EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire swimming and diving teams returned to the pool on Saturday after more than a month had elapsed since their last competitions. The women fell to St. Catherine University 165-129 at the McPhee Center, while the men got a tuneup with an intersquad meet.
The Blugold women won four events in the dual against St. Catherine. Two of those victories came on the diving board, where Sarah Dahlk (Sr. - Verona, Wis./Middleton) swept the one- and three-meter competitions. Dahlk took first in the one-meter with a score of 269.70, and made it a sweep with a score of 289.15 to win the three-meter.
Molly Hosack (Fr. - Cedarburg, Wis.) earned a victory in the 1,000-yard freestyle for the Blugolds. She clocked in at 11:09.73 to win the event by nearly eight seconds.
Ella Weaver (Jr. - McFarland, Wis.) picked up the other swimming win for UW-Eau Claire. Weaver took first in the 200-yard breaststroke, finishing in 2:27.87. She won by more than four seconds. Weaver was also the runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200 IM.
The Blugold women had several runner-up finishes throughout the day, including in the relays. Sydney McGuine (Jr. - Huntley, Ill.) placed second in the 100-yard backstroke, Elaina Plonis (So. - Michigan) was second in the 200-yard butterfly and Molly Sheehan (So. - Austin, Minn.) was the runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle. The 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams also took second. Zibby Hanifl (So. - Northfield, Minn.) took second in both diving events.
The men's intersquad meet provided notable performances on the diving board too. Martin Kocher (Sr. - St. Paul, Minn./Johnson) and Ben Koller (Jr. - Savage, Minn./Shakopee) both hit NCAA zone cuts with their one-meter dives. Kocher tallied a 321.35, and Koller scored 284.95.4
Kadin Denner (So. - Aurora, Colo.), Ben Keller (Jr. - Cedarburg, Wis.) and Jack Poppitz (Sr. - Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) all won multiple individual swimming events in the men's meet. Denner took the 50 freestyle and 200 backstroke, Keller won the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly, and Poppitz won the 100 and 200 breaststroke.
The Blugold men and women will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 21, when they visit the University of Chicago for a meet which also features Hope College. The action will begin at 1 p.m.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
