March 25, 2009
CLEVELAND, Ohio - -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
Date: March 26-28, 2009
Time: 12 noon (preliminary heats), 7:00 p.m. (finals) CDT
Site: Student Rec Center Natatorium, College Station, Texas
Results: Livestats available at www.aggieathletics.com/ncaa2009/swimming/men/stats.html
Tickets: Available At Site
SETTING THE SCENE: Jakub Dobies will compete for a prestigious All-America distinction at the upcoming NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. The event will beheld March 26-28 in the Student Rec Center Natatorium on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
MEET SCHEDULE: Jakub Dobies is entered in the 100 breast. The field will compete on Friday, March 27. Preliminary heats begin at 1:00 p.m. EDT with the finals beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Live stats will be available at the following link: www.aggieathletics.com/ncaa2009/swimming/men/stats.html
MORTON'S THOUGHTS FROM TEXAS: "We arrived Tuesday night and are very excited about the meet. It really raises your energy level when you get to see the top programs, coaches and swimmers in the country.
"Jakub is very focused on what he wants to do. Everything he's been doing has been better than the two previous years, which indicates that he¡¦s ready to move up. He's really got a chance. One of the real plusses, not just for Jakub but also for our coaching staff, is that we get a chance to talk and interact with the top coaches and see what they're doing. That will really help our program next year.
"The swimmers will be competing in a beautiful facility with a small spectator area, but that will allow it to be a very enthusiastic crowd. We expect the sessions to be sold out, so the energy level in the pool will be tremendously high."
NCAA SEEDING: In 2009, Jakub Dobies earned his third NCAA invitation based on a school and Horizon League record showing in the 100 breast with a win in 52.94. The time is good enough for him to enter the NCAA Championships as the 14th seed. Damir Dugonjic of California has the fastest time in the country (51.41). Dobies is also aiming to become the first swimmer to earn All-America status in both Cleveland State and Horizon League history, needing to finish 16th or better to earn the honor.
RECAPPING THE LAST MEET: Jakub Dobies went into the Ohio State Last Chance Meet on March 8 with a top 100 breast time of 52.94. At Ohio State, he finished second in the event in 1:00.91. He also swam the 50 free in 20.57 to finish fourth.
MORTON ON JAKUB DOBIES: "With Jakub's third appearance at the NCAA Division I Championships he becomes the first swimmer to achieve this in the history of our program. Our goal is for him to enjoy the experience, swim his best time and represent the CSU Vikings in the finals."
MORTON ON DOBIES' SUCCESS: "Jakub Dobies is a great swimmer for a combination of factors. He is physically gifted in size, flexibility, strength, quickness and he has a great ability to feel the water. No one in college swimming has a better breaststroke start due to his leaping ability, grace and perfection on the pull out. He also has attention to detail in his training and a supreme confidence to reach his goals. Most importantly, he trusts his coaches and is very consistent and precise in following instructions. He is getting the most out of his opportunity to be able to perform at the highest level. Andrew Hancock, CSU's Assistant Coach and specialist with the stroke group, has developed an excellent relationship with Jakub which continues to result in the improvement of his times."
DOBIES BACK TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: One of the top breaststrokers in Cleveland State history and a two-time NCAA participant, Jakub Dobies will make his third-straight appearance at the NCAA Division I Championships this spring after swimming a 52.94 to win his third straight 100 breast title at the Horizon League Championships.
As a freshman, Dobies became the first Viking swimmer since Harold Wagner in 1986 to qualify for nationals. He followed that up with invitations in both the 100 and 200 breast as a sophomore when he set new CSU records in both events. During his sophomore campaign, Dobies entered the 100 breast seeded 13th (53.64) and finished 22nd in 54.00. His time of 2:00.43 in the 200 breast was good enough for a 38th seed and his finals time of 2:07.45 in the 200 breast finals placed him 35th overall. Dobies was also seeded 13th as a freshman going into the 2007 national championship meet (53.77), eventually placing 28th overall (54.39) in the event.
DOBIES ON DOBIES: "My main goal going into this year¡¦s NCAA Championship is definitely making the Top-16, which consequently means All-American honors. The time that separates me from the Top-8 is only 0.21 of a second, which with the proper training and great effort is possible to achieve.
"At both of the previous NCAA meets I made some mistakes that gave me feedback on how I should swim now. Just watching some of the fastest guys in the world, many of them Olympians, is a great lesson. I also learned that in swimming it's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, but the size of the fight in a dog. I was amazed at how often some of those huge guys got out-swam by shorter and smaller ones, me included. Just watching the best guys in action brings a great deal of experience and what¡¦s most important, motivation."
THIRD WIN JOINS ELITE COMPANY: Jakub Dobies joined elite company with his third-straight 100 breast title in 2009. With the win, he became just the sixth Cleveland State Viking to win the same event three times in his career. The win, which head coach Wally Morton called "CSU's Swim of the Meet," also came in new CSU record time (52.94) and was a Horizon League record as well. Dobies was a three-time podium finisher in individual events, finishing third in the 100 free in CSU record time (44.53) and third in the 200 IM (1:51.58). His 52 points in the four days were also the fourth-most in the Horizon League Championships. Prior to 2009, Dobies also won a 200 breast title in 2007 and was the 200 IM champion in 2008.
HORIZON LEAGUE FAST FACT: Dobies is also the only swimmer in league history to make the trip to the NCAA Championship since the conference adopted the Horizon League name. The league, formerly called the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, became the Horizon League in June 2001.
