GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Oklahoma Baptist men's and women's swimming and diving teams finished out their final Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships with third-place finishes by both squads. The Bison also posted three individual RMAC event titles and two new NCAA qualifications on the final day, bringing their total for the championships to four and six, respectively.
On the men's side,
Estevao Hornos (100 yard freestyle) and
William Newman (200 yard backstroke) both claimed the RMAC championship in their individual event. Hornos finished the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 44.33 to earn the conference crown, as well as the necessary time for the NCAA "B" cut (45.52).
Newman topped Jerry Birnbaum of Colorado School of the Mines in the 200 yard backstroke with a time of 1:49.34. Newman also earned an impressive NCAA "B" cut for his performance in the 200 yard backstroke. He needed a time of 1:49.47 to qualify.
Cassidy Wright, on the women's side, swept the RMAC crowns in the diving events with a win in the three meter dive (410.15) on Saturday after claiming the one meter dive title on Thursday. Wright received an automatic qualification to the 2021 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving National Championships and was also named the RMAC women's Diver of the Meet. This will be Wright's fourth consecutive trip to the national meet.
"We did a great job finishing strong," said OBU head coach
Matt Hood. "We showed a lot of heart and competed well getting stronger as the meet went on. I am super proud of Cassidy, Will, and Estevao for winning their individual events tonight having posted great personal performances."
Outside of Wright, OBU has accumulated six other NCAA qualifying marks throughout the season.
Megan Gallagher, Hornos, and Newman make up the six other qualifications. Gallagher has one qualification in the 50 yard freestyle, Hornos has two qualifying marks in the 50 yard freestyle (20.71) and the 100 yard freestyle (44.33). Newman leads the team with three individual qualifications in the 200 yard IM (1:52.03), 100 yard fly (48.93), and 200 yard backstroke (1:49.34).
Up next for the Bison, for those who are selected, is the 2021 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving National Championships scheduled for March 10-13 in Birmingham, Alabama.
