Nov. 7, 2006

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team returns to action by hitting the road for a busy weekend. The Panthers take on Valparaiso Saturday and Horizon League foes Butler and UIC Sunday afternoon.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
Third-year Valparaiso head coach Bryan Morrison will lean heavily on the experience of nine returners from last year's squad that went 2-10 overall and finished in sixth place in the Mid-Continent Conference. After starting the season at the Dennis Stark relays (with UWM), the team beat Butler Oct. 15, but has not tasted victory since, falling to Saint Louis, Evansville, Xavier and Cleveland State. The team dropped all 13 events in the loss to CSU, with Dave Peterson and Adam Jajtner earning runner-up finishes. Milwaukee leads this all-time series 12-0.

UWM will then return to league action Sunday, taking on Butler and UIC. The Panthers are strong in both of these series as well, leading Butler, 6-0, and UIC, 13-3-1. The Bulldogs, 1-3 on the year, enter on a high note, having won their first dual since the 2001 season when they beat Transylvania, 148-112, Oct. 21. Raj Duggal won three events at that meet (500 and 1000 free, 200 fly). Milwaukee and Butler have not met in a regular season dual since 2002. UIC opened the season with a win over Eastern Illinois, but lost to Wright State to fall to 1-1 on the year. Sprinter Blake Booher leads the way for the Flames.

LAST YEAR:
Chase Gravengood won two events and Jeff Jasinowski swept the diving events to lead UWM to a 141-78 victory over Valparaiso. Gravengood won the 200 free (UWM finished 1-3-4) and the 200 free, where Milwaukee had the top four finishers. Matt Howard was a winner as well, claiming the 200 backstroke.

Gravengood won three events and Robby Leibold won twice to help UWM tie UIC, 150-150, in Milwaukee last year. Gravengood led a 1-2-3 finish in the 400 IM and also won the 100 and 200 butterflies. Leibold took home wins in the 500 and 1000 freestyles.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
Juniors Chase Gravengood and Jeremy Seibel and sophomore Robby Leibold won two events each to lead the Panthers to a 135-68 victory over Wheaton College Oct. 27. Gravengood was victorious in one of his usual events - the 200 butterfly - but also recorded a win in the 200 freestyle to help Milwaukee out. Seibel earned wins for the Panthers in both the 200 IM and the 200 breaststroke, finishing in 1:59.82 in the IM and 2:14.44 in the breaststroke. Leibold again led the way in distance events, winning the 500 and 1000 freestyles.

ON TAP:
The men's team stays on the road, heading to Muncie, Ind., for the Ball State Invitational Nov. 17-18. The Panthers will look to defend the team title they won a year ago at the event.