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Vikings Welcome Ohio State

Vikings Welcome Ohio State
Posted: Nov 24, 2008

Contact: Julie Farr DeLima

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Nov. 24, 2008

CLEVELAND, Ohio - -

Contact: Julie Farr DeLima

SETTING THE SCENE: The Cleveland State men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium to host Ohio State on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Competition begins at 5:00 p.m.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: Not much stood in the way of the Cleveland State men's swimming and diving team last week as the men went 4-1, improving to 7-2 on the season. On Nov. 11, the Vikings swept Gannon (140-86), John Carroll (149-72) and Notre Dame College (149-41) at the City College Championships. On Nov. 15, the Viking men split a dual with Notre Dame and Miami (OH). CSU defeated Miami 135-102 and fell to Notre Dame 132-109. The CSU women improved their season record to 6-4 with a sweep of Notre Dame College (178-54), Gannon (149-91) and John Carroll (182.5-38.5) on Nov. 11 at the City College Championship. Below is a brief recap of the most recent Viking action.

MEN (7-2) - CSU 140, Gannon 86 (Nov. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio); CSU 149, John Carroll 72 (Nov. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio); CSU 149, Notre Dame College 41 (Nov. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio); CSU 135, Miami OH 102 (Nov. 15 in Cleveland, Ohio); Notre Dame 132, CSU 109 (Nov. 15 in Cleveland, Ohio): The men showed strength and depth in every event last week. At the City College Championships, CSU won all but one event while picking up three dual wins. Dual winners for the Vikings included Matt DiMasso (1- and 3-meter dives), Mark deSwardt (1,000 freestyle [9:20.21, 3rd best in school history], 200 IM), Jakub Dobies (200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke) and Nedim Nisic (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle). The Vikings also won both relay events. Marko Milenkovic, who swam the 100 breaststroke as an exhibition race, recorded the ninth-fastest time in school history (57.30) to move into the all-time Top-10 list. In a double-dual with Notre Dame and Miami (OH), CSU won all but one event over Miami and despite an overall loss, defeated Notre Dame in the swimming events. deSwardt won three races on the day, including the 1,000 freestyle, 200 butterly (1:51.38, 9th best in school history) and the 500 freestyle (4:33.92, 8th best in school history). Milenkovic picked up a win for the Vikings in the 200 breaststroke (2:05.36), recording a faster time than he swam at the 2008 Horizon League Championship. CSU again won both relays, recording season-best times in both.

WOMEN (6-4) - CSU 149, Gannon 91 (Nov. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio); CSU 182.5, John Carroll 385. (Nov. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio); CSU 178, Notre Dame College 54 (Nov. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio): The women's team improved its dual record to 6-4 with a three-team sweep at the City College Championship. Kacey Cummings won both the 1- and 3-meter diving events for the Vikings to get the meet started. In the swimming events, CSU won five events and both relays. Emily Splain won both the 200 freestyle (1:57.86) and the 100 backstroke (1:02.85) while Carys Behn won both the 50 freestyle (24.83) and 100 butterfly (59.25). Rachel Arzadon matched her season-best time of 1:09.27 to win the 100 breaststroke and tie her ninth-fastest swim in school history. The Vikings also showed depth in the 100 freestyle, taking 2-3-4 finishes with Kristine Bunker (55.49), Kristina Nagy (55.74) and Brittany Tweardy (56.10).

MORTON ON THE OHIO STATE MEET: "Ohio State is always one of the highlights of our schedule and this year it is even more special as we welcome back Buckeye Head Women's Swimming Coach Bill Dorenkott (CSU Class of 1991). Bill was a great swimmer at Cleveland State and is one of the top young coaches in college swimming. He is in his first year at OSU after coaching at Penn State (three Big Ten Championships) and Ashland University. We are very proud of his success. "The OSU men's team is ranked 11th nation and has perhaps its best team in many years. The Buckeyes will be contending for the Big Ten Championship and a Top-10 ranking at the NCAA Championships this season so our swimmers will have to bring their `A' games to compete. "The Vikings are coming off of a grueling week of training and after the meet we want everyone to have a relaxing Thanksgiving and make sure they concentrate on their studies in preparation for final exams in two weeks."

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 12 of the 13 individual events they swam this year, and in both diving events. Carys Behn has the team's top times in all five freestyle events including the 50 (24.80), 100 (53.52), 200 (1:53.48), 500 (5:04.53, school record) and 1,000 (10:28.06). Freshman Emily Splain has recorded all three Viking top times in the 50 (28.80), 100 (1:00.69) and 200 (2:13.16) backstroke events. Rachel Arzadon has been the team's best breaststroker, leading both the 100 (1:09.27) and 200 (2:30.13) events. Behn and senior Katie Bellew share the top times in the butterfly events. Behn leads Bellew in the 100 (58.92) while Bellew's time betters Behn in the 200 (2:10.06). Behn also holds the team's top time in the 200 IM (2:11.75). 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.

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 their 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. As the team approaches the halfway mark of the season, six different athletes are listed with top times in the swimming events this season. In the freestyle events, junior Stephen Grove leads the way in the 50 (20.94) while junior Jakub Dobies is tops in the 100 (45.89) and 200 (1:43.77). Freshman Mark deSwardt is listed at the top of the 500 (4:33.92) and the 1.00 (9:20.21). In the backstroke, junior Todd Winchell leads the 50 (24.44) and 100 (52.26) while sophomore Zvonimir Androic has the team's top time in the 200 (1:53.93). Dobies has also recorded the Vikings' top time in the 100 breaststroke (56.75) while senior Marko Milenkovic is tops in the 200 (2:05.36). Grove has the team's top time in the 100 butterfly (50.32) while deSwardt leads the 200 (1:51.38). In the 200 IM, deSwardt leads the Vikings (1:55.60). Freshman Matt DiMasso leads the diving events, with season-best scores in both the 1-meter (252.90) and 3-meter (233.02) events.

deSWARDT CAN'T BE STOPPED: CSU freshman Mark deSwardt continues to improve every week and is a big part of the Vikings' 7-2 dual record. After his most recent performances that included five individual wins, deSwardt was selected the Horizon League Swimmer of the Week for the second time this season. And his performances speak for themselves. In a three-team sweep at the City College Championships on Nov. 11, deSwardt won the 1,000 freestyle in 9:20.21, the third-fastest time in CSU history while also leading a 1-2-3 CSU finish in the 200 IM (1:55.60). Later in the week, deSwardt won three events in a double-dual with Notre Dame and Miami (Ohio). In addition to winning the 1,000 free, he picked up victories in the 500 freestyle (4:33.92, 8th fastest time in CSU history) and the 200 butterfly (1:51.38, 9th fastest time in CSU history).

LUCKY 13 FOR ALL-TIME TOP TIMES: The season is just now approaching the halfway mark and already 13 different times have been added to CSU's all-time Top-10 list. On the women's side, nine times have qualified for the list with six by freshman Carys Behn, two by freshman Emily Splain and one by freshman Rachel Arzadon. On the men's side, freshman Mark deSwardt has added his name to three different lists while senior Marko Milenkovic rounds out the 13th top time. Behn continues to excel in the freestyle events, holding the school record in the 500 free (5:0453) and carrying the second fastest time in the 200 free (1:53.48) and the 1,000 free (10:28.06), the seventh fasest time in the 100 free (53.52) and the eighth fastest time in the 200 IM (2:11.75). Emily Splain is No. 8 in the 100 back (1:00.69) and No. 10 in the 200 back (2:13.16) while Arzadon is No. 9 in the 100 breast (1:09.27). For the men, deSwardt has the third fastest time in the 1,000 free (9:20.21), the eighth fastest time in the 500 free (4:33.92) and the ninth fastest time in the 200 fly (1:51.38). Milenkovic is listed at No. 9 in the 100 breast (57.23).

THIS WEEK'S HONORABLE MENTIONS: • Zvonimir Androic recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time in the 200 back (1:53.93) during his 2nd place finish on Nov. 15. • Rachel Arzadon tied her own (and the CSU's) 2008-09 top time in the 100 breast (1:09.27) during her win on Nov. 11. • Mark deSwardt recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time during his wins in the 500 free (4:33.92) and 200 fly (1:51.38) on Nov. 15. • Jakub Dobies recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time in the 100 free (45.89, 2nd) and 200 free (1:43.77, 3rd) on Nov. 15. • Stephen Grove recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time in the 50 free (20.94) during his 2nd place finish on Nov. 15. • Marko Milenkovic recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time in the 200 breast (2:05.36) during his win on Nov. 15. • Todd Winchell recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time in the 100 back (52.26) as the leadoff leg in CSU's winning 400 medley relay on Nov. 15. • The women's 200 free relay team of Kristine Bunker, Carys Behn, Kristina Nagy and Maria Culjak recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time (1:40.85) during its win on Nov. 11. • The men's 400 free relay team of Jakub Dobies, Nedim Nisic, Keith Everhart and Mike Marsico recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time (3:07.36) during its win on Nov. 15. • The men's 400 medley relay team of Todd Winchell, Marko Milenkovic, Stephen Grove and Nedim Nisic recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time (3:25.33) during its win on Nov. 15.

2008-09 HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS: The Cleveland State Vikings have been honored three 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 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): 248-135-1 (28 years); (as women's coach): 10-14 (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 teams have a quiet month of December. They will be at the Akron/Ohio State Invitational December 5-7 and will compete in their Holiday Invitational on December 20.