By: Stephen Wagner
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay men's and women's swimming and diving teams participated in the final day of the 2015 Horizon League Championship meet on Saturday, with the women's squad finishing the day in third place with a total of 573 points, while the men placed fourth overall after accumulating 502.5 points in the four-day competition.
The men's 1-meter diving final was up first on the itinerary for the final day of competition. Freshman Michael Klemm was the best finisher for Green Bay, accumulating 285.30 points through the diving rounds. Sean Leverton and Tanner Nordlund represented Green Bay in the consolation final, with Leverton finishing first in the consolation after stringing together a combination of quality dives and accruing 301.45 points. Norlund finishes second in the consolation final, totaling 259.05 points with his efforts.
Collin DuChene (Kenosha, Wis.) was the top Green Bay finisher in the longest event of the championships, the 1650 free. Duchene garnered a 10th-place finish for Green Bay, covering the 1650 yards in 16:21.47. Brian Borden was the next Phoenix to earn a spot on the podium for Green Bay, with Borden racing to a seventh-place finish in 1:51.17.
In the fastest event of the day, the 100-yard freestyle, it would be a pair of seniors that would represent the Phoenix, with Casey Murphy placing third in the consolation final (11th overall) with a time of 45.93. Ben Loeffelholz qualified for the finals after having one of the top preliminary rounds from earlier in the day, racing to an eighth-place finish in 45.59 in the final.
The 200-yard breast was slated next on the event list, with Willem Poelmans and Ryan Korslin both qualifying for the finals after strong preliminary rounds. Poelmans led the duo in the pool, racing to a fifth-place finish in 2:00.62. Korslin finished in seventh place in the final, touching the wall in 2:01.51 and ensuring the Phoenix has two representatives upon the podium.
The final event on the men's side was the 400-yard freestyle relay, with the quartet of Zack Parkin, Loeffelholz, Murphy and Poelmans hitting the pool for Green Bay. The foursome combined to swim 3:02.28, garnering them a sixth place finish and a spot on the podium.
On the women's side there were no diving events on the final day of competition, so it would be all swimming events in the final hours of competition. Stephanie Garvin got things rolling for the Phoenix, touching the wall in third place in the 1650 free with a time of 16:56.89.
Claire Friederick left her stamp on the league championships, winning her second event of the competition, the 200 backstroke. Friederick touched the wall in 2:00.34, out-reaching Oakland's Kyra Rietveld and sealing her second individual victory for Green Bay. Natalie Neuwirth also competed in the 200 back final, touching the wall in 2:02.58 and earing herself a spot on the podium.
Janna Check was up next for Green Bay, competing in 100 free and earning a seventh-place finish after turning in a time of 51.80. Sam Rottel qualified for the consolation final after a strong preliminary performance, touching the wall in second place in the consolation, claiming 10th-overall with a time of 52.41.
Haley Lucas swam in the 200 butterfly for Green Bay, with Lucas turning in the league's top time in the preliminary rounds. Lucas swam neck and neck with Oakland's Patricia's Aschan for a good portion of the race, with Lucas taking the lead after a quality turn heading into the final 25 yards. However, Aschan managed to out-reach Lucas in the final yards of the race, with Aschan turning in 2:01.65, besting Lucas' 2:01.75 by a tenth of a second. Alyssa Udean also earned herself a spot on the podium in the fly, racing to a sixth-place finish with 2:04.78.
The final event of the championships on the women's side was the 400-yard freestyle, with the quartet of Weiland, Friederick, Check and Neuwirth combining to swim 3:26.56, garnering the third spot in the Horizon League and concluding the 2015 Horizon League Championships.
Oakland took the league title on both sides, accumulating 842 points on the women's side and 813 on the men's.
Women's Men's
Freshman of the Year Brie Hines, UIC Mitch Stover, WSU
Diver of the Meet Tricia Grant, OU K.J. Heger,UWM
Swimmer of the Meet Patricia Aschan, OU Jordan Merrilees, OU
Athlete of the Year Patricia Aschan, OU Jordan Merrilees, OU
Diving Coach of the Year Todd Hill, UWM Larry Albright, OU
Swimming Coach of the Year Pete Hovland, OU Pete Hovland, OU
Women – Final Standings
1. Oakland 842 2.
2.Milwaukee 606.5
3. Green Bay 573 4. UIC 457
5. Wright State 363
6. Youngstown State 345
7. Cleveland State 243.5
8. Valparaiso 164
Men – Final Standings
1. Oakland 813
2. Milwaukee 623.5
3. Wright State 530
4. Green Bay 502.55. UIC 475
6. Cleveland State 456
7. Valparaiso 126
