Feb. 23, 2007

Complete Results

Contact: Josh Rattray

CHICAGO, Ill. - Freshman Jakub Dobies posted the sixth-fastest time in the country in the 100 breast and junior Dave Duecker won the 400 IM as Cleveland State pulled to within 21.5 points of leader Wright State on Friday at the Horizon League Championships at Flames Natatorium at UIC. CSU trails the Raiders, 532-510.5, after the league meet's third day.

Dobies' time of 53.77, an all-time league record, is just .76 seconds behind Michael Alexandrov of Northwestern for the nation's top time of the season. It also breaks his own school record of 55.29 he set on Jan. 13.

"Jakub's performance was one of the best swims Cleveland State has seen in many, many years," head coach Wally Morton said. "It was absolutely a phenomenal swim."

The performance, a Horizon League record, qualifies Dobies for the NCAA Championships on March 15-17 in Minneapolis, Minn.

Duecker clocked a 3:59.71 in the 400 IM, winning the event by more than four seconds.

Sophomore Nedim Nisic and senior Bjorn Schantz each placed second in his respective event, with Nisic registering a 49.68 in the 100 fly and Schantz a time of 1:40.33. Each swim was under a half-second behind the event's winner. Nisic also placed second in the 100 back with a 50.78 time, just .50 seconds behind UW-Green Bay's Joey Weber. Freshman Todd Winchell placed fifth in the 100 back with a time of 52.02. Junior Ari Markle placed eighth (52.91).

In the day's final event, the 800 free relay, Wright State edged CSU by less than two seconds. Schantz, Dobies and Duecker each competed in the 800 free relay along with sophomore Marko Milenkovic.

Behind Wright State and Cleveland State, UW-Milwaukee is third with 388 points, followed by UW-Green Bay (341), UIC (331.5) and Butler (180).    

The final day of the Horizon League Championships gets underway at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.