Feb. 22, 2008
Results | 2008 Championship Page
Contact: Gene Natale, Jr.
AKRON, Ohio - After a day of unexpected events, extraordinary circumstances, and school record performances, Cleveland State moved up to second place in the standings after day three of four of the Horizon League Championships at Ocasek Natatorim at Akron University on Friday.
Wright State leads all teams with 535 points, followed by the Vikings (447), and third place UW-Milwaukee (444).
The third day of the championship meet was contested at Akron's Okalek Natatorium after the first two days of competition were held at CSU's Busbey Natatorium. A faulty water main left Busbey without running water, neccessitating the unprecedented switch in venue.
The Vikings appeared to be unfazed by the venue change as wins continued to be tallied, allowing the team to climb from third to second in the overall standings. Jakub Dobies (100 breast, 54.31) and Todd Winchell (100 back, 50.31) led the way, taking league titles in their respective events.
"For both teams, it was a tremendously challenging day," head coach Wally Morton said, "We go from our own pool, where we know what we are dealing with and that we are familiar with, to another pool that we are unfamiliar with, and from running preliminary heats to running timed finals. With all of that, we still put together a very good performance today."
Dobies' win in the 100 breaststroke was part of a 1-2-3 effort in the event. Deni Gasparin (55.34) and Stef Potgieter (56.04) were second and third, respectively. Dobies set a pool record with his time of 54.31, and Gasparin was only one-tenth from achieving an NCAA "B" qualifying mark.
"What an exciting race in the 100 breast," Morton said, "We had three of the best swims in school history, and for third place to be 56.04 is amazing, just three great swims."
Winchell was followed in the 100 backstroke by Nedim Nisic, who placed second (50.77) despite swimming in the second heat of the three heat event. Nisic had been placed in a slower heat due to his seed time, which he recorded a three-second improvement upon on Friday.
Sophomore Stephen Grove set a school record for the second day in a row, this time in the 100 fly (48.86). He finished second overall in the event, and broke a record that had been in place since 1987.
"Grove broke the oldest school record in a pool he had never swam in before until today, just unbelievable," Morton said.
Grove was followed on the leaderboard in the 100 fly by teammates Nisic (third, 49.26), and Winchell (fourth, 49.30).
"Today was the first time in school history that we have ever had three swimmers go under 50 seconds in the 100 fly," Morton said.
Dave Duecker also set a school record on Friday, breaking through in the 400 IM (3:56.45). He finished second overall in the event, breaking a record that was held by assistant coach Andrew Hancock (3:59.20) and set in 2004.
Also scoring points for the Vikings on Friday was the 800 freestyle relay team of Winchell, Gasparin, Nisic, and Duecker (fifth, 6:49.66), and Marko Milenkovic in the 200 free (13th, 1:43.33).
Action resumes Saturday (Feb. 23) afternoon, with diving finals (men's 1m, women's 3m) at 12:00 noon and swimming finals at 4:00 p.m. Akron's Ocasek Natatorium in Akron, Ohio.
