Southern Illinois swimmer Briley Bergen won her sixth U.S. Open Water National 25K title in Fort Meyers, Fla. on June 8, and finished second in the 10K on June 6 as well. The title is her sixth U.S. Open Water National 25 K title (1998-2002, 2004) and her 11th overall (15K from 1997-99 & 10K in 2000 & 2003). Northwestern's Erica Rose finished second, nine minutes behind Bergen. The results were a flip-flop from the 10K where Rose won in 2:04.56 with Bergen finishing second 21 seconds behind. It was Rose's third-straight victory in the 10K.

"I'm very proud of her. To be affiliated with such an excellent athlete is inspirational to me," said Rick Walker, U.S. Open Water National Team coach and SIU head men's swimming coach. "The course she swam to qualify for the World Championships in Fort Meyers was very challenging, went around the beach and the island of Estero."

Bergen will represent the United States at the World Open Water Championships in November in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates.

"Briley has become one of the mainstays for U.S. Open Water swimming and we're extremely excited and hopeful that she will do well at the World Championships in November," added Walker.

Bergen, a native of Tampa, Fla., will be a junior at SIU in the fall. She will be competing in her fourth World Championship in 2004 (also competed in 1999, 2001, 2003) and has swam for SIU coaches Rick Walker and Jeff Goelz (SIU women's head coach) every time, finishing as high as sixth in the world in the 25K in 2001.

Meanwhile, up the coast, Maryland swimmer Brad Schertle (Baltimore, Md.), a rising senior, placed seventh out of 552 in the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim June 13. Schertle's time of 1:30:38 was good enough for first in the men's 20-24 age group.

This is the fifth year Schertle has competed in the 4.4-mile race, which starts at Sandy Point State Park on the western shore of the bay and ends at Kent Island on the eastern shore. He won the event last year.

The water temperature was 72 degrees, nine degrees warmer than last year's 63, which was the lowest it had been in the 20 years since the event started. However, Schertle said the water was the choppiest he has experienced in his five years.

Schertle was the Terps' top distance swimmer during the 2003-04 season. The team co-captain finished 14th in the 1,650-yard freestyle and 21st in the 500-free at the ACC Championship in February.