UW-Milwaukee Sweeps Stevens Point Border Battle For Fifth-Straight Year

STEVENS POINT, Wisconsin, November 17. FOR the fifth year in a row, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has swept the men’s and women’s titles at the annual Stevens Point Border Battle at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. It is the eighth-straight year the UW-Milwaukee men’s team has won the meet. The two-day meet wrapped up yesterday and featured UW-Milwaukee, UW-Stevens Point, Northern Michigan, South Dakota and Minnesota State-Mankato.

UW-Milwaukee Women’s Press Release

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s swimming team received contributions from across the board in another strong showing in the second and final day at the Stevens Point Border Battle Saturday.

Milwaukee came out on top of area meet for the fifth-straight year, tallying an impressive 748 points. Northern Michigan came in second at 542. South Dakota was third with 485, followed by Minnesota State (345) and Stevens Point (314).

“On a weekend as a whole, we achieved our goal,” Milwaukee head coach Kyle Clements said. “The team realized that no matter how hard we train or how hard we work during the week, they’re still capable of putting up fast times. We saw a lot this week and that’s why we’re here. We’re here to push ourselves and work hard all week and then swim and execute all weekend. And not just swim, but excel in each event. We did that and I was happy with the weekend.”

Milwaukee started the day with an impressive win in the 200 medley relay. Becky Yokosh, Emily McClellan, Diana Diel and Sierra Townsend combined to post a time of 1:46.64, a full three seconds ahead of the next team.

Townsend and Diel then carried that momentum over into the 100 butterfly where the duo finished 1-2. Townsend won the event in 59.31 seconds, just ahead of Diel at 59.43.

Natalie Johnson posted another landslide victory in her first season on campus. The freshman won the 1650 free with a time of 17 minutes, 33.99 seconds, nearly 50 seconds ahead of second place.

Yokosh took the top spot in the 100 backstroke, touching the wall first in 58.23. McClellan won the 100 breast in 1:02.90, five seconds ahead of the next finisher. Yontz won the 200 free in 1:55.20, a new season-best time.

In the 800 free relay, Townsend, Yontz, Kelsey Abbas and Johnson teamed up to post a winning time of 7:56.91, nearly seven seconds ahead of the next team.

UWM had three of the top-five finishers in the 400 IM. Kristin Zablocki was third at 4:44.17, Kiersten Seidel was fourth in 4:46.21 and Hilary Woldt was fifth at 4:48.19.

The Panthers will now take a few weeks rest before returning to the pool at the end of the month. Milwaukee heads to the Iowa Hawkeye Invitational for a three-day meet Dec. 6-8 in Iowa City, Iowa.

UW-Milwaukee Men’s Press Release

For the eighth-straight season, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men’s swimming team took the top spot at the Stevens Point Border Battle, wrapping up the two-day meet with more impressive times Saturday.

UWM won the meet with 773.5 points. Host Stevens Point was second with 638 and South Dakota was third with 576.5.

“On a weekend as a whole, we achieved our goal,” Milwaukee head coach Kyle Clements said. “The team realized that no matter how hard we train or how hard we work during the week, they’re still capable of putting up fast times. We saw a lot this week and that’s why we’re here. We’re here to push ourselves and work hard all week and then swim and execute all weekend. And not just swim, but excel in each event. We did that and I was happy with the weekend.”

Milwaukee busted out of the gates Saturday, taking the top three spots in the first individual event. Nic Halverson won the 400 IM with a blazing time of 4:12.31. Kenny Stelpflug was right behind at 4:17.79 for second and Jeff Maxwell was third in 4:24.47.

Nearly the same group also dominated the 1650 free. Stelpflug this time took first, winning the mile-long event in 16 minutes, 45.50 seconds. N. Halverson was second in 16:52.44 and Tim Halverson was fourth in 17:06.45.

UWM also went 1-2 in the 100 butterfly. Mike Lucchesi claimed first with a winning time of 51.62, just ahead of freshman Max Ward at 52.76 for second place.

Senior Chris Jenkyns took the top spot in the 100 backstroke. Jenkyns touched the wall first in 53.11 for nearly a two-second victory.

The Panthers’ also won the 800 free relay as N. Halverson, Stelpflug, Lucchesi and T. Halverson combined to finish the event in 6:59.89, nearly eight seconds ahead of second place.

In the 200 medley relay, Jenkyns, Teddy Stackman, Ward and Lucchesi teamed up to post a time of 1:37.86, just missing the top spot and taking second.

T. Halverson just placed second in the 200 free with a time of 1:44.86, fractions of a second from a win.

In the 100 breaststroke, Joe Chokran came in fourth in 1:01.77, followed tightly by brother David Chokran in 1:02.66 for fifth.

The Panthers will now take a few weeks rest before returning to the pool at the end of the month. Milwaukee heads to the Iowa Hawkeye Invitational for a three-day meet Dec. 6-8 in Iowa City, Iowa.

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