Cougars Win 4 of 5 Meets at Phill Hansel Duals Weekend

The University of Houston 200 yard fresstyle relay prepare for the final event of the Phill Hansel Duals Weekend. The Cougar relay finished 4th in the event
Photo by Darla Tamultits


Sophomore Andrea Pa'lmai collected wins in the 200-yard backstroke and the 400-yard individual medley to lead the University of Houston swimming and diving team during the second day of the Phill Hansel Duals Weekend at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.

The Cougars rallied on the final day of the 19-event, six-team meet to win four of five dual meets. The Cougars posted wins over Conference USA rival Rice (176-171), Mesa State (297-37), Trinity (281.50-66.50) and New Orleans (262-85) with only a loss to Nevada (203-150).

It was the Cougars' first win over Rice since a 147-118 decision to open the dual-meet season on Oct. 16, 1992.

With four dual meet wins this weekend, the Cougars also improved to 9-2 overall. That total tied the UH single-season record for dual-meet wins, equaling the mark set by the 2005-06 and the 2003-04 teams.

Pa'lmai finished first in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:04.72, more than two seconds ahead of her closest competitor. The Budapest, Hungary, native added a similar finish in the 400-yard individual medley with a clocking of 4:27.57.

Senior captain Szintia Szanto finished first in the 200-yard butterfly with a clocking of 2:02.61, nearly a second faster than her closest competitor. The Budapest, Hungary, native also finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Sophomore Anastasia Pozdniakova, the reigning C-USA Freshman Diver of the Year, won the 1-meter competition with 336.90 points. The winner of the 3-meter event on Friday, the Elektrostal, Russia, native was the only diver to crack 300 points in either event.

Sophomore Sasha Schwendenwein captured first place in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:59.04.

The Cougars' 400-yard medley relay team of Pa'lmai, Szanto, Lauren Van Cleave and Jessica Shamburger finished second with a time of 3:55.51.

The Cougar Diving team returns to action when they compete at the Art Adamson Invitational next weekend in College Station, Texas. The Swimming team returns to the competitive waters at the Miami (Ohio) Invitational on Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in Oxford, Ohio.

The Cougars won't return to the friendly waters of the CRWC Natatorium until Jan. 12-13 when they play host to North Texas, New Mexico State and Florida International in a two-day meet.