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Swim Teams Gear Up For Final Duals

Swim Teams Gear Up For Final Duals
Posted: Feb 02, 2009

Contact: Julie Farr DeLima

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Feb. 2, 2009

SETTING THE SCENE: The Cleveland State men's and women's swimming and diving teams wrap up the regular season with dual meets at Valparaiso and Chicago. CSU will be at Valparaiso for a meet on Friday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m. EST and travels to Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 7 for a 1:00 p.m. EST start.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings honored their eight seniors - Volkmar Baur, Katie Bellew, Kristine and Sandra Bunker, Heather Dietz, Marko Milenkovic, Kristina Nagy and Nedim Nisic in the final home meet of the season on Jan. 24. Below is a brief recap of the most recent Viking action.

MEN (9-4) - CSU 133, Wright State 108 (Jan. 24 in Cleveland Ohio): In the final home meet of the season, the Vikings continued to achieve in their home pool, knocking off Wright State 133-108. During the meet, CSU won eight events with 19 new team or personal best times of the season. On the day, Mark deSwardt also set a new CSU and Horizon League record, swimming a 9:05.64 in the 1,000 freestyle.

WOMEN (7-8) - CSU 124, Youngstown State 108; Wright State 146, CSU 88 (Jan. 24 in Cleveland Ohio): In their most recent action, the women hosted a double-dual against Wright State and Youngstown State in the final home meet of the season on Jan. 24, winning three events with 15 team or personal best marks of the season. The Vikings split the duals, winning 124-108 win over Youngstown State and dropping 146-88 to Wright State. During the meet Carys Behn bettered her own school record in the 500 free (5:04.29).

MORTON ON THE CSU WOMEN: "The Viking Women are improving as the season goes on. We need to build off of our dual meet win against conference rival Youngstown State by going faster and being tough competitors against quality competition. The Valpo meet will be a good test and UIC is one of the better teams in the Horizon League. We will be persistent in training with intensity and focus so we can continue to get key contributions from all of the Viking women."

PREVIEWING THE WOMEN: Head coach Wally Morton and his staff worked hard in the off-season to bring in additional talent to compete alongside CSU's capable returning athletes and improve on last year's seventh-place finish at the Horizon League Championships. The 2008-09 squad includes five seniors, one junior, three sophomores and eight freshmen. The newcomers continue to live up to expectations and carry the load. Freshmen have the team's top times in 14 of the 17 individual events they swam this year, and in both diving events. Carys Behn has the team's top times in five of the six freestyle events including the 50 (24.39), 100 (52.99), 200 (1:52.52, school record), 500 (5:04.29, school record) and 1,000 (10:23.19, school record) while sophomore Erin Green has the top time in the 1,650 (18:20.90). Freshman Maria Culjak has recorded two of the three top times in the backstroke events. Culjak swam a 1:00.10 in the 100 and 2:08.52 in the 200 for the best times of the season. Whitney Hickey has the team's best time in the 50 backstroke (28.38). Rachel Arzadon has been the team's best breaststroker, leading in the 50 (32.12), 100 (1:09.23) and 200 (2:29.58) events. Three different swimmers hold the team's top times in the butterfly events. Splain has the best 50 butterfly time (27.04), followed by Behn in the 100 (58.85) and senior Katie Bellew in the 200 (2:10.06). Behn also holds the team's top time in the 200 IM (2:11.75) while Kristine Bunker has the top time in the 400 IM (4:55.30). In the diving events, freshman Kacey Cummings has recorded season-bests in both the 1-meter (256.50) and 3-meter (268.12) events this season.

MORTON ON THE CSU MEN: "The Valparaiso and UIC meets are important preparation for the Horizon League Championships. The Valpo meet includes both the 1,650 free and 400 IM, which are two events we normally do not get to swim in dual meets. Our swimmers can use their time for seeding at the HL Championships, and more importantly, rehearse and improve their pacing. "The UIC meet is another very tough meet for the men as they have assembled an excellent young team. Our goal is to perform at a high level away from our friendly waters prior to the taper."

