Feb. 17, 2002
Denver, Colo. - Western Kentucky University's women's swimming and diving team led virtually from start to finish to claim its second Sun Belt Conference Swimming & Diving championship at the El Pomar Natatorium on the campus of the University of Denver yesterday (Saturday, Feb. 16).
The Hilltoppers racked up 849.5 points to outdistance runner-up New Mexico State (793) by 56.5 points. Host Denver was third with 609 points, followed by North Texas (581.5) and Arkansas-Little Rock (42).
Leading the way for veteran Coach Bill Powell's Western women were senior Brandi Carey, who took conference Swimmer-of-the-Year honors for the second year in a row, and Marci Kascir, who was named the SBC Diver-of-the-Year.
Carey took individual titles in three events - the 200- and 400-yard individual medley races and the 1,650-freestyle. She also swam the opening legs on WKU's victorious 220-medley and 400-freestyle relay teams.
Kascir won the one-meter dive and took second place honors in the three-meter event for the Hilltoppers.
On the final day of competition, Western was paced by Carey, who posted that triumph in the 1,650 (17:57.71), and Julia Van Antwerp, who took a first in the 200-butterfly with her 2:10.55 clocking.
During the three-day affair, Western athletes won a total of 10 events. Those were:
* 200-Yard Freestyle Relay (1:34.82)
* 500-Yard Freestyle - Sydney Mountford (5:06.93)
* 200-Yard Intermediate - Brandi Carey (2:02.31)
* One-Meter Dive - Marci Kacsir (234.90 points)
* 200-Yard Medley Relay - Carey, Nicole Fisher, Carol Brown, Megan Zerhusen (1:44.59 - meet record)
* 400-Yard Intermediate - Carey (4:32.34 - pool record)
* 200-Yard Freestyle - Mountford (1:50.77 - meet record)
* 200-Yard Butterfly - Julie Van Antwerp (2:10.55)
* 1,650-Yard Freestyle - Carey (17:57.71)
* 400-Yard Freestyle Relay - Carey, Brown, Mountford, Zerhusen (3:27.37 - meet record)
It was a repeat performance for the Western women, who took top honors in the inaugural Sun Belt Conference championship meet last winter in Little Rock, Ark.
North Texas' Scott Hines was selected as the SBC Coach-of-the-Year.
The Western Kentucky University athletes in this story:
Carol Brown, Jr., Fortaleza-Ce, Brazil (Farias Brito HS)
Brandi Carey, Sr., Versailles, Ky. (Christian HS)
Nicole Fisher, Sr., Germantown, Md. (Watkins Mill HS)
Marci Kacsir, So., Indianapolis, Ind. (Franklin Central HS)
Sydney Mountford, Sr., Lexington, Ky. (Henry Clay HS)
Julie Van Antwerp, Sr., Springfield, Va. (Parkview HS)
Megan Zerhusen, Sr., Georgetown, Ky. (Scott County HS)
