The University of Denver men and women swimming & diving teams repeated as Summit League Swimming & Diving Champions Saturday night at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. It is their second Summit League title in as many season in the league. The Denver men posted a total team score of 1,020 while the women collected 956 total points.
Five more individual swimming and one relay Summit League championship meet records were set Saturday night. Records were set in the men’s and women’s 1,650 freestyle, men’s and women’s 100 freestyle and the men’s 200 breaststroke as well as the women’s 400 freestyle relay.
The final evening began with the 1,650 freestyle final and a pair of Denver swimmers breaking their own records. First it was sophomore Clara Jenck who touched in at an all-time Summit League best time of 16:24.50. Jenck was joined on the medal stand by teammates Maddie Myers and Tyra Rooney. Dylan Bunch successfully defended his crown in the same event and bettered his Summit League championship meet record with a time of 141:55.62.
Emily Campbell of South Dakota State successfully defended her title in the women’s 200 yard breaststroke. In the morning preliminary heats in the event, Denver’s Amanda Sanders set a new Summit League record in 2:11.98 only to be upset in the evening’s final by Campbell. IUPUI’s Jenny Oleksiak rounded out the top-three in the final heat. It was the first event of the evening not to be won by a Denver swimmer. The Pioneers had swept the podium in the first six events of the night.
Sophomore Pioneer Tim Cottam set a new Summit League championship meet record during the morning prelims of the 200 breaststroke. Only that wasn’t good enough for Cottam. He came back later Saturday evening and shattered the all-time league record that had stood since 2003 by clocking a time of 1:57.26.
Junior Andrew Torres defended his 200 butterfly title by posting a time of 1:44.29 in the evening’s final. His teammate Scott Bergstrom finished behind Torres for second while Western Illinois’ Chris Neaveill finished in third.
Ross Edfort completed his sweep of both diving events by taking the title in the men’s three-meter with a score of 354.15. A score that would have been a Summit League championship meet record but 2014’s Diving MVP Cody Watts of IUPUI put up a mark of 362.10 in the event’s consolation finals in the afternoon. South Dakota State’s Connor Florand took silver in three-meter and South Dakota’s Dustin Gens brought home bronze.
In the nightcap, the Denver 400 freestyle relay touched first on both the men’s and women’s sides. The women’s team of Johana Roas, Zoe Huddleston, Drew Matthews and Sam Corea set a new Summit League record of 3:17.55.
To end the weekend, 2015 Summit League Swimming and Diving awards were distributed to coaches and athletes that were voted on by the head swimming and diving coaches from Summit League member institutions. A full list can be seen below.
News & Notes
Denver's Ray Bornman set a new Summit League championship record during prelims of the 100 freestyle with a time of 43.49.
Amanda Sanders of Denver set a new all-time Summit League record during prelims of the 200 breaststroke, clocking in an NCAA B-cut time of 2:11.98.
Tim Cottam of Denver set a new all-time Summit League record of 1:57.26 in the 200 breaststroke.
Clara Jenck (Denver) broke her own all-time best Summit League mark in the 1650 freestyle final with an NCAA provisional time of 16:24.50.
Dylan Bunch (Denver) broke his own Summit League championship meet record with a time of 14:55.62 in the 1650 freestyle.
The University of Denver swept the podium in six of the ten individual swimming events Saturday evening.
Cody Watts of IUPUI set a new Summit League championship meet record of 362.10 in the men’s three-meter during the consolation final of the event.
Team Standings
Men's
1. Denver – 1,020
2. IUPUI – 550
3. South Dakota State – 489
4. South Dakota – 489
5. Western Illinois – 254
6. Eastern Illinois – 209
Women's
1. Denver – 956
2. South Dakota State – 586
3. IUPUI – 555
4. South Dakota – 380
5. Omaha – 361
6. Western Illinois – 254
7. Eastern Illinois – 141
Champions
Individual
Men's 1,650 Free – Dylan Bunch, Denver (14:55.62)*
Women's 1,650 Free – Clara Jenck, Denver (16:24.50)*
Men's 200 Back – Anton Loncar, Denver (1:42.67)
Women's 200 Back – Sam Corea, Denver (1:54.33)
Men's 100 Free – Ray Bornman, Denver (43.65, League record of 43.49 set in prelims)*
Women's 100 Free – Johanna Roas, Denver (49.23; League record of 49.20 set in prelims)*
Men's 200 Breast – Tim Cottam, Denver (1:57.26)*
Women's 200 Breast – Emily Campbell, South Dakota State (2:13.34)
Men's 200 Fly – Andrew Torres, Denver (1:44.29)
Women's 200 Fly – Grace Sommerville, Denver (2:02.11)
Men's Three-Meter Dive – Ross Edfort, Denver (354.15)
Relay
Men's 400 Free – Denver (2:56.70)
Women's 400 Free – Denver (3:17.55)*
*Summit League Championship record
Awards
Men's
Swimming Championship MVP,
Ray Bornman, Denver
Chris Neaveill, Western Illinois
Diving Championship MVP
Ross Edfort, Denver
Newcomer of the Championship
Ray Bornman, Denver
Swimming Coach of the Year
Brian Schrader, Denver
Diving Coach of the Year
Jennifer Botsch, South Dakota State
Women's
Swimming Championship MVP
Sam Corea, Denver
Diving Championship MVP
Greysen Hertting, South Dakota
Newcomer of the Championship
Ray Bornman, Denver
Swimming Coach of the Year
Brian Schrader, Denver
Diving Coach of the Year
Meili Carpenter, South Dakota
Up Next
League teams will send divers to the NCAA Diving Zones, which take place March 9-11 in Iowa City, Iowa (Zone D) and Colorado Springs, Colo. (Zone E) and March 12-14 in Columbus, Ohio (Zone C). Swimmers await NCAA selections as the women's qualifiers are set to be released March 2 and the men's March 9.
