Horizon League Swimming & Diving Championships: Day 4 Finals | 2016 Horizon League Swimming & Diving Championships: Complete Results
ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland continued its domination of the pool, recording its 38th consecutive men’s championship and 23rd straight on the women’s side as they collected the Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving titles for the third time in three years.
From the Oakland Aquatics Center, 24 League and/or Championship records fell, including seven more on Saturday evening. The Golden Grizzlies led the way with four on the evening.
In total, Oakland captured six wins on the meet’s final day, four in individual events. Patricia Aschan, who was later voted the Women’s Swimming and Diving of the Year and Swimmer of the Meet, posted another NCAA B cut, taking the 200 back in 1:58.74.
Holly Morren would put her name into the League records in the 100 free, hitting the wall in 49.71 to break the mark she set in the morning prelims.
The Golden Grizzlies would go on to sweep the 200 breaststroke, with Rachel Waite going 2:13.91 to win on the women’s side; Devon Nowicki went 1:55.66 in the men’s competition, taking 2.5 seconds off the old record.
For his efforts, Nowicki was named the Freshman of the Year in the Horizon League. Cleveland State’s Molly McNamara took the honor on the women’s side.
Cleveland State junior Philipp Sikatzki set another Horizon League mark in the 100 free, cutting a full second off his prelim time to post a 43.22, just .20 off Peter Vanderkaay’s pool record. Sikatzki was voted the Men’s Swimmer of the Meet in addition to being named the Men’s Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year.
Sikatzki was joined atop the podium by teammate Szymon Golcyzk, who won the 200 fly in 1:45.41.
For the second time in four evening sessions, UIC sophomore Brie Hines started the night off with a new League record. This time, Hines posted a 16:34.75 in the 1650 freestyle, taking over a second off the previous mark.
Milwaukee’s twins, Tim and Nic Halverson, carved out a special moment in the men’s 1650, going 1-2 atop the podium.
Wright State claimed two top spots on the meet’s final night, as Mitchell Stover and Emily Hayhow continued their domination. Stover captured the 200 back in 1:44.10, giving him three individual wins. Meanwhile, Hayhow set another League record in the 200 fly, posting a 1:59.14 to sweep the discipline.
In the diving well, Milwaukee’s Rachel Margis capped an effort that saw her named the Women’s Diver of the Meet by taking the 3-meter competition with a score of 316.90. Margis swept both the diving events on the women’s side.
Oakland’s Stirling Fordham was tabbed the Men’s Diver of the Meet. Cleveland State head coach Paul Graham was voted Men’s Coach of the Year by his peers, while Wright State’s Kyle Oaks earned the same honor on the women’s side.
Women’s Standings (Final):
1. Oakland – 827.50 points
2. Milwaukee – 628.50
3. Wright State – 428
4. Green Bay – 401.50
5. UIC – 400
6. Youngstown State – 353
7. Cleveland State – 350.50
8. Valparaiso – 94
Men’s Standings (Final):
1. Oakland – 840 points
2. Cleveland State – 597.50
3. Wright State – 585
4. UIC – 399
5. Milwaukee – 382.50
6. Green Bay – 366
7. Valparaiso – 153
Freshman of the Year
Devon Nowicki, Oakland
Molly McNamara, Cleveland State
Diver of the Meet
Stirling Fordham, Oakland
Rachel Margis, Milwaukee
Swimmer of the Meet
Philipp Sikatzki, Cleveland State
Patricia Aschan , Oakland
Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year
Philipp Sikatzki, Cleveland State
Patricia Aschan, Oakland
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year: Todd Hill, Milwaukee
Men’s Diving Coach of the Year: Larry Albright, Oakland
Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Kyle Oaks, Wright State
Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Paul Graham, Cleveland State
