Oakland Sweeps 2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship

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2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship: Day Four
CHICAGO – Oakland continued its reign atop the Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship, winning its fourth consecutive conference title on both the men’s and women’s side. The Golden Grizzlies’ men posted 839.5 total points while the women netted 842.5.

Horizon League Swimming and Diving Specialty Awards
Women’s Specialty Awards:
Athlete of the Year – Patricia Aschan, Oakland
Freshman of the Year – Grace Shinske, Oakland
Swimmer of the Meet – Patricia Aschan, Oakland
Diver of the Meet – Kyah Fleckner, Wright State
Swimming Coach of the Year – Pete Hovland, Oakland
Diving Coach of the Year – Ryan Rougeux, Wright State

Men’s Specialty Awards
Athlete of the Year – Philipp Sikatzki, Cleveland State
Freshman of the Year – Micah DeJonge, Oakland
Swimmer of the Meet - Philipp Sikatzki, Cleveland State
Diver of the Meet – Joe Smith, Oakland
Swimming Coach of the Year – Tim Loeffler, UIC
Diving Coach of the Year – Larry Albright, Oakland

Milwaukee was the women’s runner-up with 626.5 points, while Cleveland State was the men’s second place finisher with 663 points.

UIC’s Brie Hines won the women’s 1650 Freestyle in 16.38, while Oakland’s Micah DeJonge claimed the men’s title with a finals time of 15:37.59.

Patricia Aschan of Oakland was nearly two seconds better than the field in the women’s 200 Backstroke, posting a time of 1:58.19. Oakland’s Aleksander Danielewski won his final heat in the 200 Back in 1:45.56 to take full points for the Golden Grizzlies.

The women’s 100 Freestyle title was earned by Holly Morren of Oakland with a new Horizon League Championship record, 49.14. Philipp Sikatzki of Cleveland State won the men’s 100 Freestyle by more than two seconds and also set a new league championship meet record in the process.

Oakland’s Rachel Waite finished first in the women’s 200 Breaststroke (2:11.94) while Jared Stergar of Cleveland State was the men’s winner in 2:00.79.

In the 200 Butterfly, Molly McNamara of Cleveland State set a new championship record with her sub-2-minute effort (1:58.79). UIC’s Max Pohl took a tight men’s contest in 1:48.98.

Joe Smith was the men’s 3 Meter diving champion, posting a winning total of 312.85 for the Golden Grizzlies.

In the night caps, Oakland’s women turning in a dominating performance in the 400 Freestyle Relay, taking the top position in a time of 3:21.63 – nearly three seconds better than second place. Cleveland State’s men won the event’s final title with a time of 2:56.33, edging Oakland by 0.41 seconds.

Final Team Scores:
Women’s Final Scores:
1. Oakland 842.5
2. Milwaukee 626.5
3. UIC 417
4. Green Bay 401
5. Cleveland State 382
6. Youngstown State 361
7. Wright State 358
8. Valparaiso 95

Men’s Final Scores:
1. Oakland 839.5
2. Cleveland State 663
3. UIC 522
4. Wright State 423.5
5. Green Bay 391
6. Milwaukee 384
7. Valparaiso 148

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2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship: Day Three

CHICAGO – The penultimate day of the 2017 Horizon League Swimming Championship came to a close with Oakland’s men’s and women’s team extending their lead in the team race. On the men’s side, the Golden Grizzlies have accumulated 559.5 points to lead Cleveland State (431) heading into the final day. The Oakland women hold the top spot with 539.5 points with Milwaukee in second with 449.5.

Emily Hayhow of Wright State opened the final session with an NCAA B Standard 53.98 to win the women’s 100 Butterfly. Cleveland State’s Philipp Sikatzki posted a 45.97 time in the men’s 100 Butterfly, also an NCAA B Standard time, and claimed the men’s title.

Oakland’s Patricia Aschan stood out from the women’s 400 IM crowd, winning the Horizon League title by more than four seconds and posting an NCAA B Standard time of 4:15.06. Patrik Lofgren won the men’s 400 IM for Oakland with 3:45.73 in the finals heat.

A tight women’s 200 Freestyle was won by Milwaukee’s Mandie Siehs (1:49.18) who out-touched UIC’s Lexie Joy (1:49.65) and Viktoria Orosz of Youngstown State (1:49.89). Tuomas Kiviluoma of Oakland posted a convincing win in the men’s race, notching a B Standard 1:37.32.

Takara Martin of Oakland (1:01.22) outdueled teammate Rachel Waite (1:01.49) to win the women’s 100 Breaststroke. Both times met the NCAA B standard. Cleveland State’s Tommi Wolst turned in an impressive swim to win the men’s 100 Breaststroke in 54.41 – a B Standard time. He outlasted Milwaukee’s Jacob Barson, who also notched a B Standard of 55.37.

Milwaukee’s Sara Bentley won the women’s 100 Backstroke in 55.10, while Cleveland State’s Philipp Sikatzki was the class of a strong men’s field, winning in 46.63 (NCAA B), ahead of Oakland’s Paul Huch (47.17 – NCAA B) and Aleksander Danielewski (48.29 – NCAA B).

