 62.5.

Both teams return home for the TCU Classic, a two-day event that features TCU, Houston, New Mexico State, Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas. The event starts on Friday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m. and will conclude on Saturday afternoon at the Rickel Center Natatorium.