April 27, 2012
Contact: Tim Ertle
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SOMERS, Wis. - Six members of the Cleveland State University swimming and diving program earned honorable mention Mid-Major All-American status, CollegeSwimming.com announced on Friday (April 27) morning.
Juniors Joanna Olsson and Alice Sommerville were chosen from the women's team while third-year student-athletes Justin Hill and Berry Thompson joined sophomores Alex Lewis and Justin Kermack in receiving the honor from the men's team.
"What a great honor for our student-athletes," head coach Wally Morton said. "It continues a tradition of excellence at the highest level. We are very proud of the fact that we are one of the top mid-major programs in the nation. It is representative of the strength of the Horizon League and the rich history of Cleveland State swimming and diving."
Olsson broke school records in the 200 (2:03.83) and 400 (4:19.57) IM events in addition to shattering records in the 200 breast (2:21.23) and 200 fly (2:02.42) in 2011-12. She swam on three relay teams that set new school records during the 2011-12 season. As an individual, Olsson was top-three in three separate events at the Horizon League Championships.
Sommerville won the 50 free (23.12) at the Horizon League Championships after setting a school record with a 22.98 in that event earlier in the season. She took second in the 100 fly (54.78) at the league meet, just .01 behind teammate Alexandra Johansson and placed third in the 100 breast with a school record and NCAA B-Cut time of 1:02.62.
The junior from Methven, New Zealand was a member of four relay teams that set school records in 2011-12. She swam on two relay teams that won titles at the league meet, including the 400 free relay (3:22.32) team that set a school, league and championship record.
Hill, the Horizon League Swimmer of the Week from Oct. 10-16, led off the victorious 200 free relay team (1:20.53) at the Horizon League Championships. He also was the anchor of the victorious 200 medley relay team that turned in a 1:30.18. As an individual, Hill took third at the league meet in both the 50 (20.38) and 100 (44.91) free events with the 100 free time earning him the fourth quickest result in school history.
His top 50 free time of the season (22.30) was second best on the team, and he was second on the 2011-12 squad in both the 100 free (44.91) and 100 back (51.63). Hill was also top-five on the team in the 50 back (24.64), 50 breast (27.09) and 100 breast (1:00.20). He was on top 200 free, 200 medley and 400 free relay teams that the Vikings sent out this year.
Thompson set a school, league and championship record in the 100 free (43.33) at the Horizon League Championships. He was on the victorious 200 free and 400 medley relay teams at the league meet while taking second in the 50 free (20.24 - B-Cut) and third in the 100 fly (48.91).
The three-time Horizon League Swimmer of the Week, Thompson was top-five on the team in five individual events and swam on four of the top five CSU relay teams this season.
Lewis teamed with Hill, Thompson and Al Shillito on the third fastest 200 free relay (1:20.53) team in school history when they won the event with that B-Cut time at the Horizon League Championships. He set a school record in the 100 fly (48.28) prelims at the league meet then placed second in the finals with a 48.80.
He placed sixth at the Horizon League Championships with a 20.53 - the sixth best time in program history - and was 10th in the 100 free (45.47), a time that was the ninth best time at Cleveland State. Lewis was the fastest on the team in the 50 fly (22.64).
Kermack was the Horizon League champion in both the 200 fly (1:47.48) and the 400 IM (3:54.53) - both of which were NCAA B-Cut qualifying times. He qualified for the finals in the 200 meter fly at the 2011 AT&T Winter National Championships, placing ninth nationally.
The sophomore, who swam a CSU top-10 all-time race in three different individual events in 2012, set a school record with a 1:47.30 in the 200 fly. He was top-five on the team in seven different individual events. He swam on the top 800 free (6:44.97) and 400 medley (3:18.24) relay teams posted by CSU in 2012. The 400 medley relay team won the league title and posted the third best time in program history.
After both the men and women placed third at the 2011 league meet, both teams jumped a spot to second this year and finished behind host Milwaukee. For the men, the 726.5 team points were the most earned by Cleveland State since the Vikings won the team title in 2006. The women's second place finish was the top mark in program history.
The following conferences have been designated as Mid-Majors: America East, Atlantic 10, Colonial Athletic Association, Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mountain Pacific, Missouri Valley, Patriot, Sun Belt, Summit, and Western Athletic.- Institutions are also eligible by awarding fewer than half of the maximum-allowable scholarships (seven for women, five for men).
