April 28, 2010
CollegeSwimming.com All-American Release
Contact: Renee Adam
Cleveland, Ohio - The Cleveland State duo of Jakub Dobies and Mark deSwardt earned CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major All-American Honorable Mention accolades following their performances during the 2009-10 season. CollegeSwimming.com made the announcement Tuesday, April 27.
Dobies and deSwardt earned the honor after setting NCAA "B" cut time standards during the season, Dobies in the 100 breast (54.11) and 200 IM (1:49.09) and deSwardt in the 1,650 free (15:18.84) and 400 IM (3:53.91). All four "B" cuts were set during the Horizon League Championship (February 24-27) that took place on the campus of UIC.
Dobies, a senior from Plock, Poland, finished his final season at CSU with three league titles, two NCAA "B" cuts, one school record and earned Horizon League swimmer of the week honors three times.
"The Cleveland State University Men's swimming and diving team is nationally recognized as one of the top mid-major teams in America and Jakub and Mark have done a great deal to make the program what it is today," head coach Wally Morton said. "Jakub, who last year earned All-American honors at the NCAA's is the most decorated athlete over a four year time span in the history of our program. This is another wonderful accomplishment for him."
Dobies set a CSU record in the 200 IM (1:49.09) during the league championship, his fourth school record, and for the first time in his career, Dobies earned league titles in all three of his individual events at the championship, winning the 200 IM, 100 breast (54.11) and 200 breast (2:01.17).
deSwardt, a sophomore from Durban, South Africa, finished his second season as a Viking with three league crowns, two school records, two NCAA "B" cuts and earned Horizon League swimmer of the week honors four times.
"During Horizon League competition, Mark is a consistent performer both in regular season and in post season events," Morton said. "He richly deserves this honor as one of collegiate swimming's best endurance athletes. Both Jakub and Mark are not only great swimmers, but excellent people of the highest caliber."
For the second straight season, deSwardt swept his events at the league championship, defending his titles in the 1,000 free (9:13.40) and the 1,650 free (15:18.84) and also won the 400 IM (3:53.91). With the school records that he set this season in the 400 IM and the 200 fly (1:49.12), deSwardt now holds four CSU records.
CollegeSwimming.com named 71 men's swimmers to the Mid-Major All-American Honorable Mention team, including seven from the Horizon League, Dobies and deSwardt (Cleveland State), Brian Anderson, Luke Martinez, Andrew Schmitt and Steve Yemm (UIC) and Alex Hill (Green Bay).
