Defending Bluegrass Mountain Champs Wingate Swimming Sweeps St. Andrews

Photo Courtesy: Kyle Staggs

LAURINGBURG, North Carolina, October 19. Defending Bluegrass Mountain Champion Wingate swimming roughed up St. Andrews on Saturday as the men won 168-65 and the women picked up a 196-37 triumph.

Wingate Press Release

The defending Bluegrass Mountain Conference champion Wingate University men’s and women’s swimming teams won 26 of 28 events en route to a twin bill sweep over St. Andrews University Saturday at the O’Herron Pool. The Wingate women claimed a 196-37 victory, while the Bulldog men posted a 168-65 triumph. The doubleheader was the season-opening dual meet for both schools.

“I was pleasantly surprised with our performances today,” Wingate head coach Kirk Sanocki says. “This was a great meet for us to start the season. I didn’t think we would do poorly by any means…but with the number of newcomers we have…along with the fact we were on the road…I wasn’t sure.”

The Bulldogs have 12 freshmen (seven men, five women) on their 2014-15 rosters. “Our new people did very well today,” Sanocki says. “We are expecting good things (from them). After six weeks of training, our newcomers are learning the system.”

“We must carry this work forward,” Sanocki says. “We have much room for improvement. As I say every day, this is a year-long process for both our new swimmers and our veterans. Right now, I couldn’t be happier with our start to the 2014-15 season.”

Wingate men 168, St. Andrews 65

Wingate sophomore Leif-Henning Klüver (Risum-Lindholm, Germany) won three individual events and one relay race to lead the Bulldogs. Junior Roman Kanyuka (Moscow, Russia) and freshman Jerome Heidrich (Hamburg, Germany) won two individual contests and one relay each for the visitors. Six WU student-athletes won at least one individual event.

Kluver and Heidrich concluded their respective days by taking the 200 Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:26.06. They teamed with senior Issam Zeraidi (Brussels, Belgium) and sophomore Lucas Cuadros (Cali, Colombia). Kluver won the 1000 Freestyle (10:04.36), the 100 Freestyle (47.32, touching out Zeraidi) and the 500 Freestyle (4:48.41).

In his first meet as a Bulldog, Heidrich took the checkered flag in the 200 Freestyle (1:42.79) and the 100 Butterfly (53.15). Kanyuka won started his work day by swimming the second leg on the victorious 200 Medley Relay quartet (1:35.68). Individually, Kanyuka won his signature events: the 100 Breaststroke (57.21) and the 200 Breaststroke (2:06.49).

“Roman had a very good first meet,” Sanocki says. “Issam was solid today with one individual win and two relay victories. I thought Jerome had a good debut. Junior Damjan Petrovski (Skopje, Macedonia) swam untraditional events (for him)…and made his time in the pool count.”

Wingate women 196, St. Andrews 37

Wingate sophomore Sofia Petrenko (Arkhangelsk, Russia) matched classmate Klüver with three individual victories as the Bulldogs won 14-of-14 contests Saturday. Redshirt sophomore Olga Kosheleva (Yekaterinburg, Russia) won two individual events and one relay for the visitors. Nine Wingate student-athletes won at least one individual event in their season debut.

Petrenko touched first in the 200 Freestyle (1:53.48), the 200 Butterfly (2:08.84) and the 200 Individual Medley (2:09.33). Kosheleva mirrored Kanyuka’s flight path, as she helped three teammates win the 200 Medley Relay with a time of 1:48.07. On her own, Koshelev won both Breaststroke competitions: the 100 (1:06.54) and the 200 (2:24.60).

“Sofia had her normal, solid All-American performance,” Sanocki says. “Olga looked tremendous today. Freshman Leigh-Ann Clark (Newport News, Va.) had a very good opening meet with her victories in the 100 Freestyle and the 200 Freestyle Relay.”

Wingate will travel to Charlotte Saturday, Nov. 1 to face BMC foe Queens at the Levine Center (1 p.m. first contest). In 2013, the Wingate men earned a hard-fought 140-105 road victory on Nov. 6. The host Royals won the 2013 women’s head-to-head event by a slim margin of 123-122. The final event (800 Freestyle Relay) settled the women’s outcome.

Results: Wingate vs. St. Andrews

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