ITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The echoes of swimmers trying to out-cheer each other dominated the beginning of all three days of the Sun Belt Swimming and Diving Conference Championships. In the end, it was the Lady Toppers who were able to cheer for themselves Saturday on the winners’ podium claiming fifth-consecutive Sun Belt Championship.

Coach Bill Powell said he believed that many teams thought Denver would be the team to beat this year. Saturday, Denver came within 50 points of the Lady Toppers lead, but were unable to topple the Western dynasty.

“We knew they were going to gain some points on us tonight,” he said. “Our kids swam so well. Almost every one of our kids was getting lifetime best swims.”

The Western coaches said they attributed the Lady Toppers’ success to the team’s depth. Though they won only four events, the women were able to place more swimmers than any other team to beat Denver by 89 points with a final score of 851 points.

In the 200 individual medley, the Lady Toppers made up five of the eight finalists. Western also scored 70 points when five swimmers placed in the top 10 in the 100 butterfly.

“I thought, from top to bottom, everybody contributed,” associate head coach Bruce Marchionda said. “On the depth chart, that’s how you win conference championships.

“Our team is not based on a few super stars. It’s based on everyone playing a major role in our depth factor.”

Senior Trisha Mupfudze won the 1-meter diving, while freshman Cassie Fahrlender placed first in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Fahrlender was also part of the winning 200 medley relay team with senior Alexis Rieck, freshman Nikki Ringelberg and sophomore Megan Rames.

“I was really happy with it,” Fahrlender said. “It’s nice to have another undefeated year.”

Marchionda said the team had two goals for the season: to win the Sun Belt and to have swimmers’ making lifetime best times.

Sophomore Audrey Barnard broke the school record in the 400 individual medley as did junior Jordan Beck in the 200 butterfly.

Beck, who placed third the 100 butterfly, said the team’s attitude coming into Little Rock helped them win their fifth conference championship in the five years of the meet’s existence.

“We’ve always come in here with a really great attitude,” she said. “We arrived on Tuesday and had a high ever since we arrived here in Little Rock. We have really great spirits.”

And ending the season 14-0 made the conference championships a little sweeter.

“There’s not too many words that can describe that,” Beck said.

Reach Beth Wilberding at sports@wkuherald.com.