Nov. 30, 2005
CLEVELAND - A flurry of top times and a pool record propelled a trio of Vikings to Horizon League weekly honors, the league announced on Wednesday (Nov. 30). Diver Thatcher Carr was named the league Diver of the Week, while women's swimmer Marianne Lionell and men's swimmer Bjorn Schantz claimed their respective Swimmer of the Week awards.
The award is Carr's fourth honor this season, while Lionell receives the honor for the second time and Schantz for the first.
Carr set a McCorkle Aquatic Center record in the one-meter boards at Ohio State on Nov. 22, diving to a 328.65 for his 25th-straight win. His winning streak ended on the three-meter board with a third-place score of 310.72, but he has still managed to score a 300 or higher in all 26 of his career events.
"It was a little disappointing not to win the three-meter, but it was against some of the best competition in the region," diving coach Rich Karban said. "We were experimenting with a new dive that he has not done a lot, and we figured that it was a good chance to test it against some good competition. I think he has a lot more in store for the rest of the season."
Lionell improved on her season-best times against the Buckeyes, swimming to second-place times in the 100 freestyle (53.50) and the 100 breaststroke (1:07.88). She also swam the breaststroke leg for the second-place 200 medley relay team.
"We put our focus on swimming fast at the end of the year and try not to worrying too much about the early meets," women's head coach Mike Lehto said. "Marianne is showing improvement and getting faster as the year goes on which is what we want to see."
Schantz improved on his Horizon League-best times in the 500 freestyle and 1,000 freestyle against OSU, winning the 500 in 4:33.88 and cutting nearly six seconds off his 1,000 time with a 9:23.94. He also holds the top league mark in the 200 freestyle (1:40.28).
"Bjorn is well deserving of the honor," men's head coach Wally Morton said. "He is performing at his peak potential in not only the distance but the sprint where he has helped us tremendously. The fact that he put up season beast times at a time when he was on short rest shows me that he is primed for an outstanding year."
The Vikings head to Oxford, Ohio on Thursday (Dec. 1) for the Miami Open on Dec. 1-3.
