Nov. 18, 2009

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team finally gets to open the home portion of the 2009-10 season, welcoming Valparaiso University this Saturday. After nearly two months and over 2,000 miles spent on a bus on road trips, the Panthers and Crusaders hit the pool for the home opener at 10 a.m. at the Klotsche Natatorium.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
UWM is 14-1 all-time against Valpo, losing to them only in 1991. An experienced Valparaiso women's swim team takes to the water for the 2009-2010 season looking to move up the Horizon League ladder after a seventh place finish one year ago. Head coach Howard Hunte returns 12 letterwinners from last year's squad, which set seven new school records during the course of the season. Six seniors are back to lead the way this year as Valpo looks to rewrite the record book even more. In addition, Hunte has added four freshmen to the roster for the upcoming campaign, and they will look to make an immediate impact with the program as well.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
The Panthers brought home the team title from the "Border Battle", hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Milwaukee finished with 976 points to easily top second-place Wisconsin-Stevens Point, which had 712.5. Rounding out the field was South Dakota in third with 668.5 and Minnesota State Mankato fourth with 660 points.

Sophomores Sarah Wardecke and Danielle Chapman, freshman Maggi Beck and the 400 freestyle relay team each came through with victories in session three to lead UWM to the title. Junior Danielle Wenger was a standout in the 1650 freestyle, as Milwaukee took the top four spots in the race. Wenger set pool records in the 1000 and 1650 free on her way to a winning time of 17:37.68. Other winners in session two included junior Kelsey Ogle, senior Kerry Rossow and the 800 free relay team. Beck also won the 200 IM to lead the way for the team session one.

AWARDS GETTING UWM-HEAVY:
A pair of Panthers earned weekly honors from the Horizon League once again.

Senior Kerry Rossow and junior diver Kelsey George were selected Nov. 10. The award is a career-first for Rossow and the third for George, who repeated as league diver of the week. The UWM women's team has now won five of the 11 accolades given out so far this season (Sarah Wardecke Oct. 13 / George Oct. 13 & Nov. 3).

Rossow and George each recorded two first-place finishes to lead UWM to a quad-meet victory at UIC Saturday, also topping Butler and North Dakota.

Rossow swept the breaststroke events, posting times of 1:05.75 and 2:22.21 in 100 and 200 races, respectively, to help earn her league swimmer of the week honors. She also claimed first-place against Wheaton College Friday in the 100 breast with a time of 1:05.58. She set season-best times in each event on the weekend.

George recorded scores of 233.70 and 270.75, off the one- and three-meter boards, respectively. She has now recorded four individual victories on the season.

LAST YEAR:
The women extended their dual-win streak on the season to 11, topping Valparaiso by a final score of 159-64 in a Horizon League dual meet.

Sarah Wardecke led the way with two individual victories and seven others also claimed individual wins to help the Panthers top the Crusaders for the 14th-straight time in the all-times series.

Wardecke was strong again, winning the 50 freestyle in a time of 25.00 while also topping the field in the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.92. In addition to Wardecke, Molly Finn, Kristina Hansen, Jenny Westfall, Danielle Wenger, Ellie Gross, Kelsey George, Danielle Chapman and the 200 free relay all recorded wins at the meet.

UP NEXT:
The team is off for the rest of the month and has just one meet left on the 2009 portion of its schedule. The Panthers make a return trip to the Falcon Invitational, where they will look to defend their team title from a year ago Dec. 4-5.