PREVIEWING THE MEN: A conference contender for the last 35 seasons with 18 championships since 1974, the CSU men enter the 2008-09 season poised to make a run at its second Horizon League title in four seasons. All the pieces are in place including Nedim Nisic, a 2008 Summer Olympian, and Jakub Dobies, a two-time NCAA Championship competitor. In addition to eight freshmen, the Vikings return three sophomores, three juniors and three seniors. CSU's talented returning class picked up where it left off last season and is enjoying the addition of its talented freshman class. The Vikings' considerable depth is visible in the 2008-09 top times list. Heading into the final dual meets of the season, seven different athletes are listed with top times in the swimming events this season. In the freestyle events, junior Jakub Dobies leads the way in the 50 (20.70) and 100 (45.50) while freshman Mark deSwardt has recorded the top times in the 200 (1:42.11), 500 (4:27.12), 1,000 (9:05.64, school record) and 1,650 (15:20.75). In the backstroke, senior Nedim Nisic leads the team in the 50 (23.31) with junior Todd Winchell heading the 100 (51.33) while freshman Colin Hanner has the team's top time in the 200 (1:53.44). Dobies has also recorded the Vikings' top time in the 50 (25.78) and 100 breaststroke (55.92) while senior Marko Milenkovic is tops in the 200 (2:04.97). Grove has the team's top time in the 50 fly (22.95) while Winchell has the team's top 100 fly (48.80, school record) and deSwardt leads the 200 (1:50.25). In the IM events, Dobies leads the Vikings in the 200 (1:53.55) while deSwardt is at the top of the 400 IM list (3:59.43). Freshman Matt DiMasso leads the diving events, with season-best scores in both the 1-meter (252.90) and 3-meter (242.85) events.

deSWARDT SHATTERS CSU, LEAGUE RECORD: There were several great accomplishments during the men's final home dual of the season against Wright State, but none was more impressive than what Mark deSwardt did to the 1,000 freestyle record. He won the event in 9:05.64, nearly 13 seconds faster than his previous best time and 11 seconds ahead of CSU's school record of 9:16.53 set by Henk Markgraaff in 1999. The time was also a Horizon League record and is currently the fifth-fastest time in the nation this season. deSwardt also picked up wins in the 200 fly (1:50.25) while swimming the fourth-fastest time in school history and won the 500 free (4:28.98).

BETTER SCHOOL RECORD FOR BEHN: Freshman Carys Behn had an outstanding day in her final home meet of the season against Wright State and Youngstown State. In addition to winning the 200 free (1:53.22) and swimming the fifth-fastest time in school history in the 100 free (52.99) as the leadoff of the winning 400 free relay (which posted a season-best time of 3:35.84), Behn bettered her own school record in the 500 free (dropping her time from the previous record of 5:04.53 to 5:04.29).

MORTON SECURES 250TH WIN: CSU head coach Wally Morton hit another milestone in his accomplished coaching career on Jan. 24 when the Viking men knocked off Wright State in dual action. During the 133-108 win, Morton recorded his 250th dual win with the men, the most of all active Horizon League men's coaches.

THREE FRESHMEN POST SUB-10 MINUTE TIMES: Mark deSwardt's school record may have gotten all the attention, but CSU's three 1,000 freestylers combined for an outstanding effort that went deeper than their 1-2-3 finish. deSwardt won the event in 9:05.64 but Pieter Ritz and Colin Hanner also joined him with their first times under 10 minutes this season. Ritz finished second (9:54.47) while Hanner was third (9:59.65). Later in the meet Hanner also won the 100 back (1:54.43) while Ritz placed second to deSwardt in the 500 free (4:43.02).

ANOTHER SOLID WEEK FOR CULJAK: Freshman Maria Culjak had another outstanding week for the Vikings. She swam a season-best 2:15.26 to finish fourth in the 200 IM and was third in the 200 back. Additionally, she swam the second leg of CSU's winning 400 free relay that also swam a season-best time. NISIC SHOWS DEPTH: CSU's Olympian followed up one solid week with another during the final home meet of his career. Nisic swam his best time of the season in the 200 back (1:57.78, 3rd) and added his best time of 47.08 in the 100 free as the leadoff of CSU's second-place 400 free relay. In the meet's first event, he anchored the winning 400 medley relay.

