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Jakub Dobies Selected to Swim at NCAA D-I Swimming and Diving Championships

Jakub Dobies Selected to Swim at NCAA D-I Swimming and Diving Championships
Posted: Mar 12, 2008

March 12, 2008

Contact: Gene Natale, Jr.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - The NCAA made its official invitations to the annual swimming and diving championships on Wednesday evening, announcing that CSU's Jakub Dobies will compete in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

"It is the highest achievement in college swimming to qualify for the NCAA Division One National Championship," head coach Wally Morton said, "I am very proud of Jakub's achievement. Dobies for the second straight year is the only swimmer in the Horizon League to accomplish participating in the NCAA's."

Dobies is also the only swimmer in Horizon League history to make the trip to the NCAA Championship. He secured his invitation this season on the strength of his school record 53.64 in the 100 breaststroke, and he is currently seeded 13th in the event for the championship meet.

"I'm looking forward to swimming at nationals," Dobies said, "I'm planning on having fun with it - that's what I'm here for."

Dobies secured his berth at the Ohio State Last Ditch NCAA Qualifier meet (March 8) where he swam his current seed time in the finals of the 100 breast, setting school, league, and pool records in the process.

If Dobies is able to finish in the top 16 at the championship, he will become the first All-American swimmer in Cleveland State and Horizon League history.

"Last year, CSU had two athletes at 'the show' and we look forward to another fantastic championship meet," Morton said.

Last season, Jakub Dobies became the first Viking swimmer since Harold Wagner in 1986 to qualify for nationals, while Chris Dalman became the first Viking diver since Rob Barrick in 1977 to compete at nationals.

Dobies was also seeded 13th going into last year's national championship meet (53.77), eventually placing 28th overall (54.39) in the event.

Meanwhile, Dalman fell short of All-American status last season by only six points in the three-meter with a six-dive score of 330.80, placing 20th overall in the event.

Because Dobies has achieved an NCAA "B" Qualifying time in another event, the 200 breaststroke (2:00.43 on Dec. 1), he is permitted to compete in that event as well. He is the 38th seeded swimmer in the 200.

Senior diver Dan Baiko will attempt to join Dobies at the NCAA Championship by qualifying at the NCAA Zone Diving competition at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio from March 14-15 at 2:00 p.m. EST.