INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  - The 2021 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships finished on Saturday evening, as the Viking men took second place with an overall score of 718.5, while the women finished fifth, scoring 358.

"I need to tip my cap to the Horizon League for everything this past week," said Head Coach Hannah Burandt. "Moving the championship meet back was the absolute best call - it was the best way to wrap up such an unusual year."

PDF RESULTS

TEAM SCORES WOMEN
1) Oakland – 939
2) UIC – 544.5
3) Milwaukee – 476
4) IUPUI – 376.5
5) Cleveland State – 358
6) Green Bay – 338
7) Youngstown State – 274 

Freshman Bob Fick won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:46.39. Bob Lenart also competed in the 200 butterfly, finishing with a time of 1:50.69.

"Bob (Fick) chose to swim for this team," said Burandt. "He chose Cleveland State. He's going to go on and do such big things and I'm so proud of him."

Fick was named Horizon League Freshman of the Year, becoming only the seventh Viking to garner the league's award, and the first since Justin Kermack in 2011.

Freshman Spencer Tussing took home the second spot in the 1650-yard freestyle with an overall time of 15:25.71. Fellow Viking freshman Jake Taulbee finished right behind Tussing in the 1650 free, notching a time of 15:30.36.

Four Cleveland State swimmers competed in the 200-yard backstroke finals, as Dominik Niedzialek finished second (1:43.79) and Timothy Kubacki took third (1:43.84), while Nathen Eberhardt (1:47.16) finished sixth and Jake Taulbee (1:48.03) snagged seventh.

Colin Martin placed second in the 100-yard freestlye with a time of 44.04, which is good for fourth-best in program history.

In the 200-yard breastroke, Griffin Manning (1:58.95) and Jack Krusinski (1:58.46) took second and third place, respectively, while Nikita Pisarenko (2:00.79) finished in the seventh spot.

The Green and White took second in the 400 freestyle relay, as Nathen Eberhardt, Kenny Thomas, Colin Martin and Spencer Tussing notched a score of 1:49.85.

"It was just the most amazing meet," Burandt stated. "Our athletes swam better than they've ever swum before. This team made me a better coach this year. I love them all. It was phenomenal."

On the women's side, Lexie Kostelnik took home second place in the 1650-yard freestyle with an overall time of 17:04.02. 

Sule van der Merwe broke a program record in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:00.22, finishing third in the the race. The senior broke her own record, previously set in 2019 (2:00.62).

Rachel Contich finished seventh in the 100 freestyle, clocking in at 52.35.

"Rachel swam lights out," Burandt said. "She had some big time swims, as did Emily, Sule, Irena, Ana - all of the lady Vikes had a fantastic meet and I couldn't be more proud of each and every one of them."

Kellsie Krisch finished sixth in the 200 breastroke with an overall time of (2:19.80), while the Green and White took third in the 400-yard freestyle relay as Emily Deitz, Irena Weclawiak, Ana Sousa and Rachel Contich strung together a time of 3:27.02.

"To have these athletes stick out this season, amongst all of the uncertainties, is amazing," said Burandt. "It's a testament to who they are as people and who they are as leaders. These kids can overcome anything in life and it's an absolute honor to be their coach. I couldn't be luckier to coach these goup of athletes and to work with Ben, Pieter, Rich, Winnie and Danielle. It was a crazy year, but an amazing year."

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