By BRANDON SMITH
Barton Sports Info
The Barton Community College swimming programs returned to action this past weekend in Conway, Arkansas for the 61st Hendrix Relays and 55th Annual Hendricks Classic.
Entered as the lone NJCAA program, the Cougars were led behind Marcela Contes Tribst and Mateo Wallet's first place finishes over the two days of competition while also producing a trio of new program top 10 impacts and four new personal best times
Ahead for the Cougars is a weekend break before traveling to Kearney, Nebraska for the UNK Invitational held November 8-9 before concluding the first half of the semester at the Eagle Invitational held November 15-17 in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Women's Recap
On the women's side, Barton produced one individual title, two new program top-10 times while four different Cougars made their first appearance over the 13 events.
Making her Barton debut, Contes Tribst fashioned the first of her two-program top 10 impacts, besting the 14-participant field in the 200 backstroke writting the programs fifth fastest stoppage 2:20.37. The freshman concluded her strong collegiate debut mending the program's 10th quickest time of 2:25.97 for a third-place finish in the 200 IM.
Sophomore Elana Lara and freshman Katy Alvarez fashioned the Cougars next highest placings individually with runner-up finishes.
Lara led a two-pack inside the top-4 in the 200 butterfly touching the wall second quickest in 2:25.50 while counterpart Aleksandra Cicha slipped two spots back with a 2:26.86.
Alvarez collected her runner-up placing behind a new personal best 200 breaststroke wall touch of 2:48.80 with teammate Mia Naldoza four spots back in sixth with a first ever time 3:01.16.
In the lone team event, the four pack of Contes Tribust, Alvarez, Lara and Cicha supplied a runner-up result in the 200 Medley with a 2:02.29 stoppage.
Men's Recap
The Cougar men secured one individual title while producing five top-5 placings over the 13-events of competition.
Highlighting the competition was Wallet's pair of top-three finishes. The freshman manufactured the lone gold medal in the 200 freestyle, out pacing the 23 participant field with the programs sixth quickest stoppage 1:44.44 while teammate Arnaldo Guimaraes drew runner-up with a 1:46.72 stoppage.
Wallet secured his other top-three placing with his second personal best stoppage on the afternoon drawing a third place 4:54.49 in the 500 freestyle.
In the tightest race of the afternoon, Joao Ribeiro led a pair of Cougars inside the top-4 of the 50 freestyle with a runner-up 22.22 while teammate Cameron Sein fell five tenths back in fourth with a 22.27 wall touch.
The four pack of Wallet, Guimaraes, Sein and Ribeiro pieced together the best relay finish with a bronze medal in the 200 medley completing the four leg in a time of 1:39.35.