Contact: Jeff Sattora
SETTING THE SCENE: The Cleveland State Vikings will head to Chicago this week for the season-ending Horizon League Championships, Wednesday through Saturday at UIC.
LAST TIME OUT: The men's and women's squads were both recently at that UIC pool, as they competed against the Flames in their final meet of the regular season. The CSU men and women both won in close fashion, with the women winning 125-118 and the men winning 138-105.
THE WOMEN: In a meet that came down to the final event of the day, the Cleveland State women's 400 freestyle relay of Christine Kopacko, Gretchen Hestley, Jamie Puls, and Alexandra Johansson came through clutch, holding off the UIC Flames to help CSU win a 125-118 battle in Horizon League action.
The final dual meet of the regular season improved the CSU to 12-4 on the year, and 4-0 in Horizon League action. The 12 win season makes it four consecutive years that the women's squad has had double digit wins.
Multiple individual veteran swimmers came through clutch for the Vikings outside of the final relay, helping CSU pull out the win.
Individual winners on the day for the Vikings were two seniors, Alice Sommerville and Joanna Olsson. Sommerville won in the 50 freestyle (23.79) and 200 breaststroke (2:21.60), while Olsson took home first in the 400 IM (4:35.78) and 200 butterfly (2:07.61).
THE MEN: A long bus trip and tired legs did nothing to stop the Cleveland State Vikings' men's swimming team as they took down the UIC Flames 138-105 in Horizon League action.
The final dual meet of the regular season improved CSU to 13-3-1 on the year, and 3-0 in Horizon League action. The 13 win season makes it 12 consecutive years that the men's squad has had double digit wins.
Senior Justin Hill led the way for CSU in the season's final meet, picking up two individual wins as well as one first place relay finish. Individually Hill won both the 50 freestyle (20.92), and 100 freestyle (45.98), and on the relay side he teamed up with Adam Ingledew, Alex Lewis, and Martin Persson to win the 400 freestyle relay (3:04.33).
Junior Al Shillito was also a triple winner for the Vikings, taking home two individual wins and one relay win. Individually he won both the 200 freestyle (1:44.47) and 200 backstroke (1:54.09). Shillito also joined Brian Ferro, Alex Lewis, and Berry Thompsonto take home a victory in the 400 medley relay (3:25.63).
Other individual winners for CSU were Mark De Swardt in the 1,000 freestyle (9:35.39) and Graham Thoresen in the 500 freestyle (4:39.11).
AWARDS ALL AROUND: The Horizon League has awarded multiple Vikings this season, these athletes are:
Men
Al Shillito -- Swimmer of the Week -- Oct. 15
Al Shillito - Swimmer of the Week - Week of Nov. 19
Danny Roberts - Diver of the Week - Week of Nov. 19
Justin Kermack - Swimmer of the Week - Week of Dec. 3
Berry Thompson - Swimmer of the Week - Week of Jan. 14
Danny Roberts - Diver of the Week - Week of Jan. 14
Danny Roberts - Diver of the Week - Week of Jan. 21
Justin Hill - Swimmer of the Week - Week of Jan. 28
Women
Joanna Olsson -- Swimmer of the Week -- Week of Oct. 15
Sammie Sposet - Diver of the Week - Week of Nov. 12
Alexandra Johansson - Swimmer of the Week - Week of Nov. 19
NATIONAL ATTENTION: The CSU Viking men earned national recognition in November performing alongside top collegiate athletes and Olympians at the AT@T Winter National Championships in Austin, Texas. On the individual side, junior Justin Kermack finished in the top ten nationally for the second straight season in the 200 butterfly. Following a ninth place finish last season Kermack jumped up to sixth this season, while also breaking a school record at 1:46.50.
A Cleveland State relay also made a mark nationally with a seventh place finish in the 4x50 relay at the AT@T Winter National Championships this past week. The group, consisting of Berry Thompson, Justin Hill, Alex Lewis, and Al Shillito, was the first relay in Vikings' history to race in the final championship heat at a National Championship event. Following an eighth place finish in the preliminaries the group moved up to seventh in 1:21.60 in the finals.
FAB FRESHMAN: The Cleveland State Viking freshmen seem to be mixing in seamlessly with the veteran groups on both the men's and women's squads. Two freshmen have jumped right in and are currently leading the Vikings on the diving side of things. Danny Roberts has the top 1-meter (326.03) and 3-meter (328.95) diving scores for the men, with Sammie Sposet doing the same for the women at 1-meter (258.37) and 3-meter (258.75) dives. In the pool for the men Adam Ingledew has the top time in the 200 freestyle (1:41.12). For the women, freshman Jodi Turk has the team's top time in the 500-yard freestyle (5:05.44), 1,000-yard freestyle (10:26.54), and 1,650 freestyle (17:16.68). The 1,650 time is also a new school record for Turk.
UPPERCLASSMEN LEADING THE WAY: Seniors and juniors have led the way this year on both the men's and women's sides. Multiple upperclassmen are currently leading events for CSU.
On the men's side senior Berry Thompson currently has the team's top time on the year in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. A second senior, Mark De Swardt, currently has the team's top time in the 500, 1,000, and 1,650 freestyles. Juniors Justin Kermack, and Al Shillito are other swimmers that lead the team in multiple events on the season. Kermack leads in the 200 butterfly, 200 IM, and 400 IM with Shillito leading in the 50, 100, and 200 backstroke, and the 200 freestyle.
Looking at the women, there have also been a variety of juniors and seniors leading the way. Seniors Alice Sommerville and Joanna Olsson lead that class with multiple top times for CSU. Sommerville currently has the team's top time in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, and the 200 IM, while Olsson has the top times in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM. Junior Alexandra Johansson also holds top times individually as an upperclassman for CSU. Johansson has the team's top time in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 50 and 100 butterfly, and 100 backstroke.
RECORD-BREAKING WEEKEND: With both teams swimming strong at the first annual Magnus Cup Invitational, it's no surprise that Cleveland State school records were able to fall. Junior Al Shillito led the way for CSU, with two record-breaking performances. First Shillito set the 100 backstroke school record Friday, which he then broke again on Saturday (49.13). Sunday was also a record-breaking day for the junior as he then set the 200 backstroke record (1:47.04). The women's team wasn't left out of the record-breaking performances as two women also brought home school records. Junior Alexandra Johansson broke the school record in the 100 backstroke (55.67), while senior Alice Sommerville broke the 200 breaststroke record by two seconds in 2:19.89.
LEAGUE LEADING MEN: The Viking men's swimming team currently has multiple top times on the Horizon League leader boards according to collegeswimming.com. The men dominate the Horizon Leagues' current rankings, leading multiple categories on collegeswimming.com. Senior Berry Thompson has the leagues' top time in the 50 and 100 yard freestyles, Mark De Swardt has the leagues' top times in the 500, 1,000 freestyle, and 1,650 freestyle. Al Shillito leads the leagues' backstroke categories with the top times in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. Nathan Grant has the leagues' top time in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, withJustin Kermack leading in the 200 butterfly and 200 and 400 IM. Looking at the relays, the Vikings currently have the top times in the 200 freestyle relay, and the 200 and 400 medley relays.
...AND LEAGUE LEADING WOMEN: The Cleveland State women's team also has a number of league leaders in different swimming events. Alexandra Johansson has the leagues' top times in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and 100 butterfly. On the relay side, CSU has the top times in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, and the 200 medley relay.
NEXT UP: Coming up next on the schedule is the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. If any Vikings qualify they will head to Indianapolis March 28th-30th.
