University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
LSU
Houston Earns Wins Over Rice, Tulane
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
HOUSTON â€" The University of Houston Swimming and Diving team concluded the 2015-16 regular season with two dual meet wins over Tulane and Rice, in part to the Cougars ending Saturday with 12 podium finishes to conclude the final day of the Houston Quad Meet at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.
Houston beat Tulane by a score of 235-118, and 252-92 over Rice, their first victory over the Owls since Oct. 10, 2009. The Cougars fell to LSU by a score of 224-129.
"It's great for our seniors, to let them go out on a couple of wins," said head swimming and diving coach Ryan Wochomurka. "They've been phenomenal for us all year. I'm personally very grateful for this senior class. Being a first-year coach here with them, and them really embracing us as a staff. They really embraced our visions that we can build a culture of excellence here."
Houston honored its five seniors during Saturday's pregame ceremonies as swimmers Doroteja Bednjanec, Holly Criscuolo, Taylor Derevyanik, Maya Owens and diver Danielle Shedd were recognized for their outstanding careers.
"Seniors lead the way," Wochomurka said. "Whether or not they were winning events, they were putting up personal best times. To be at your very best that you've ever been in your last dual meet of your career, that's awesome. That's just fantastic."
The Cougars came off the blocks strong in the first event of the day, the 400-yard Medley Relay, the Cougars grabbed two podium finishes. The relay team of Eleanna Koutsouveli, Ashley Grijalva, Sharo Rodriguez and Caitlin Horner placed second overall with a time of 3:44.82. Rounding out the podium, the team of Jasmine Williams, Cameron Balkom, Owens and Bednjanec, with a time of 3:45.40.
A freshman, Hannah Herbst grabbed her second podium finish of the meet in the 500-yard freestyle. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native swam the race in a time of 4:54.69, a personal best.
In the 100-yard breaststroke, Grijalva placed second overall with a time of 1:03.50, her second podium finish of the quad meet.
The Cougars grabbed two podium finishes in the 200-yard backstroke, Eleanna Koutsouveli and Jenny Penneck placed second and third, respectively. Koutsouveli netted a time of 1:59.91 to capture second and Penneck grabbed third with a time of 2:00.62, a personal best.
Houston grabbed a pair of third place finishes in the next two races. Rodriguez finished third in the 200-yard butterfly, swimming the race in a time of 2:02.56. In the 100-yard freestyle, Horner grabbed a third place finish, she netted a time of 51.79.
Koutsouveli captured a podium finish in the 400-yard IM. The freshman, won her individual heat with a time of 4:21.60, which placed her second overall in the event.
In the final swimming event of the afternoon, the 200-yard freestyle, the Cougars captured a podium finish. The team of Horner, Bednjanec, Owens and Michaela Hamrick, finished the race in a time of 1:34.14 to net a second place finish.
In the 1-meter diving, sophomore Micaela Bouter grabbed a podium finish. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native placed third overall with a score of 281.90.
"We're swimming well," Wochomurka said. "We're swimming well. We're swimming right at career bests, season best times right now. That breeds great confidence going into the conference meet. For us to have a meet like this that's at home, this is the set up we're going to see. We're hosting the conference meet. We're excited for what's to come. Conference meet is here. It's in town. It's rodeo month, so we have our own little rodeo here, so it's time to go."
Results
OVERALL
Houston 235, Tulane 118
Houston 252, Rice 92
LSU 224, Houston 129
400 Medley Relay
2. Houston A â€" 3:44.82
Eleanna Koutsouveli, Ashley Grijalva, Sharo Rodriguez, Caitlin Horner
3. Houston B â€" 3:45.40
Taylor Derevyanik, Cameron Balkom, Maya Owens, Doroteja Bednjanec
500 Free
3 . Hannah Herbst â€" 4:54.69*
100 Breast
2. Ashley Grijalva â€" 1:03.50
200 Back
2. Eleanna Koutsouveli â€" 1:59.91
3. Jenny Penneck â€" 2:00.62*
200 Fly
3. Sharo Rodriguez â€" 2:02.56
1-Meter
3. Micaela Bouter â€" 281.90
100 Free
3. Cait Horner â€" 51.79
400 IM
2. Eleanna Koutsouveli â€" 4:21.60
200 Free Relay
2. Houston A â€" 1:34.14
Caitlin Horner, Doroteja Bednjanec, Julie Gibson, Micaela Hamrick
Personal Best - *
UP NEXT
Houston will host the American Athletic Conference Championships for the first time as the best swimmers and divers in the league visit the CRWC from Feb. 17-20. Following the conference meet, the Cougars will look to close the season at the NCAA Championships, to be held March 17-19 in Atlanta.
FOLLOW THE COUGARS!
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougars), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the swimming & diving team has established its own official Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonCougarSwimmingDiving) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarSwim), which provide regular updates on the team and live results during home meets.
--UHCougars.com--
Players Mentioned
