Cougar swim impresses on second day of Pac-12 Championships

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ABIGAIL LINNENKOHL | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

Sophomore freestyle swimmer Sophie Larson competes in the 100 yard butterfly during the dual against Utah on Feb. 16 at Gibb Pool.

SIGMUND SEROKA, Evergreen reporter

Day two of the Pac-12 Swimming Championships on Thursday in Federal Way, Washington, saw the Cougars set multiple lifetime bests.

It seemed the nerves that Head Coach Matt Leach mentioned after day one vanished from his team as sophomores Chloe Larson, Lauren Burckel and Mackenzie Duarte and junior Ryan Falk all swam lifetime best times.

Larson clocked a 23.17 seconds in the preliminary round of the 50-yard freestyle which is a lifetime best. She then swam a 23.01 in a swim-off in the event, the fifth fastest time in WSU history.

Larson also helped the 200-yard freestyle relay team earn a season best time of 1:32.93. She competed with freshmen Emily Barrier and Keiana Fountaine and sophomore Kelly Morgan.

Falk brought in the second lifetime best of the day for WSU with a 4:49.71 in the 500-yard freestyle, the fourth fastest in program history. She earned her a place in the first heat of the finals for the event where she would post a 4:49.92.

Burckel and Duarte both posted lifetime bests in the 200-yard individual medley. Burckel had a 2:04.28 and Duarte was right behind her with a 2:04.35.

Day three of the championships will start at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Preliminary rounds of the 400 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke will take place and finals for those events will begin at 6 p.m.