Wayne State Continues to Lead GLIACs

February 10th, 2011     
Wayne State Continues to Lead GLIACs
Midway through the 2011 GLIAC Championships, the Wayne State University men’s swimming and diving team remains in first place with a 53-point lead over Grand Valley State. Wayne State's women led by a more comfortable 387-284 margin over Grand Valley State.  The Warriors claimed six conference titles Thursday night.
WSU's Carol Azambuja became a two-time GLIAC champion in one evening, as she won the 200 individual medley and led off the first-place 200 freestyle relay.

The foursome of Azambuja, Ana Gonzalez Pena, Christina Busquets Garcia, and Sara Franklin posted an NCAA “A” cut time of 1:33.18, holding off the defending national champion Ashland Eagles.

In the recorded history of the WSU men’s swimming program, no one had ever posted a time under 20 seconds in the 50 freestyle. Andrey Seryy did it twice on Thursday night.

Seryy began by leading off the first-place 200 free relay with a time of 19.97, breaking his own school record in the 50 free by .06 seconds. Seryy, Kristian Larsen, Matt Victor and Nathan Hesche also achieved an NCAA “A” cut (1:21.67).Later in the evening, Seryy won the individual 50 free with a time of 19.61.

Kevin Galerneau also became a conference champion, winning the 200 individual medley (1:51.25). Joaquin Abascal Gallegos came in third (1:51.74), while Jimmy Lee finished seventh (1:54.71). Galerneau and Abascal Gallegos both improved their “B” cuts.

Catherine Leix earned a conference championship, the first of her career, in the 500 free (4:58.60). Ashland's Alexander Sheil broke up Wayne State's winning ways when he captured the 500 Freestyle in 4:29.42.  Shiel was able to hold off WSU's Oskar Nordstrand, but his time sits fourth behind a trio of Drury swimmers. 

In the final event Thursday, the 400 medley relay of Hesche, Abascal Gallegos, Matthew Laschuk and Seryy placed second and improved WSU’s “B” qualifying time (3:20.21). Hesche also bested his “B” time in the 100 back (50.64).

The race of the night was the women's 400 Medley Relay.  WSU jumped out to a commanding lead by the midway point.  Ashland flyer Allison Morgan cut that lead in half setting it up for Gabriela Verdugo Arzaluz.  Verdugo Arzaluz outsplit Wayne State's Ashley Corriveau by a full second to cruise in 0.05 ahead of the Warriors.

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