BROWN DEER, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – On the final day of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire swimming and diving team turned in yet another impressive performance.
Full Results | WIAC Championship Website
Several Blugolds earned NCAA cuts, defended last season's titles and earned meet honors. For their efforts, the men's team finished second while the women finished third.
For the men, Dayton Miller (Sr. - Rochester, MN/Schaeffer Academy) earned his third WIAC title in the 200-yard breaststroke along with making an NCAA B cut with a time of 2:03.15.
Collin Miller (So. – Rochester, MN/Schaeffer Academy) also earned an NCAA B cut with his third place finish in the 100 free (45.10), as did the 400 free relay of Collin Miller, Caleb Odmark (Jr. – White Bear Lake, MN), Nicholas Meints (So – Parker, CO/Ponderosa) and Logan Coert (Sr. – Cedarburg, WI) who won the event with a time of 3:03.57.
Diver Dylan Glumac-Berberich (So. – Fridley, MN) also turned in a top performance, winning the 1-meter dive (491.90) and making an NCAA zone cut. In addition, the sophomore was named Diver of the Meet.
Meints was also second in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:53.77 while Andrew Strauch (Jr. – Lakeville, MN/North) was second in the 200 butterfly (1:54.35) and Greg Pehl was third (1:56.60).
For the women, the Blugolds dominated the 1650, finishing 1-2-3-5 with Sari Mailey (Sr. – Minnetrista, MN/Mound Westonka) leading the way, defending last year's title with a time of 17:48.61. Kate Stensberg (Fr. – Antigo, WI) was second (18:02.20).
Jessica Short (Jr. – Grafton, WI) won the 100-yard free (52.63) while Brittany Farr (Jr. – Madison, WI/James Madison Memorial) was third (53.49).
The 400 free relay team of Short, Farr, Olivia Hanzak (Fr. – Crystal, MN/ Robbinsdale Armstrong) and Emily Ries (Fr. - Eau Claire, WI/Memorial) took first with a time of 3:31.97 while Breanna Kimmes (So. – Hastings, MN) was third in the 200-yard backstroke 2:12.17
In addition, Head Coach Annie Ryder was named Men's WIAC Coach of the Year.
"I am so incredibly proud of every person on this team," said Ryder. "They came together as a team, raced for their team, swam fast and cheered like crazy. This is my first group that started with me when I started and to see these seniors swim the way they did and end on such a high note is one of the highlights of my coaching career. Go Blugolds!"
The Blugolds will have a couple weeks off before the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis March 21-24.
