Dec. 5, 2004
Oxford, Ohio - The Cleveland State women's and men's swim teams concluded the Miami Invitatioanl on Sunday (Dec. 5) by securing two more school records and seven Horizon League season-best times.
The women's team moved up a spot in the rankings to finish sixth with 671 points after an outstanding showing on the final day.
Sophomore Marianne Lionell broke the Cleveland State record in the 100 freestyle, swimming the event in a season-best 52.25. The time was the third school record that Lionell set on the weekend, as she broke the 100 breaststroke record (1:04.95) on Saturday and tied her own 50 freestyle record (23.86) on Friday.
Senior Samantha Jones won the 200 backstroke in 2:04.20, topping her own league season-best mark, while junior Wendy Peel posted a league second-best mark with a time of 2:07.29. Junior Kirsty McKechnie added a career- and season-best 17:59.81 in the 1,650 freestyle, while the 400 medley relay team of Jones, Lionell, Deanna Raedel and McKechnie recorded a league-best 3:34.98 by nearly four seconds.
"It was a very good weekend for us," head coach Mike Lehto said. "We have the talent to do very well. I think our swimmers enjoyed the fact that they were well rested and able to just go out and swim fast. I expected a lot from them this weekend, and they actually surpassed my expectations."
The women's team recorded a total of 12 Horizon League season top marks on the weekend in addition to the three school records.
The men's squad improved a spot in the final standings as well, finishing third with a score of 1,154.5.
Pieter Pelser picked up a win in the 200 backstroke in spectacular fashion by swimming to a meet- and school record, as well as a Horizon League season best, time of 1:47.84. The Krugersdorp, South Africa native improved on his own CSU mark by almost half a second (1:48.29) after setting the 100 backstroke mark (49.71) as the lead swimmer of the 400 medley relay on Friday.
"Pieter swam just phenomenal today," head coach Wally Morton said. "I'm really pleased with the showing we had from everyone. We still have things to improve on, but this weekend was very encouraging."
Sophomore Bjorn Schantz beat the league season-best time in the 1,650 free by more than a minute, swimming the trip in 16:02.39, while freshmen Khaled Elgamal (16:28.27) and Brady Lusk (16:59.04) and sophomore Joe Badziong (17:13.87) posted times that also surpassed the previous season mark.
Senior Luke Wilkens added to the league-best marks, improving on his season best time in the 200 fly in 1:51.18.
The men's team finished the weekend with a total of 13 Horizon League season-best times.
Both the women's and men's teams will have nearly a month break from competition before traveling to Boca Raton, Fla. for the holiday training trip at Florida International on Jan. 9, 2005.
Women's Final Standings
1. Miami (Ohio) - 1,697
2. Kenyon - 1,426.5
3. Marshall - 1,295.5
4. Louisville - 1,132
5. Ohio State - 716
6. Cleveland State - 671
7. Johns Hopkins - 543
8. Wheeling Jesuit - 325
9. Cincinnati - 243
Men's Final Standings
1. Kenyon - 1,921
2. Miami (Ohio) - 1,274.5
3. Cleveland State - 1,154.5
4. Louisville - 1,113
5. Johns Hopkins - 964
6. Cincinnati - 772
7. Wheeling Jesuit - 311
