Wyoming’s Busskohl Lands in Finals of U.S. Open Championships

Wyoming’s Busskohl Lands in Finals of U.S. Open Championships

A small fraction of the University of Wyoming swim team took their talents to the U.S. Open Championships this past week. Four Cowgirls and one Cowboy traveled to the east coast and competed alongside some of the best swimmers this country, and world, has to offer./ UW courtesy photo

* University of Wyoming press release

GREENSBORO, N.C., – A small fraction of the University of Wyoming swim team took their talents to the U.S. Open Championships this past week. Four Cowgirls and one Cowboy traveled to the east coast and competed alongside some of the best swimmers this country, and world, has to offer.

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“It was amazing for our swimmers to be at a meet with Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky,” associate head coach Kristin Walker said. “Being there and getting to see our nation’s best compete, and competing in long course, was such a good experience and will help us in the future.”

Brynlee Busskohl stood as the lone Wyoming student-athlete to compete in a final. She advanced to the finals of the 200-meter (long course) freestyle, eventually taking fourth in the C final with a time of 2:32.35.

“It was great to have a Wyoming swimmer make a final at the U.S. Open,” Walker said. “She held her own in that heat and went another lifetime-best time.”

Busskohl competed in the 100-meter breaststroke, as well, placing 30th after swimming a 1:11.56. Carly Palmer and Sydney McKenzie also took part in that event, taking 46th and 62nd, respectively, after logging times of 1:12.68 and 1:14.92.

Maisyn Klimczak participated in the 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle races. She touched 23rd in the 800, clocking in at 9:06.63, and took 20th in the 1,500 with a time of 17:36.79.

Quinn Cynor rounded out the Wyoming swimmers, as he raced the 400-meter freestyle and the 200-meter butterfly. He was the first alternate in the 400, placing 26th after registering a time of 3:57.87. Cynor added a 2:04.97 in the 200 fly, which positioned him 30th.

Cynor is the only one of the five with an Olympic trial cut thus far, accomplishing that earlier this year in the 200-meter freestyle. The goal in Greensboro this past week was to give Cynor some company at the trials in June.

Even though that didn’t happen, the aforementioned four and others will have an opportunity to do so in a couple months. That meet has yet to be finalized but will take place after the conference championships in March.

“Once it sunk in, they realized, ‘I’m qualified for the same event as our nation’s best.’ That was a major confident boost,” Walker said. “Overall, they performed well. We were hoping for trials cuts, and we didn’t get any, but I know they’re all capable and will get them in the future.”

Wyoming returns to collegiate action in a little over a month. The Cowboys and Cowgirls travel to Denver for a tri-meet with the Pioneers and BYU from Jan. 12-13.

From Bison to Triceratops - All of Wyoming's Official Things

Every state in our nation has chosen things that represent the state in one way or another to be official state things. Like a flower, or animal. Wyoming is no different.

The Equality State, or the Cowboy State, depending on which state slogan you want to go with, has a state flower. But did you know we also have a state tree and a state fish? Yes, we even have a state code.

To be an official thing, a member of the state legislature must write and submit a bill to the legislature declaring that a thing will be the official state thing. Then the legislature votes to pass the bill, or not, if it passes, the governor signs the bill into law and we have a new official state thing.

Here is what we have so far, all of Wyoming's official things. Now you can win big on Wyo Trivia Night if that's a thing that exists.

Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns

- From Bison to Triceratops - All of Wyoming's Official Things

Filed Under: Wyoming swimming