UW-Stevens Point will strive for a 15th straight title at the 2014 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship that will be held at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis., Feb. 20-22. UW-La Crosse will aim for a third consecutive first-place finishUW-Eau Claire is serving as the host institution for the 43rd edition of the women’s championship and 52nd annual men’s competition.Men's Preview
The Pointers captured the 17th championship in program history a year ago with 779 points to surpass UW-La Crosse’s second-place total of 769 points. UW-Whitewater placed third with 711 points, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 606, UW-River Falls fifth with 229 and UW-Oshkosh sixth with 151.
This year’s championship features 15 student-athletes that have combined to win 26 individual and 9 relay first-place medals.
UW-Stevens Point senior Luuk Dekkers is the defending champion in the 200-yard freestyle and secured the 500-yard freestyle crown in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, he added the 1,650-yard freestyle to his trophy case. Dekkers contributed to the winning 800-yard freestyle relay teams in 2011 and 2012.
Junior Alex Loftus has contributed to the victorious 200-yard medley relay team the past two seasons and the 400-yard medley relay squad at the 2012 championship. In 2012, he also claimed the 200-yard breaststroke.
UW-Eau Claire senior Alex Card, the reigning Swimmer of the Meet, has earned consecutive titles in both the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley. He could become the first individual in WIAC archives to post three straight first-place finishes in the 100-yard breaststroke since UW-Stevens Point’s Dan Jesse won the event four straight years (1977-80).
Card also owns a pair of 200-yard breaststroke titles, winning the event a year ago and in 2011. Blugold junior Jake McDade won the 1,650-yard freestyle in 2012.
UW-La Crosse junior Garrett Runing is the two-time defending champion in the 200-yard freestyle. He is aiming to become the first three-time champion in the event since UW-Stevens Point’s Mark Weinhold (1995-97). Senior David Flickinger will strive for back-to-back titles in the 500-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Junior Stephen Hanko and sophomore Charleton Skinner were members of last year’s winning 800-yard freestyle relay squad.
The Eagles claimed both diving events a season ago as junior Justin Bublitz won the one-meter board and senior Andrew Janny secured the three-meter competition. Bublitz earned Diver of the Meet honors.
UW-Whitewater junior Joe Devroy has posted consecutive first-place finishes in the 200-yard backstroke and is looking to become the first individual to earn three straight crowns since UW-Stevens Point’s Pete Samuelson (1983-85). Devroy also was a member of last year’s victorious 400-yard medley relay squad, along with senior Ben Wynn.
Warhawk senior John Devroy is the two-time defending champion in the 200-yard butterfly and he added a 400-yard individual medley title in 2012. Junior Derek Scheible claimed the 1,650-yard freestyle a season ago.
UW-Oshkosh senior Dalton Anderson was victorious in the 100-yard butterfly in 2012 after winning the 200-yard butterfly in 2011.
Women's Preview
The Eagles secured the 13th championship in program archives a season ago with 910.50 points to top UW-Stevens Point’s second-place sum of 695 points. UW-Whitewater took third with 652 points, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 641.50, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 199 and UW-River Falls sixth with 149.
This year’s championship features 19 student-athletes that have combined to win 17 individual and 23 relay first-place medals.
UW-La Crosse junior Brooke Reynolds is the most decorated returnee with three individual and four relay first-place finishes to her credit. She is the defending champion in the 200-yard backstroke and has secured consecutive titles in the 100-yard backstroke. Reynolds was also on the winning 800-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay teams a season ago. In 2012, Reynolds contributed to the victorious 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay squads.
Sophomore Sara Zemanovic won three individual titles and three relay crowns a year ago. She claimed the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle, while also contributing to the triumphant 400-yard freestyle relay, 800-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay teams.
Senior Erica O’Neill is the defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle. She also won the 100-yard backstroke in 2011. In relay competition, O’Neill has also participated on the winning 400-yard freestyle relay teams in 2011, 2012 and 2013, along with the 200-yard medley relay unit in 2012. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, she was joined on last year’s squad by sophomore Elise O’Neill and senior Shannon Miller in 2011.
Senior Allison Yemm will strike for consecutive first-place finishes in the 200-yard individual medley, while senior Grace Jarzemsky has contributed to the triumphant 800-yard freestyle relay squads the past two seasons.
Senior Taylor Smith captured the 200-yard medley relay in 2010 and the 400-yard medley relay in 2011. Junior Leanna Schwartzlow was a member of the last year’s victorious 400-yard medley relay team.
Sophomore Jordan Anderson earned the three-meter diving championship a season ago, while senior Tessa Kahring captured the one-meter diving title in 2012.
UW-Whitewater junior Amy Spaay claimed Swimmer of the Meet honors at last year’s championship after winning the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard breaststroke. Sophomore Sierra Becker captured the one-meter diving crown a year ago enroute to claiming Diver of the Meet honors. Senior Lauren Lanphere is the defending champion in the 400-yard individual medley.
UW-Stevens Point senior Amy Boritzke has contributed to consecutive 200-yard freestyle relay first-place teams and was a member of last year’s victorious 200-yard medley relay squad. She was joined on the 200-yard medley relay foursome by junior Cassie Matthys and sophomore Alexa Pronga. Senior Lauren Alexander claimed the 1,650-yard freestyle in 2011.
UW-Eau Claire junior Lisa Reed will strive for consecutive first-place finishes in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