SENIOR SHINES IN HOME FINALE: Kristine Bunker took advantage of her final day of competition in the R.F. Busbey Natatorium swimming her season-best time in the 200 fly (2:19.48, 5th). She was also a member of CSU's winning 400 free relay that recorded a new season best.

MILENKOVIC ADDS NAME TO RECORD BOOK: During the final individual event of the his Senior Day meet, Marko Milenkovic swam the seventh-fastest time in school history to win the 200 breast (2:04.97), his fastest (and the team's fastest) time of the year.

TWO NEW BEST TIMES FOR HICKEY: Whitney Hickey posted tremendous times in the home finale, including her best times of the year in the 50 free (25.24, 2nd) and 200 fly (2:14.21, 3rd). She also swam the third leg of CSU's winning 400 free relay that recorded a new season-best time.

DOBIES WINS TWO FOR VIKINGS: Jakub Dobies cruised to two first-place finishes for the Vikings in the final home meet of the year. He won both events - the 100 free (45.50) and 200 IM (1:53.55) in his (and the team's) best times of the year. He also placed fifth in the 200 breast on the day.

THIS WEEK'S HONORABLE MENTIONS (From Jan. 24): • Zvonimir Androic swam a season-best 200 fly (1:54.25, 2nd). • Rachel Arzadon swam a season-best 200 IM (2:19.83). • Volkmar Baur swam a season-best 200 fly (2:00.38, 4th) and 200 IM (2:03.61, 6th). • Sandra Bunker swam a season-best 200 free (2:03.78). • Derek Butts swam a season-best 200 free (1:54.65, 6th). • Heather Dietz recorded a season-best 1-meter dive score (203.95, 3rd). • Matt DiMasso recorded a season-best 3-meter dive score (242.85, 3rd). • Keith Everhart swam a season-best 100 free (47.34, 5th). • Erin Green swam a season-best 200 breast (2:31.56, 5th) and 1,000 free (10:54.84, 6th). • Travis Lombardozzi swam a season-best 100 free (49.15) as a member of a 400 free relay. • Mike Marsico swam a season-best 100 free (47.20, 4th). • Brittany McCann swam a season-best 200 breast (2:39.05). • Diana Mruk swam a season-best 100 free (57.67) as the leadoff of a 400 free relay team. • Kristina Nagy swam a season-best 50 free (25.46). • Emily Splain swam a season-best 100 free (54.40, 2nd). • The women's 400 free relay of Carys Behn, Maria Culjak, Whit- ney Hickey and Kristine Bunker won the event in season-best time (3:35.84). • The men's 400 free relay of Nedim Nisic, Stephen Grove, Todd Winchell and Mike Marsico swam the fastest time of the season (3:05.15, 2nd).

2008-09 HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS: The Cleveland State Vikings have been honored six times by the Horizon League this season. The following CSU athletes have earned Swimmer of the Week honors. Carys Behn - Oct. 22 Mark deSwardt - Oct. 29, Nov. 19, Dec. 10, Jan. 28 Todd Winchell - Jan. 21 Vikings athletes have also earned academic honors from the league. This season, the following swimmers have been named Horizon League Scholar Athlete of the Month. Stephen Grove - October

MEN'S & WOMEN'S HEAD COACH: Wally Morton (Miami, OH, '70) AT CSU: (as men's coach): 250-137-1 (28 years); (as women's coach): 11-18 (2nd year) Morton, who is in his second season as the head coach of the women's program and his 28th season as the head men's coach, has led the Vikings to 12 conference championships and 24 winning seasons in his 27 years at the helm of the men's program. Morton, who also serves as CSU's Director of Aquatics, has led the Vikings to seven 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 five of the last six seasons.

NEXT UP: The Horizon League Championships begin Wednesday, Feb. 25 and go through Saturday, Feb. 28. The Championships are hosted by Milwaukee this season and will be held in Brown Deer, Wisconsin.