Kyah Fleckner of Wright State earned the championship in the women’s 1 Meter Diving competition, earning awards totaling 265.2 in the finals.

In the 400 Medley Relays, Oakland’s women took top honors in 3:41.51 while Cleveland State (3:12.74) held off a late charge by Oakland (3:13.14) to earn the top spot on the podium.

The final day of the 2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with preliminary competition. Finals will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be streamed live in ESPN3.

Team scores after day three:
WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Oakland 539.5
2. Milwaukee 449.5
3. Green Bay 312
4. UIC 291
5. Cleveland State 281
6. Wright State 269
7. Youngstown State 261
8. Valparaiso 69

MEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Oakland 559.5
2. Cleveland State 431
3. UIC 353
4. Wright State 279.5
5. Milwaukee 250
6. Green Bay 249
7. Valparaiso 105

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2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship: Day Two
CHICAGO – Day two of the 2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship at the UIC Natatorium in Chicago came to a close Thursday night with Oakland’s men’s and women’s team holding the team lead.

Brie Hines of UIC opened the finals competition with a new meet record in the 500 Freestyle with a winning swim of 4:49.22. In the men’s 500 Freestyle, Oakland took the top two spots with freshman Micah DeJonge (4:29.58) and senior Jacob Pearson (4:30.21) touching the wall first.

Patricia Aschan of Oakland met the NCAA B Standard with her win in the women’s 200 Individual Medley. Her event-winning time of 2:00.72 was more than two seconds faster than the next-best time. Oakland’s Tuomas Kiviluoma won the men’s 200 IM in 1:46.88, one of three times to meet the NCAA B Standard during the event. Tommi Wolst of Cleveland State (1:48.23) and Aleksander Danielewski of Oakland (1:48.8) also met the B Standard.

The 50 Freestyle was a family affair, with Oakland’s Holly Morren setting a new women’s meet record (22.58) in here win and her brother Jeremiah Morren (19.81) took top honors in the men’s – his third consecutive Horizon League championship.

Joe Smith of Oakland earned the top podium spot in the men’s 1 Meter diving competition. Smith racked up 340.6 points to meet the NCAA A Standard.

In the evening’s relays, Oakland’s foursome of Katie Colwell, Arynn DeLeeuw, Amber Lefler and Holly Morren won the women’s 200 Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:30.5. Wright State’s men recorded a 1:21.59 to earn full team points for the Raiders.

Day three of the championship begins with preliminary action at 10 a.m. Finals begin at 5:30 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on ESPN3.

Team scores after day two:
WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Oakland 271.5
2. Milwaukee 254.5
3. Green Bay 160
4. UIC 153.5
5. Youngstown State 148
6. Cleveland State 140.5
7. Wright State 134
8. Valparaiso 44

MEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Oakland 311.5
2. UIC 227
3. Cleveland State 190
4. Wright State 151.5
5. Green Bay 144
6. Milwaukee 140
7. Valparaiso 74

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2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship: Day One

CHICAGO – Day one of the 2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship wrapped up Wednesday at the UIC Natatorium with Oakland leading the men’s team standings and Milwaukee holding the women’s lead.

Milwaukee’s women set a new meet and pool record in the 200 Medley Relay, with Sara Bentley, Jennifer Kordik, Shelby Rozeboom and Mandie Siehs clocking in at 1:39.52 to top the league’s championship record set a year ago by Wright State (1:39.96). In the competitive race, all of the top three finishers posted times that equaled or bested the meet record. Oakland finished as the runner-up (1:39.81) and Wright State took third (1:39.96).

Oakland’s men out-touched Cleveland State in the men’s 200 Medley Relay, registering a 1:26.47 to the Vikings’ 1:26.85. UIC took third with a time of 1:29.78.

In the 800 Freestyle Relay, Oakland’s men and women took top honors. The Golden Grizzlies women recorded a winning time of 7:21.25, finishing ahead of Milwaukee (7:22.65) and UIC (7:24.50).  On the men’s side, Oakland was nearly two seconds better than the field with its 6:32.30. Cleveland State (6:34.09) and UIC (6:39.32) rounded out the podium finishers.

In the lone diving event contested during the opening day, Wright State’s Kyah Fleckner took top honors in the women’s 3 Meter with an NCAA A Standard score of 297.75 in the finals. Runner-up Tori Taffner of Cleveland State also met the A Standard with her final round 282.45. Bailey Wagner of Green Bay recorded an A Standard (285.7) in the consolation final, as did Youngstown State’s Bec Stafford.

Team scores after day one:
Women's team scores
1. Milwaukee 103
2. Youngstown State 101
3. Green Bay 81
4. Wright State 76
5. Cleveland State 75
6. Oakland 74
7. UIC 73
8. Valparaiso 22

Men's team scores
1. Oakland 80
2. Cleveland State 68
3. UIC 64
4. Milwaukee 58
5. Wright State 56
6. Green Bay 54
7. Valparaiso 48