Panthers Sweep Western Illinois In Final Home Meet Of Regular Season

UWM Claims Lucky No. 13 Against Western Illinois
Four different members of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team won two events each to pace the squad to an easy 173-68 victory over Western Illinois Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Natatorium.

The win marked the 13th-straight in dual meets this season, tying the program record-win streak and upping the season victory record in the process - which they set at 12 Friday. The Panthers, now 13-2 on the season, have not lost since October 31st, and also won for the seventh-straight time against the Westerwinds in the series.

"It's exciting ... it's good for the girls," UWM head coach Erica Janssen said. "They have been doing really well. We don't always know what to expect out of the women but it is nice to always improve the way they have this season."

Senior Ashley Hall, sophomores Danielle Wenger and Ellie Gross and freshman Sarah Wardecke all claimed a pair of wins, as Milwaukee won 11 of 13 events on the day. In the two events that the team did not win, WIU claimed touch-out victories by four-hundredths in the 200 medley relay and by six-hundredths in the 200 butterfly.

In addition to the double-winners, juniors Bailey Nennig and Kerry Rossow and the 200 freestyle relay team also posted victories on the afternoon.

Hall claimed victories in both diving events, earning an NCAA Zone cut on the three-meter with her point total of 293.10 while winning the one-meter with 248.03 points. In came down to the last dive on the one-meter, as Hall edged out sophomore Kelsey George (244.80) for the win. Junior Rachel Grimm placed second on the three-meter board with 262.80 points.

Wenger was at it again, topping the field in the 1000 freestyle in 10:29.19 while also claiming first place in the 200 backstroke in a time of 2:10.11. Wenger led a 1-2-3 finish in the 1000, with juniors Alex Nelson (second in 10:45.41) and Jenny Westfall (third in 10:56.91) following.

Gross had a nice day, winning the 200 free in a time of 1:55.76 before adding a victory in the 500 free in 5:14.80.

"Ellie Gross is always solid ... we can always count on her," Janssen said. "If we put her in an event and say `win' then she goes out and does it. She is always going to pull it out - just a tough competitor."

Wardecke continues her impressive freshman campaign, adding two more wins to her resume. She topped the field in the 50 free in 24.78 and also won the 100 free in 53.04.

Nennig won the 400 IM, touching the wall in 4:38.83, while Rossow was tops in the 200 breaststroke in 2:27.49.

Lastly, the 200 free relay team of Nennig, sophomore Rachel Rebitski, Gross and senior Kristina Hansen closed out the meet with a win in 1:41.23.

"We have to pick the team that will be going with us to the conference meet (at the end of February) and I told the team that people will have to come out and make a statement on who we should pick," Janssen said. "Jennifer Schober did a nice job of that ... Rachel Rebitski swam very well. Obviously, Danielle Wenger was good all weekend. Not quite as good today, but that is tough to do with a turnaround of basically 15 hours."

Milwaukee is off for the rest of the month before heading to Green Bay for the final dual meet of the regular season Feb. 7.

Panther Men Complete Unbeaten Weekend With Win Over Western Illinois
Junior Jeremy Waldhart, sophomore Dan Heraly and freshman Kyle Trelka each won a pair of events to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team to a 175.5-64.5 victory over Western Illinois University Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Natatorium.

The Panthers, who won 11 of 13 events on the day, improved to 10-4 on the season - their best dual record in over a decade. They won both of the relays and each of the swimming events, with junior Jake Kalinowski and freshmen Sam Keele and Evan Green also posting victories on the day.

Waldhart had an impressive afternoon, starting the meet by helping his team to a win in the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:36.05. Next up, he topped a 1-2-3 finish for UWM in the 400 IM at 4:08.40 and, lastly, set a new Klotsche Natatorium record with his win in the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:51.76 (breaking the mark of 1:52.96 he set last season).

"Jeremy Waldhart had a nice day and is really one of the leaders of this team," Milwaukee head coach Erica Janssen said. "I am also very proud of the guys winning more duals than any team here in a while. They have worked very hard this season and that will be something they can hang their hats on."

Heraly continued his victory run in the distance events, claiming wins in the 1000 freestyle in 9:57.83 and in the 500 free in 4:44.69.

Trelka's first season continues to impress, as he added wins today in the 200 free in 1:45.56 and in the 100 free in 46.98.

Other winners included Kalinowski in the 50 free (21.64), Keele in the 200 breaststroke (2:10.03) and Green in the 200 butterfly (1:57.63).

"It was a nice day overall for us. Our sprinters are doing an outstanding job right now," Janssen said. "We are right in the middle of really tough training right now so it's pretty crazy to see them all doing so well. Once we get rested and take care of the injuries, this team will be right there."

UWM claimed top honors in numerous races throughout the day. In the 50 free, senior Andrew Belton was right behind Kalinowski at 21.73, while freshman Jordan Diel was third in 22.31.

Waldhart's win in the 400 IM was contested by freshman Nathan Rahe in second (4:14.21) and freshman Brady Huemann in third (4:16.18).

Diel was touched-out of the victory in the 200 fly, as his time of 1:57.80 was only 17-hundredths behind Green's winning clocking.

Freshman Nolan Sinkler contributed with a second-place effort in the 500 free in 4:46.12 and in the 200 breast in 2:10.79.

In the diving events, sophomore Nick DeWitt was Milwaukee's top finisher, placing third on the three-meter and fourth on the one-meter.

Waldhart was joined by Keele, Diel and Belton on the triumphant 200 medley relay squad, while the team of Kalinowski, junior Ed Lichinsky, Belton and Trelka closed out the day by winning the 200 free relay in 1:26.19.

Milwaukee is off for the rest of the month before heading to Green Bay for the final dual meet of the regular season Feb. 7.

Senior divers sweep events, Western takes second
The senior diving duo of Anthony Holzhauer and Eric Campbell took first and second place in the diving events against UW-Milwaukee Saturday evening inside the Klotsche Natatorium.

Holzhauer had season-best dives in the 1-meter event (323.32) for a first-place finish and a second-place finish in the 3-meter event (303.45). Campbell took first in the 3-meter event (313.43) and second in the 1-meter event (312.45) as the Leathernecks were defeated in team scoring, 175.5-64.5.

The Westerwinds were defeated by the Panthers, 173-68, despite another career-best day for sophomore McKinzie Jacobs. The Freeport, Ill. native, took second in the 400-yard individual medley with a career-best time of 4:41.95 and also a career-best performance in the 500-yard freestyle for a second-place finish with a time of 5:17.22.

The 200-yard medley relay team of Alyssa Deffner, Taylor Martin, Shannon Nelson and Amanda Smith took first in the event with a time of 1:51.23. Nelson also finished second in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:29.21).

Junior Laura Dinkelmann rounded out the Westerwinds scoring with a time of 2:09.35 in the 200-yard butterfly for a first-place finish.

In the pool for the Leathernecks, freshman Braydon Rudy took second in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:00.95) and fourth in the 500 freestyle (4:53.71). Fellow freshman Brandon Wilkinson finished second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:47.17) and sophomore Phil Kurz took third in the 200 butterfly (1:59.83).

The Western swimmers and divers will wrap up their regular season next weekend as they host Valparaiso on Fri., January 30 at 5 p.m., and UIC on Sat., January 31 at 2 p.m. inside Brophy Hall Pool.