Oct. 17, 2012

This Week In Milwaukee Men's Swimming & Diving

Friday, Oct. 19 • Grand Valley State University
Hosted by Grand Valley State • Fieldhouse Pool • 4 p.m.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team continues its early road swing to start the season this Friday. The Panthers head to Allendale, Mich. to take on Grand Valley State University at the Fieldhouse Pool for a 4 p.m. dual meet.

SCOUTING THE MEET
Friday's meet serves as the season-opener for the Lakers, who finished eighth overall at the NCAA Division II National Championships a season ago. Meanwhile, this is the second swim of the year for the Panthers after dropping a season-opening decision to Big Ten-foe Wisconsin last weekend.

A LITTLE HISTORY
This is the third-straight season Milwaukee will square off against its neighbors across Lake Michigan. Last season, five divers combined to take the top four spots on both boards as UWM earned a 155-88 victory at the Klotsche Natatorium.

Two years ago, the Panthers took down the Lakers, 193.5-106.5, in their first-ever trip to Allendale.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL
Sophomore K.J. Heger recorded a pair of NCAA Zone scores and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team recorded four victories on the day in their 2012-13 season opener at Wisconsin.

Coming off their third-consecutive Horizon League Championship, the Panthers swam well in their first meet of the season in a 176-120 loss to the Badgers.

Heger led the way for Milwaukee in the season opener. The sophomore won the three-meter with an NCAA Zone score of 329.70 to edge out UW's Hunter Atha by just over two full points. Sophomore Lee Anderson took fourth on the night with a score of 289.28 and classmate Andy LaFleur was fifth at 238.73.

Heger also won the one-meter board with a score of 300.90, again an NCAA Zone score and again just overtaking Atha, this time by less than one point.

Senior Nathan Welchlin won the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.85, nearly a full second in front of the next finisher.

In the final event of the night, Welchlin teamed up with fellow seniors Mike Brady, David Dvorak and Sam Niesen to win the 200 freestyle relay, touching the wall first in 1:24.44.

In the 1650 free, freshman Nic Halverson took second in his first-ever collegiate swim. The newcomer posted a time of 16:23.28. Twin brother Tim Halverson (16:38.22) came in fifth in the event and last year's Horizon League Men's Newcomer of the Year Kenny Stelpflug (16:39.12) was sixth.

In other action, Brady came in second in both the 200 free (1:44.10) and 100 free (46.92). Freshman J.J. Melville was second in the 200 breaststoke with a time of 2:14.39 and classmate Joey Chokran (2:15.36) was right behind for third.

Sophomore Ryan Finke also posted a second-place showing at the meet, finishing runner-up in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.72.

OFF TO A FAST START
Milwaukee only has one meet under its belt but the two teams have come out with impressive times in the early going. Emily McClellan already owns the second-fastest time in the nation in the 100 breast and fifth-fastest time in the 200 breast.

As a team, the Milwaukee women own the fastest times in the Horizon League in all but two events that they have swam in this year. The Panther men also have a handful of league top-times just one week in, recording the top spot thus far in six swimming events.

LEAGUE NOTICE
Just one week into the books, the Panthers have already grabbed a pair of Horizon League Swimmer & Diver of the Week awards. Junior Emily McClellan won the women's swimming honor after winning an impressive three events against Wisconsin, just missing a pair of NCAA `B' cut times.

Meanwhile, Heger was named the men's top diver after winning both boards against the Badgers in week one, also recording NCAA Zone scores in both wins.

FAMILIAR FACES
While UWM and GVSU are meeting for just the second time ever, the two schools are quite familiar with each other. Both Milwaukee head coach Kyle Clements and Grand Valley State head coach Andy Boyce earned degrees from Ball State University, with Boyce serving as a graduate assistant while Clements served as a student assistant coach.

The familiarity doesn't end there, however, as Milwaukee assistant coach Brittany Sayler also graduated from Ball State.

UP NEXT
Milwaukee has its home opener next weekend, playing host to conference-rival Wright State at the Klotsche Natatorium Friday, Oct. 26 at 5 p.m.