Feb. 19, 2007

Contact: Josh Rattray

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Cleveland State Swimming and Diving

at Horizon League Championships

Dates: Feb. 21-24, 2007

Time: 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday

Location: Flames Natatorium - Chicago, Ill.

SETTING THE SCENE: The men's and women's swimming teams each head into the Horizon League Championships looking to repeat memorable performances from a year ago. The Viking men are the defending league champions while the women are trying to repeat their school-record team points performance. Competition begins Wednesday (Feb. 21) at Flames Natatorium at UIC and continues through Saturday (Feb. 24).

PREVIEWING THE WOMEN'S TEAM: The CSU women's squad (3-11) is a led by senior Marianne Lionell, who currently leads CSU in five events (50, 100 and 200 free, 100 and 200 breast). Sophomore twins Kristine and Sandra Bunker are among the team's top distance swimmers, with Sandra leading the team in the 500 and 1,000 free and Kristine ranking second. Along with Lionell, junior Lesley Jones is among the team's top sprint swimmers, ranking in the top three in the 50, 100 and 200 free. Junior Deanna Raedel and freshman Eileen Bringman also provide support in the sprint corps. The return of sophomore Jen MacLauchlan, who was ill throughout the fall semester, gives CSU a chance to capture IM and backstroke points. The Vikings have also found a diver in junior Trisha Simon, the first female at CSU this decade to compete in diving events.

PREVIEWING THE MEN'S TEAM: The CSU men's squad (11-3) enters the league title meet as the defending champion. The team is led by senior Bjorn Schantz, last year's Horizon League Swimming Athlete of the Year, who was also named the Men's Outstanding Swimmer at the league championships. Schantz leads the league in the 200 and 500 free and is second in the 1,000 and mile free. Schantz holds school records in the 200 (1:39.15) and 500 (4:24.65) and his time in the 500 was good for the Horizon League Championship record last year.

                The Vikings received a large boost when they added freshman Jakub Dobies to the lineup at semester. The Poland native has not wasted any time making a splash at CSU, setting a school record in the 100 breast (55.29) in his very first meet. When combined with sophomore Stef Potgieter and junior Dave Duecker, CSU has three of the league's top five breaststroke swimmers.

                Sophomores Marko Milenkovic and Nedim Nisic are also among the league's top performers. Milenkovic is the team's top sprint swimmer, holding the league's second-best time (46.00) in the 100 free and is ranked third in the 200 free (1:41.69). Nisic is the team's top butterfly swimmer posting a top time in the 100 (49.64) while ranking third in the 200 fly (1:52.08). Senior Chris Dalman is among the top divers in the midwest, holding the league's top marks in both the one-meter (370.65) and three-meter (405.15) in addition to owning the school record in both events. Along with junior Dan Baiko, the two divers give the Vikings a chance to dominate the diving events.

HOPING FOR REPEAT PERFORMANCES: Both Vikings squads have a track record for competing well at the league meet. Last year, the Viking men won the league title, their third in nine years, and the women set a school record with 358.5 team points.

'BJORN' TO SWIM: Bjorn Schantz, the reigning Horizon League Swim Athlete of the Year, owns league-best times in the 200 free (1:39.75 on Nov. 21) and 500 free (4:30.42 on Dec. 2) and is second in the league in the 1,000 and mile. At some point this season, he has been at the top of the league leaderboard in each of those events. Schantz has won 12 individual events this season, including five in the 500 and four in the 1,000 free, and ranks second on the team in dual points with 225 in 13 dual meets. The Sweden native also competes in the freestyle relays, swimming the anchor leg of two top time relay efforts.

...TOP TIMES AND TOP GRADES: Schantz, an international business major who owns a 3.89 GPA, was named the Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week five times in the fall semester. He won the league honor twice each in October and November and once more on December 5. He was one of 28 swimmers named to the league's academic honor roll, and his 3.89 mark is the best in the Horizon League.

`DALMAN-ATION' : After posting a 405.15 in the three-meter dive on Jan. 27 versus Miami (Ohio), Chris Dalman now owns the school record in both diving events. He set the school record in the one-meter dive with a 415.40 against UIC on Feb. 4, 2006. Dalman is the clear favorite heading into the league meet, having been named Horizon League Diver of the Week five times this year. Dalman's diving prowess, along with solid performances by Dan Baiko, has given the Vikings a big lift in dual action, as CSU has outscored its opponents, 325-126, in diving events, including 240 points from Dalman.

LIONELL THE LEADER: Marianne Lionell holds the team's top times in five events. The Sodertalje, Sweden native leads the Vikings in the 50 free (24.59 on Dec. 1), 100 free (53.30 on Dec. 2), 200 free (2:00.09 on Oct. 21), 100 breast (1:07.59 on Dec. 1) and 200 breast (2:32.80 on Oct. 21). She is CSU's only female swimmer ranked in the Horizon League top five, as she ranks fifth in the league in the 50 free and 100 breast.

WOMEN'S HEAD COACH:

Mike Lehto (Cleveland State '85)

At CSU: 88-98 (13th Year)

Overall: Same

Lehto, the winningest women's swimming coach in Cleveland State history, has mentored the Vikings to five straight seasons at .500 or better. Under his tutelage, Samantha Jones became the school's first Horizon League Female Swim Athlete of the Year in 2005.

MEN'S HEAD COACH:

Wally Morton (Miami (OH) '70)

At CSU: 230-129 (26th Year)

Overall: Same

Morton has led the Vikings to 12 conference championships and 23 winning seasons in his 26 years at the helm of the men's program. Morton, who also serves as CSU's Director of Aquatics, has led the Vikings to five straight seasons of 10 or more dual meet victories and for four straight years a Viking has claimed the league's Male Swim Athlete of the Year Award.

UP NEXT: The season will be complete for the men's and women's teams with only those who qualify for the NCAA championships still competing.