Swimming & Diving Championship Day One Results

Feb. 20, 2008

Final Stats

Cleveland, Ohio - After one day of competition, the women from Wright State University are ahead of the pack with 135 points, followed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in second-place(104), the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in third (89), and the University of Illinois at Chicago in fourth (80). Rounding out the field is Youngstown State University (69), Valparaiso University (58), Cleveland State University (48) and Butler University (44).

For the men, Milwaukee leads with 145 points, followed closely by Wright State with 143, and Cleveland State with 121 point. UIC (111), Green Bay (106) and Valparaiso (58) round out the group.

The Wright State women were on fire as their 200-yard freestyle relay team sprinted to victory in the first event of the night with a new Horizon League and Busbey Natatorium record time of 1:34.86. The Raiders team of Victoria Tafur, Kelsey Cooper, Kassie Schmidt, and Mabel Fernandez beat the previous record of 1:35.24, ahead of runner-up Green Bay (1:35.41), and third-place Milwaukee (1:36.87).

The 1000-yard freestyle turned out to be quite an exciting event, as Milwaukee freshman Danielle Wenger came from behind to beat three-time defending champion Catalina Martinez of Wright State with a winning time of 10:17.43. Martinez swam a runner-up mark of 10:17.97. The women concluded competition with the 200-yard medley relay, where Green Bay successfully defended its title from 2007. The squad of Danielle DeGrand, Dana Doute, Ashley Warzon, and Kelsey Hausken posted a mark of 1:46.17, with Milwaukee in second-place (1:46.35) and Wright State in third (1:46.42).

On the men's side, host Cleveland State (1:21.35) started the evening out with a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay, defeating runner-up Wright State (1:21.71) and third-place UIC (1:22.18). Then, in the 1000-yard freestyle, sophomore Nathan Demchuk of Wright State won the event with a time of 9:18.59, followed by Dave Duecker of Cleveland State (9:27.38) and Robby Leibold of Milwaukee (9:29.29). The men then took to the diving boards, as Cleveland State senior Dan Baiko won the three-meter event with a score of 325.95, edging runner-up P.J. Rongitsch of Milwaukee, who posted a total of 321.70. Both scores were NCAA Zone-qualifying marks. The meet concluded with Cleveland State defending its reign as champions in the 200-yard medley relay by posting a new Horizon League and Busbey Natatorium record time of 1:29.80. Wright State was second with 1:31.16.

The championship continues with the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 50-yard freestyle, 400-yard medley relay, and the women's one-meter dive.

Day 1 Event Champions:
Women's 200-yard freestyle relay: Wright State (1:34.86*)
Men's 200-yard freestyle relay: Cleveland State (1:21.35)
Women's 1000-yard freestyle: Danielle Wenger, Milwaukee (10:17.43)
Men's 1000-yard freestyle: Nathan Demchuk, Wright State (9:18.59)
Men's 3-meter Diving: Dan Baiko, Cleveland State (325.95)
Women's 200-yard medley relay: Green Bay (1:45.93)
Men's 200-yard medley relay: Cleveland State (1:30.77*)


* New Horizon League Championship Record

Day 1 Team Totals:
Women
Wright State 135
Milwaukee 104
Green Bay 89
UIC 80
Youngstown State 69
Valparaiso 58
Cleveland State 48
Butler 44


Men
Milwaukee 145
Wright State 143
Cleveland State 121
UIC 111
Green Bay 106
Valparaiso 58