Summit League Swimming Teams Wrap Up the Winter Season

By Katya Vakshteyn, Swimming World College Intern

BROOKINGS – Chilly temperatures haven’t stopped Summit League swimming teams South Dakota State, University of South Dakota, University of Denver, Eastern Illinois, IUPUI, University of Nebraska – Omaha, and Western Illinois from training for their last meets for this year.

Looking Back

Before Thanksgiving break, the men’s team at South Dakota State took on St. John’s College in a two-day dual. After day one, the Jack’s led the meet with a score of 130-85 and reigned supreme after day two, ending the meet with a score of 160-77. Sophomore Chris Angerhofer took first in the 1650 with a time of 16:51.59. Josh DeDina, Alex McLain, and Matt Carpenter swept the 400 IM. DeDina’s time of 4:16.51 was good for first place. On day two, DeDina also won the 200 breaststroke in 2:15.55. Junior Garth Wadsworth took home first in the 200 fly with a time of 1:59.98.

The Coyotes of University of South Dakota were defeated by St. Cloud State before the break. The women took home victories in eight events while the men were on victorious in three. Sophomore Sam Shutt continues to bring in victories in the freestyle events. Schutt’s times are currently at the top of the league.

Freshman Katie Svendson is making big waves in the distance events, touching the wall nine seconds ahead of the pack in the 1000 free with a time of 10:50.83. On the men’s side, senior Colin Krysl swept the butterfly events, and junior Ian Ford took first in the 200 back.

The House of Champions took place in Indianapolis, Indiana before the holiday break. The IUPUI women pulled out a win at this year’s House of Champions while the men took second. The EIU women finished 7th and the men took 10th. The WIU women placed 8th and the men finished 5th at the meet.

The UNO Mavs traveled to the Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kansas to compete in the Kansas City Classic. The Mavs finished in 4th place at the invitational. Morgan Stepp pulled out two season-best times in the 200 breast (2:24.61) and in the 200 back (2:08.83). Freshmen Sam Starke and Cassie Jahn finished ninth and eleventh, respectively, in the 1650 freestyle.

South Dakota State University (SDSU)

Both the men’s and women’s team will be traveling together for the first time this season to the Jean Freeman Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For the women, Sam Prasher and Cassie Hendricks will be ones to watch in the backstroke events.

They will also rely on senior breaststroker Emily Campbell to put up solid times. On the men’s side, the Jacks will look for Chris Angerhofer and Weston Christensen to lead the way in the distance freestyle events. Alex McLain should be one to keep an eye on in backstroke events and incoming freshman Chris Rumrill will be interesting to watch in freestyle and butterfly events.

University of South Dakota (USD)

The Coyotes will travel to Rochester, Minnesota to compete in the Rochester Invite. Sam Schutt will be expected to bring in big points in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle.

Freshman Katie Svendson should have some good distance swims and teammate Paige Stavely will be key in the 400 IM. Senior Colin Krysl on the men’s side has had some solid butterfly swims recently, so he should be key in bringing in points for the men. Sophomore Jacob Knowles will be important in bringing points to the Coyotes in breaststroke events as well.

University of Denver (DU)

The Pioneers will be heading to their first meet in about a month at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa. The three-day event will give the Pioneers plenty of time to get in some solid swims and put up quick times in the conference. Sam Corea has already had impressive backstroke times, so she will be one to watch as she competes in this weekend’s invitational. Johanna Roas should also be bringing in points for sprint freestyle events after posting the top league time of 23.9 in the 50 freestyle. Dylan Bunch should also be bringing in points for the Pioneers in the longer freestyle events this weekend.

Eastern Illinois Univeristy (EIU)

Eastern Illinois has no meets this weekend.

University of Nebraska – Omaha (UNO)

This weekend the Mavs will host the Mutual of Omaha Invite. Morgan Stepp will be looking to score some points in her backstroke and breaststroke events. Freshman distance duo Sam Starke and Cassie Jahn should be key in bringing home points in the distance events. The Mavs will look to freshman butterflyers Kaitlin Harthoorn and Kendra Lair to step up and score points in the 200 fly.

Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

IUPUI is sending eight of their swimmers to Greensboro, North Carolina for the AT&T Winter National Championships. The five representing the men’s team are Adam Ferguson, Lennart Kuester, John Stoller, Aaron Brych, and Tony Carroll. The women have three representatives – Jennifer Olkesiak, Madeline Bradford, and Alexis Bullard. Both Stoller and Ferguson will be competing in the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke, and Stoller will also be swimming the 200 IM. Carroll, Kuester, and Brych will be swimming the 200 free, and Brych will also swim the 100 freestyle. Bradford and Bullard will swim the 100 backstroke while Olkesiak will swim the 100 and 200 breast.

Western Illinois University (WIU)

The Fighting Leatherneck do not have any meets this weekend.

Looking Ahead

December 4: IUPUI at Short Course Nationals (Greensboro, N.C)
December 5: IUPUI at Short Course Nationals (Greensboro, N.C)
Univeristy of South Dakota at Rochester Invite (Rochester, Minn.)
UNO at Mutual of Omaha Invite (Omaha, Neb.)
South Dakota State at Jean Freeman Invite (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Denver at Hawkeye Invitational (Iowa City, Iowa)
December 6: IUPUI at Short Course Nationals (Greensboro, N.C)
UNO at Mutual of Omaha Invite (Omaha, Neb.)
South Dakota State at Jean Freeman Invite (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Denver at Hawkeye Invitational (Iowa City, Iowa)

Summit League Names Swimmers of the Week

This week, IUPUI swept the honors for swimmers of the week. Lennart Kuester earns his first career swimmer of the week award after a trio of top-three finishes at the House of Champions meet. He also claimed two school records. One in the 200 free with a time of 1:38.18, which also takes the 10th spot in the fastest swims in Summit League history, and a second in the 100 free with a time of 45.22, which is also the second fastest time in the league.

Lexi Laird claims her third career swimmer of the week award, and first award for this season. Laird had an impressive meet where she finished top-two in three events, recorded an NCAA B cut, school record, and a House of Champions meet record. Her NCAA B cut time came from her 54.88 finish in the 100 backstroke, and a meet record time of 2:01.17 in the 200 back earned her first place as well. Laird was also part of the 200 free relay squad which set a new school record time of 1:34.02.

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