Swimming & Diving Championship: Day Three Recap

Feb. 27, 2009

BROWN DEER, WIS. -

Day THREE Results in PDF Format

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay women took over the lead after three days of competition. The Phoenix are ahead of the pack with a score of 622, followed by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (534) and Wright State University (411). Rounding out the field are the University of Illinois at Chicago (404), Cleveland State University (214), Youngstown State University (197), Valparaiso University (152), and Butler University (99). On the men's side, UIC maintained its lead, totaling 466 points, followed by Wright State (456), Cleveland State (441), Milwaukee (426), Green Bay (383) and Valparaiso (132).

After the League record in each women's event was broken in the preliminaries, the trend continued as Krystyna Wieczerzak from Wright State started the night by smashing her own record from the morning session in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:20.85. In the next event, Green Bay's Ashley Warzon successfully defended her title in the 100-yard butterfly with a League record time of 54.98, out-touching UIC's Kayla Redig, who also went under the previous record (55.40). In the 200-yard freestyle, freshmen Molley Pipkorn of Wright State and Carys Behn of Cleveland State went head-to-head, as Pipkorn came away with the victory. She improved upon the League record she set earlier in the day by posting a time of 1:49.91 while Behn also went under the previous record (1:50.22). Milwaukee freshman Sarah Wardecke then shattered the 100-yard breaststroke League record with a time of 1:02.49, after only swimming the event a few times this season. To cap off the individual swimming events, senior Danielle DeGrand of Green Bay won the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 56.03 and Clair Martin of UIC was second (56.39). DeGrand set the League record as the lead-off leg of the 400-yard medley relay on Thursday (55.43). In one-meter diving action, Milwaukee sophomore Kelsey George (280.45) edged last year's champion Lauren McGraw (279.55) for the title. Teammate Ashley Hall was third (245.80). The evening concluded with yet another thrilling record-breaking performance by Green Bay as they barely secured the victory in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The Phoenix team of Shannon Demrow, Christine Spading, Allison Thut and Amy Burback posted a record time of 7:28.85, just ahead of Wright State (7:28.90).

In men's action, the team race tightened as Wright State closed in on UIC. Raider swimmer Nathan Demchuk began the night by repeating as champion in the 400-yard individual medley. He posted an NCAA "B" cut and a Horizon League record with a time of 3:52.07. In a very close 100-yard butterfly race, Cleveland State's Stephen Grove came away victorious with a time of 48.60, just ahead of UIC's Andrew Schmitt (48.68) and Milwaukee's Jordan Diel (48.71). The 200-yard freestyle was also an exciting event, as top-seed Brian Anderson of UIC and Alex Hill of Green Bay fought to the finish, with Hill coming out on top with a new League record of 1:37.59, just ahead of Anderson (1:37.85). Then, it was Cleveland State's opportunity to shine as Jakub Dobies and Deni Gasparin repeated their 1-2 finish from 2008 in the 100-yard breaststroke, with Dobies winning the event in a new League record time of 52.94 and Gasparin posting a 54.46. Both Vikings made their NCAA "B" cuts in the event. It was then time for UIC's first victory of the evening as Steve Yemm posted a 49.43 to edge Cleveland State's Nedim Nisic (49.60) in the 100-yard backstroke. Finally, another League record was set by the Raiders, as the anchor leg, Demchuk, came from behind to nab the victory from Green Bay (6:40.23) during the last 50 yards. Demchuk joined teammates LeRoux Pelser, Hermanus Botha and Danny Munoz to post the winning time of 6:39.45 to end the evening.

The championship continues on Saturday with the 1650-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, men's three-meter diving and 400-yard freestyle relay.

Day 3 Event Champions:


Women's 400-yard individual medley : Krystyna Wieczerzak, Wright State (4:20.85*)
Men's 400-yard individual medley :Nathan Demchuk, Wright State (3:52.07*)
Women's 100-yard butterfly: Ashley Warzon, Green Bay (54.98*)
Men's 100-yard butterfly : Stephen Grove, Cleveland State (48.60)
Women's 200-yard freestyle : Molley Pipkorn, Wright State (1:49.91*)
Men's 200-yard freestyle : Alex Hill, Green Bay (1:37.59*)
Women's 100-yard breaststroke : Sarah Wardecke, Milwaukee (1:02.49*)
Men's 100-yard breaststroke: Jakub Dobies, Cleveland State (52.94*)
Women's 100-yard backstroke: Danielle DeGrand, Green Bay (56.03)
Men's 100-yard backstroke: Steve Yemm, UIC (48.43)
Women's 800-yard freestyle relay: Green Bay (7:28.85*)
Men's 800-yard freestyle relay : Wright State (6:39.45*)


* New Horizon League Championship Record

Day 3 Team Totals:


Women


Green Bay 622
Milwaukee 534
Wright State 411
UIC 404
Cleveland State 214
Youngstown State 197
Valparaiso 152
Butler 99


Men


UIC 466
Wright State 456
Cleveland State 441
Milwaukee 426
Green Bay 383
Valparaiso 132