DOBIES LEADS RECORD RELAY SWEEP: In addition to his individual successes, Jakub Dobies was also a significant part of the relays that dominated the CSU record book at the Horizon League Championships this season. Dobies swam the leadoff of the winning 200 free relay which not only set a CSU and Horizon League record, but his leadoff leg was also the second-fastest 50 free time in school history (20.18). Dobies swam the second leg of both the winning 200 and runner-up 400 medley relays which broke CSU and Horizon League records, and he swam the leadoff of CSU's 400 free relay which also broke a school record (3:00.45) to finish fourth.
CSU BOASTS SIX OF LEAGUE¡¦S 20 BEST SWIMMERS: The Vikings wrapped up the Horizon League Championships with six swimmers in the Top-20 point scorers in the meet. On the men's side, Mark deSwardt was the league's leader with 60 points. Jakub Dobies was fourth (52) followed by Deni Gasparin (Tied 10th, 46), Marko Milenkovic (13th, 45) and Stephen Grove (Tied 18th, 42). For the women, Carys Behn's 50 points ranked her the league's eighth top scorer. On the men's side, only conference champion UIC had more of the league¡¦s Top-20 point scorers (seven) than Cleveland State (five).
NCAA "B" CUTS ABOUND FOR MEN: The CSU Viking men had a spectacular season and five NCAA "B" qualifying times are the result. Jakub Dobies' time in the 100 breast (52.94) guaranteed him a third trip to the NCAA Division I Championships. CSU's other "B" cut times were freshman Mark deSwardt who just missed an invitation in the mile (15:02.06 on Feb. 28) and Deni Gasparin, also in the 100 breast (54.46 on Feb. 27). Other "B" cut qualifiers for the men are the 200 free and 200 medley relay teams which both set new CSU records at the Horizon League Championships. The 200 free relay team of Dobies, Stephen Grove, Keith Everhart and Mike Marsico won the event in a new CSU and Horizon League Championship record (1:19.50). The 200 medley relay of Todd Winchell, Dobies, Grove and Marisco also won their race (1:27.58) in new CSU and Horizon League Championship time.
MEN'S & WOMEN'S HEAD COACH: Wally Morton (Miami, OH, ¡¦70) AT CSU: (as men¡¦s coach): 251-138-1 (28 years); (as women¡¦s coach): 12-19 (2nd year) Morton, who wrapped up his second season as the head coach of the women¡¦s program and is in his 28th season as the head men¡¦s coach, has led the Vikings to 12 conference championships and 25 winning seasons in his 28 years at the helm of the men¡¦s program. Morton, who also serves as CSU¡¦s Director of Aquatics, has led the Vikings to eight straight seasons of 10 or more dual meet victories and one of his men¡¦s swimmers has earned the league¡¦s Male Swim Athlete of the Year award in six of the last seven seasons.
Jakub Dobies
Junior...Breast/IM/Free
Plock, Poland
3rd NCAA Invitation
2008-09 First Place Finishes: 19
2008-09 Junior Season Qualified for the NCAA Championships for the third straight time in the 100 breast, earning a 14th seed (52.94)...won the Horizon League title for the third straight year in the 100 breast, setting a new CSU and league record (52.94) in NCAA "B" cut time...became sixth Viking in school history to win league title in same event three times...member of runner-up 400 medley (3:16.72) and 400 free (3:00.45) relays at Horizon League Championships, both in school record time...Earned podium finishes in the 100 free (44.53, school record) and 200 IM (1:51.58) at the league championships with third-place finishes...recorded team's top times of the season in the 100 free (44.53, school record), 50 breast (25.78), 100 breast (52.94, school record) and 200 IM (1:51.34)...swam second-fastest time in school history in the 50 free (20.18) in a relay leadoff, the time was a school record for one day...Member of school record-setting 200 free (1:19.50), 400 free (3:00.45), 200 medley (1:27.58) and 400 medley (3:16.72) relay teams...200 free and 200 medley relays recorded NCAA "B" cut times.
2007-08 Sophomore Season Turned in outstanding performances all year in the breaststroke to earn Mid-Major All-American honors by collegeswimming.com¡Kplaced 22nd at NCAA Championships in 100 breaststroke and 35th in the 200 breaststroke¡Knamed Horizon League Athlete of the Year¡Kthree-time Horizon League Swimmer of the Week....won the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke and placed second in the 100 freestyle at Horizon League Championships ¡Krecorded team¡¦s top times in 100 freestyle in school record time (44.62), 200 freestyle (1:42.14), 100 breaststroke in new school record time (53.64), 200 breaststroke (2:00.43) and 200 IM (1:49.82)¡Kturned in team¡¦s second-best time in 50 freestyle (20.70), a school record that has since been broken¡KSwam the second-fastest time in school history in the 200 IM (1:49.82)¡Kmember of school record-setting 200 free relay (1:21.35), 200 medley relay (1:29.80) and 400 medley relay teams (3:18.55).
2006-07 Freshman Season Established himself as one of the top breaststrokers in Cleveland State history¡Kqualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke (53.77) at the Horizon League Championships¡Kwas seeded 13th at nationals and placed 28th (54.39) overall¡Knamed Horizon League Newcomer of the Year after having a hand in five first place efforts at the league championship¡Kclaimed conference titles in the 100 breaststroke (53.77), 200 breaststroke (2:00.92), 200 individual medley (1:50.85), 200 medley relay (1:30.91) and 400 medley relay (3:22.57) en route to first team all-league honors¡Kset school and Horizon League records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at league championships¡Kselected as Horizon League Athlete of the week on Jan. 16.
High School Competed with the MZOS Plock for coach Jurij Syczkow¡Kwon Two Junior National titles in the 50 breaststroke and the 1500 freestyle¡Kbroke the national record in the 100 breaststroke.
Personal Born Jan. 9, 1987 in Plock, Poland...son of Krzysztof and Bronislawa Dobies...has one brother, Pawel, and one sister, Aleksandra...undecided on a major.
