Oct. 28, 2008

Following a two-week break, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team continues its season with the first league dual of the year, hosting Wright State University Friday at the Klotsche Natatorium. The Panthers will continue a busy weekend, welcoming Wheaton College Saturday. The action is scheduled to get underway Friday at 5 p.m. while Saturday will be an 11 a.m. start.

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SCOUTING THE MEETS:
The Raiders are coming off a second place finish at the Horizon League Championship a season ago, but graduated is Jessica Weidert. She was named Horizon League Swimmer of the Meet and Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year after setting new league records in winning the 200 breast, 200 IM and 400 IM. WSU opened its season with a win over UIC Saturday. It trailed heading into the last two events, but swept the top two spots in the 200 yard breaststroke and then won the 400 yard freestyle relay and also finished third to pick up the 120.5-116.5 victory. Amazingly enough, the two teams have competed against each other just twice during the regular season (both in the last two years), with the all-times series tied at 1-1.

Although UWM leads the all-time series with Wheaton by a 14-3 count and have not lost since 2001, the Thunder present a very challenging NCAA D-III opponent. Over the course of 33 years, Thunder coach Jon Lederhouse has overseen great accomplishments by his men's and women's swim teams, including 45 CCIW titles and 70 All-Americans. The women return a strong group that sent six swimmers to nationals. The Thunder won their 11th consecutive CCIW Championship and finished 12th at the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships. All-Americans Kaitlin Marko and Katherine Burt have graduated after stellar collegiate careers. Stepping in to fill the void will be Jillian Morris, Liz Hartman and Ashley Matthisen, who all reached nationals last year.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
Wisconsin proved to be tough competition in the season opener, as it won each event in handing the women a 147-74 loss Oct. 10. Freshman Sarah Wardecke got off to a strong start, leading Milwaukee with two second-place finishes that were each less than a second away from what would have been freshman records in the 50 and 100 freestyles. In addition to Wardecke, UWM got strong starts from senior Molly Finn, freshman Heidi Niespodzany, junior Kerry Rossow and the diving team.

Wardecke took second in both the 50 and 100 free, finishing just off freshman records in both events. Her time of 24.70 in the 50 was just behind the standard of 24.11 and her clocking of 52.99 in the 100 was just off the freshman mark of 52.64.

LAST YEAR:
WSU: Ashley Hall took first place in both diving events and Molly Finn won the 200 butterfly to highlight the efforts of the women against Wright State. The Raiders won the remaining events in the meet, topping the Panthers, 144-95.

Hall was the big winner for UWM on the night, placing first in both the one and three-meter diving events. She scored 239.47 points on the one to lead a one-two-three finish for Milwaukee. Megan McLoone took second (228.22) and Rachel Grimm was third (219.75). On the three, Hall won with 261.75 points with Grimm (216.45) taking second. Finn recorded the victory in the 200 fly, finishing in 2:08.13 to take first by almost four seconds. She also placed second in the 200 IM, touching the wall in 2:12.75.

WHEATON: Molly Finn and Kelsey Ogle each won two events to lead UWM to a 137-68 victory over Wheaton College. The Panthers won eight of 11 events overall against the Thunder.

Finn posted her first multi-win meet of the season, topping the field in the 200 butterfly and the 200 IM. In the 200 fly, she won in 2:09.62, leading the way for UWM to take four of the top five spots. Finn also won the 200 IM, touching the wall in a season-best 2:11.22. Bailey Nennig was right behind in second, also posting a season-best time of 2:14.46. Ogle paced the 200 freestyle for UWM, winning in a time 1:58.45. That was just enough to touch out Kristina Hansen, who had to settle for second in a time of 1:58.79. Ogle also recorded a victory in the 500 free, winning by almost five seconds with a season-best time of 5:15.99.

UP NEXT:
Milwaukee continues its current homestand next Saturday, as it welcomes UIC, North Dakota and Butler back to the Klotsche Natatorium for a meet set for a 1 p.m. start.