February 19th, 2013

NCAA Record Highlights C-H Swimmers-of-the-Week

Five conference MVP's, one broken NCAA record and a sweep against #2 ranked-Stanford were some of the accolades collected by this week's Counsilman-Hunsaker National Collegiate Swimmers-of-the-Week. Caitlin LEverenz of California, Mohamed Hussein of UMBC, UCSD's Anjali Shakya and Marcus Schlesinger of Ouachita Baptist University led the selections from Division I and II. Kirsty Nitz of Wheaton and Carleton's Erik Klontz earned the award for Division III based on their performances February 10-16.

	Division I - Women - Caitlin Leverenz - California Capping an incredible four year career with an impressive performance at Cal Berkeley’s senior-day, Caitlin Leverenz (Tucson, AZ) is the Dvision I Swimmer of the week. Swimming in the last home meet of her amazing collegiate career,Caitlin Leverenz won four events to lead seventh-ranked California past No. 2 Stanford, 154.5-145.5, on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Golden Bears' lone senior won both breaststroke events (59.77, 2:10.07), captured the 200-yard individual medley (1:57.14) and swam the breaststroke leg (27.44) of the winning 200-yard medley relay.
	Division I - Men - Mohamed Hussein - UMBC The men’s Division 1 swimmer of the week is UMBC Junior Mohamed Hussein (Cairo, Egypt) who was named the America East Most Outstanding Male Swimmer of the meet.. Hussein was a triple event winner as well as a part of 3 winning relays, and one second place relay. Hussein set was a part of 4 Conference Records (800 Free Relay- 6:38.08, 200 IM- 1:45.67, 100 Back- 48.53, 200 Back- 1:45.45), as well as 3 pool records (200 Free- 1:36.83, 200 Free Relay- 1:22.09, 400 Free Relay- 3:00.80) at the AECC. Hussein also achieved NCAA B cuts in the 200 Free, 200 IM, and 200 Back.
	Division II - Women - Anjali Shakya - UC-San Diego The Division II Female Swimmer of the week is UC San Diego Junior Anjali Shakya (Davis, CA). Shakya, the top female point-scorer in the Pacific Collegiate Swim & Dive Conference Championship Meet, was named the women's MVP on Saturday night as No. 3 UCSD completed a fifth consecutive conference championship run. The co-captain won all three individual events she swam finals in at the 2013 PCSC Championships in La Mirada, achieving two meet records and breaking two school records in the process. She won the 200 free (1:48.24), 500 free (4:48.19) and 200 back (2:01.35) during the four-day meet, while also anchoring the first-place 800 free relay (7:26.45) on the first night Wednesday. Her 500 time broke a 20-year-old meet record (4:51.06) and also lowered her own school mark (4:51.14), both by almost three full seconds. Her 200 time bested Triton legend Alex Henley's meet record of 1:48.85 and just got under her school record of 1:48.27.
	Division II - Men - Marcus Schlesinger - Ouachita Baptist University The Division II Male Swimmer of the week is Ouachita Baptist University Senior Marcus Schlesinger (Perris, CA). Marcus led the Tigersharks with two individual victories at the New South Conference Championships. Marcus won the 50 Free (20.11) with the second fastest time in Division II this year. Marcus won the 100 Fly (47.63) with the fastest Division II time in the Nation this year. He also posted top times at the NSCC in the 50 Back (22.97), 200 Free (1:38.26 3rd in Division II), and 100 Free (43.43) another event where he currently ranks first in Division II.
	Division III - Women - Kirsty Nitz - Wheaton (IL) College At the CCIW Championships, Kirsty Nitz (Frankfurt, KY), set a pool record in the 200 Free (1:48.73), a pool, conference and meet record in the 100 Back (54.73) and 100 Fly (53.06), a Division III National Record in the 50 Free (20.66), as well as assisting the Thunder in establishing a CCIW Open, Meet Championship and pool records in the 400 Free Relay (3:26.74), and 200 Free Relay (1:34.92). She posted an impressive split in the fly leg of the 200 Medley Relay (23.90) which fell hundredths short of a pool record established in a time trial one day prior, and in the Free leg of the 400 Medley (48.46) with a time over a second faster than any 100 split from the previous NCAA Championship. Kirsty is currently ranked 1st in Division III in the 50 Free by .62, the 200 Free by 1.82, 200 Back by 1.82, 100 Fly by 1.30, and is ranked second in the 100 Back by .03.
	Division III - Men - Erik Klontz - Carleton College The Men’s Division III Swimmer of the Week is Carleton College Senior Erik Klontz (Bethesda, MD). He finished the weekend with MIAC titles in the 50 (19.66) and 100 (44.52) free as well as the 200-yard freestyle relay. In the process, he broke the MIAC Championship and MIAC overall records in all three events. Klontz figured in a total of six All-MIAC swims, three individually and three relays, and he was voted by the conference coaches as the MIAC Men’s Swimmer-of-the-Year for 2013. Klontz is currently ranked first in Division III in the 50 Free, and 3rd in the 100 Free.

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