Swimming & Diving Championship Day Four Results
Feb. 23, 2008
Complete Championship Results
Cleveland, Ohio - The The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay women secured their fourth-consecutive Horizon League championship on Saturday, while the Wright State University men won their second team title in a row, and their sixth in eight years.
The Phoenix won with a score of 832 points, followed by Wright State (771), the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (732) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (393). Coming in fifth was Youngstown State University (295), followed by Valparaiso University (260), Cleveland State University (187), and Butler University (143).
On the men's side, the Raiders (794) were followed by runner-up Cleveland State (675), third-place Milwaukee (632), with UIC in fourth (572), Green Bay in fifth (545.5) and Valparaiso rounding out the field (193.5).
In the final session, Green Bay's Kari Helland and Lauren McGraw finished one-two in the three-meter diving event. McGraw secured Diver of the Meet honors with her runner-up showing in the three-meter and her victory on the one-meter board on Thursday. Freshman Danielle Wenger of Milwaukee pulled out a win in the mile, posting a time of 17:13.65, before Newcomer of the Year, Krystyna Wieczerzak of Wright State, won the 200-yard backstroke with a new Horizon League record time and an NCAA `B' cut (1:59.98). Andrea Giczewski of UIC then touched out Mabel Fernandez of Wright State in the 100-yard freestyle with her collegiate-best time of 50.96.
In the 200-yard breaststroke, Wright State senior Jessica Weidert won her third individual event of the championship and set her third Horizon League record (2:18.63). She went on to earn Swimmer of the Meet and Athlete of the Year honors. In the last individual event of the week, Milwaukee's Molly Finn successfully secured her third title in three years in the 200-yard butterfly, setting a new League record of 2:03.79. The Raider women then wrapped up the meet with a new League mark in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:30.11).
For the men, Cleveland State senior and Diver of the Meet Dan Baiko picked up another diving title, this time in the one-meter event with a score of 324.63. Wright State senior Scott Lang finished his collegiate career by defending his title in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 15:48.30, just before teammate and fellow senior Aaron Eckstein did the same in the 200-yard backstroke (1:48.72). Then, the 100-yard freestyle proved to be one of the most exciting event of the night, when Alex Hill of Green Bay pulled out the victory from lane eight with his time of 45.18. He was later named Co-Swimmer of the Meet.
Cleveland State's Deni Gasparin, and Newcomer of the Year honoree, then missed the League record by a tenth of a second in the 200-yard breaststroke with his winning time of 2:01.02. To wrap up his collegiate career, senior Warren Thompson of Wright State set a new League record time of 1:47.93 in the 200-yard butterfly while also recording an NCAA `B' cut. Runner-up Andrew Schmitt of UIC also swam under the old League mark and the NCAA `B' standard (1:48.04). Finally, the Wright State men won a thriller in the 400-yard freestyle relay, winning the event in 3:00.76.
SATURDAY'S EVENT CHAMPIONS:
Women's 3-meter dive : Kari Helland, Green Bay (253.80)
Men's 1-meter dive : Dan Baiko, Cleveland State (324.63)
Women's 1650-yard freestyle: Danielle Wenger, Milwaukee (17:13.65)
Men's 1650-yard freestyle : Scott Lang, Wright State (15:48.30)
Women's 200-yard backstroke : Krystyna Wieczerzak, Wright State (*1:59.98)
Men's 200-yard backstroke : Aaron Eckstein, Wright State (1:48.72)
Women's 100-yard freestyle : Andrea Giczewski, UIC (50.96)
Men's 100-yard freestyle: Alex Hill, Green Bay (45.18)
Women's 200-yard breaststroke: Jessica Weidert, WSU (*2:18.63)
Men's 200-yard breaststroke: Deni Gasparin, CSU (2:01.02)
Women's 200-yard butterfly: Molly Finn, Milwaukee (*2:03.79)
Men's 200-yard butterfly:Warran Thompson, Wright State (*1:47.93)
Women's 400-yard freestyle relay: Wright State (*3:27.03)
Men's 400-yard freestyle relay : Wright State (3:00.76)
* New Horizon League Championship Record
At the conclusion of the meet, the following student-athletes and coaches were honored with the following awards:
2008 HORIZON LEAGUE SWIMMING & DIVING AWARD WINNERS
Women's Newcomer of the Year : Krystyna Wieczerzak, Wright State
Men's Newcomer of the Year : Deni Gasparin, Cleveland State
Women's Diver of the Meet : Lauren McGraw, Green Bay
Men's Diver of the Meet : Dan Baiko, Cleveland State
Women's Swimmer of the Meet: Jessica Weidert, Wright State
Co-Men's Swimmer of the Meet : Nathan Demchuk, Wright State and Alex Hill, Green Bay
Women's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year: Jessica Weidert, Wright State
Co-Men's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year : Nathan Demchuk, Wright State and Jakub Dobies, Cleveland State
Women's Diving Coach of the Year:Tom Stover, Green Bay
Men's Diving Coach of the Year : Rich Karban, Cleveland State
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Jim Merner, Green Bay
Men's Swimming Coach of the Year : Sion Brinn, Wright State
WOMEN'S FINAL TEAM SCORES
Green Bay 832
Wright State 771
Milwaukee 732
UIC 393
Youngstown State 295
Valparaiso 260
Cleveland State 187
Butler 143
MEN'S FINAL TEAM SCORES
Wright State 794
Cleveland State 675
Milwaukee 632
UIC 572
Green Bay 545.5
Valparaiso 193.5
