2008 cciw men's and women's swimming championships preview

NAPERVILLE , Ill. – The 2008 version of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Swimming Championships will feature several familiar faces as well as some new ones.

The CCIW added a new member to its family this season as Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, located in Terre Haute, Ind., joined the conference as an associate member for swimming. They will be competing at the CCIW Championships for the first time ever while defending men’s and women’s champion Wheaton comes to Kenosha, Wis., and the campus of Carthage College looking for more.

The Wheaton women come into the championship ranked ninth in the nation according to the latest Collegeswimming.com poll. Two weeks earlier, both the Wheaton men and women hosted Illinois Wesleyan and North Central in a double-dual meet. The women were led by several strong performances including Renee Shear who won the 200-yard breaststroke (2:33.49). Emma Higgins won the 200-yard freestyle (2:05.87) while Sloan Skinner was victorious in the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.33). Jillian Morris won the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.11). On the men’s side, Rob Morris was victorious in the 200-yard butterfly (2:00.67) while Brian Foster won the 100-backstroke (59.44). Ken Mulsoff achieved a time of 10:40.09 to win the 1,000-yard freestyle.

Carthage ’s men and women both enter the championships ranked in the top 25 in the nation by Collegeswimming.com as the men were 13 th and the women 25 th. Both teams concluded its regular season by winning the Wisconsin Private College Championships Feb. 2. The men won with a score of 345 while the women were champions with a score of 331. The men won nine events including two meet records. Paul Busse won the 500 freestyle with a meet-record time of 4:47.27 while Nathan Ripley won the 100 freestyle with a meet-record time of 48.72. The state title was the men’s eighth overall and sixth in a row. The women won their ninth state title overall and sixth in a row. Amanda Croix was champion in the 50 freestyle (meet-record time of 24.78), the 100 freestyle (meet-record time of 54.25) and the 200 freestyle (meet-record time of 1:59.02). Michelle Pelka also won three events including the 200 butterfly (2:10.45), the 200 individual medley (meet-record time of 2:14.50) and the 400 individual medley (meet-record time of 4:41.13).

Rose-Hulman, which competes in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in its other 21 sports, will compete in its third different swimming conference in the last three years. The Engineers participated in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference meet in 2006 and the Bluegrass Mountain Conference meet in 2007. Rose-Hulman wrapped up its regular season in a tri-meet with Transylvania and Butler. Katie Trella won the 1650 freestyle with a time of 19:18.16. Stephanie Hance picked up a pair of second place finishes in the 100 backstroke (1:06.49) and 200 backstroke (2:23.02). On the men’s side, Adam Effinger won the 100 butterfly (53.01) and 200 butterfly (1:59.10), while Nick Lee took first in the 100 backstroke (55.88), 50 freestyle (22.86), and 100 freestyle (49.77).

The Illinois Wesleyan men and women achieved third place finishes during the championships last season and will look to build on that momentum. The Titans’ swimming team concluded the regular season two weeks ago in the double dual meet with Wheaton and North Central. Anne Kopf won the 50 and 500 freestyle with times of 25.83 and 5:38.22 respectively. Jennifer Fitton won the 1000 freestyle (11:54.83) and Angie Tomazin was victorious in the 200 butterfly (2:27.99). On the men’s side, Brian Busch won the 50 freestyle (22.29), Oliver Smidt won the 200 freestyle (1:58.48) and Ben Rock was a winner in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.60).

New Augustana swimming coach Greg Naumann enters his first CCIW Championships after his Vikings took fourth on both the men’s and women’s side last season. Both teams competed in a double-dual meet with Principia and CCIW member Millikin two weeks ago as Dan Betz was second in the 50 freestyle (24.10) while Brian Tuinenga placed second in the 500 freestyle (6:10.43). Additionally, Derek Sanderson was second in the 1000 freestyle (11:45.13) while Sam Higdon, Drew Clinton, Betz and Eric Zike teamed up for a second place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:52.89). For the women, Emily Cox won the 1000 freestyle (11:30.13) while Ramsey Vens won the 200 backstroke (2:23.43). Sara Hlavin earned the title in the 400 individual medley with a time of 5:12.19.

Millikin will also enter the 2008 CCIW Championships with a new coach in Charlie King. King’s Big Blue squad finished the regular season in the aforementioned double-dual meet with Augustana and Principia. Matt Melcher won both the 1 000 freestyle (10:44.62) and 200 backstroke (2:12.81). Brian Stryzek was a winner in the 400 individual medley (4:41.77) and 200 breaststroke (2:27.93). Ashley Strimbu and Katie Bass were winners in the 500 freestyle (5:48.13) and 200 breaststroke (2:34.72) on the women’s side respectively. Erica Reese won the 200 butterfly (2:30.34).

North Central concluded its season in the aforementioned double-dual meet with Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton as Stefani Masterton (1.00.58) won the 100-yard freestyle while Heather Granzella (1:01.63) was second. On the men’s side, Kevin Stryzek (1:19.21) came in fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke.