Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships

OMAHA, Nebraska, February 21. THE St. Cloud State men's and women's swimming and diving teams earned the sweep in the final day of the Northern Sun Championships today (Feb. 21), with the women leading wire-to-wire, and the men coming from behind on the final day for the win.

The women had over a 100 point cushion ahead of second place with their 1,032 points, compared to Minnesota State's 931. Host Nebraska-Omaha was third with 878 and South Dakota was fourth with 863. MSU Moorhead came in fifth with 808, and Northern State rounded out the women's team scores with 234 points.

The SCSU men, were in second for three days, but closed the gap day after day. Finally today they were able to over take Minnesota State as the Huskies finished with 734 points to 726 for the Mavericks. With 609 points, South Dakota came in third.

Three individuals and two relay's highlighted the day as champions for the Huskies. First Alisha Blaydes (Elk River, Minn.) was champion in the 100-yard freestyle with a school record and NCAA qualifying time of 51.51. Blaydes broke the eight-year-old record of 51.65 set by Heather Miller in 2000.

Kyle Cordry (Las Cruces, N.M.) made it all Huskies in the 100 free winners circle, when he touched the wall in 45.65. Cordry's time was also a NCAA qualifying mark and broke his own school record of 45.95 set last season.

Robb Rotramel (Ramsey, Minn.) made it a one-two finish for the Huskies with his second place time of 46.11.

On the three-meter board, Kelsey Berkeland (Coon Rapids, Minn,) was the third Husky to win when she scored a NCAA qualifying mark of 452.80. Berkeland was nearly 60 points ahead of her nearest competitor.

The Huskies then closed the meet with wins in the final two events as both the men's and women's 400-yard freestyle relay teams took home top honors.

The women's team of Kirsten Koetter (Melrose, Minn.), Elizabeth Lopez (Allen, Tex.), Kelly Vieau (Delano, Minn.), and Blaydes swam to a 3:30.02 finish, which set another school record and makes them the fourth women's relay team to head to nationals this season.

Not to be outdone, Rotramel, Anthony Buhr (Minneapolis), Cordry, and Kyle Green (Bettendorf, Iowa) teamed up to post a 3:03.86, set a school record of their own, and make them the second men's relay to qualify for nationals. Still trailing heading into the final event of the meet, the men needed a win for the championship, and inside the raucous pool in Omaha, they came in just two tenths of a second ahead of second place, to earn the title.

Kelsey Noah (Charles City, Iowa) set a school record in the 1650 free with her third place time of 17:45.71. After setting the 200 back record in the morning, Cathy Haen (Evelth, Minn.) broke it with a 2:04.40 for second place in the evening championships. Hean's mark is also a national qualifier.

Following their dual Northern Sun Championship meet titles, the SCSU men and women also took home some individual hardware as well. Head coach Jeff Hegle was named women's Head Coach of the Year and men's Co-head Coach of the Year. Diving coach Tracy Torgerson, was named Diving Coach of they Year, while Nate Jimerson (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Berkeland were named men's and women's diver of the year respectively. Finally Koetter earned women's Freshman of the Year honors.

"It was one of those once in a lifetime meets you get to be a part of," said Coach of the Year, Hegle. "The kids would swim fast in the morning, and come back at night and swim even faster, it was amazing."

The Husky contingent will now spend the next few weekends off to prepare for the National Championship meet Mar. 11-14.

Special thanks to St. Cloud State for contributing this report.

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