News courtesy of Wheaton Athletics.
The Thunder women’s swimming team wrapped up its 20th consecutive CCIW Championship on Saturday, sending head coach Jon Lederhouse out with his 49th career CCIW Championship (25 women, 24 men). In addition to winning one last title, Lederhouse was named the CCIW Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year. Erin Bagley (Co-Swimmer of the Meet) and Kayla Roberson (Outstanding Participant) also earned individual honors. Wheaton racked up 791 team point to top second place Carthage who finished with 745 team points. The Thunder men’s swim team finished in third place with 667 points to trail Illinois Wesleyan’s 763 and Carthage’ 956 points. Will McCauley was named the Men’s Swimmer of the Meet.
Wheaton clinched its team victory in the final event of the weekend, winning the 400-yard freestyle relay in a time of 3:29.40 to post an NCAA B cut time.
In one of the more exciting finishes of the weekend, Brooke Barnes won the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 54.01 seconds, holding off Illinois Wesleyan’s Lisa Cheng by 0.03 seconds and Millikin’s Sami Battle by 0.06 seconds. Kayla Roberson won the 200-yard breaststroke in an NCAA Select time of 2:18.25 to set a new CCIW meet and open record. Teammate Erin Bagley previously set both records at the 2016 CCIW Championships. Liz George won the 200-yard butterfly in 2:10.65.
Ashley Bowen earned a fourth place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 18:01.68. Meredith Clarkson was sixth in the 200-yard backstroke in 2:07.90. Maggie Franke (53.82) and Kirsten Garner (54.04) finished sixth and seventh in the 100-yard freestyle. Michaela Sandeno finished seventh in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:33.27. Bethany Doyle finished eighth in the 200-yard butterfly in 2:21.37.
Chris Dingfield completed Wheaton’s sweep of the 200-yard butterfly by setting a CCIW meet record with an NCAA Select time of 1:49.20. Will McCauley won his third CCIW title of the weekend, winning the 1,650-yard freestyle in 16:04.65, earning an NCAA B Cut time. Chris Szymczak repeated his backstroke sweep from last season, claiming the 200-yard backstroke in 1:48.14.
Logan McDaniel finished fifth in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:47.01. Micah Kimel finished third in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:43.15. Stephen Larson (1:55.86) and Addison Coen (1:58.54) finished seventh and eighth in the 200-yard backstroke.
News courtesy of CCIW.
Wheaton was crowned College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s swimming champion for the 25th time in program history on Saturday at the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex.
For head coach Jon Lederhouse, coaching in his final CCIW conference championship, it was his 49th CCIW title overall between both the men’s and women’s programs and it was the Thunder women’s 20th straight conference title dating back to 1998.
Wheaton won with a team score of 791, followed by Carthage (745), Illinois Wesleyan (619), Carroll (359), Rose-Hulman (334), Augustana (234), North Central (198) and Millikin (184).
The Thunder’s Erin Bagley and Illinois Wesleyan’s Meg Stanley each won CCIW Co-Swimmer of the Meet honors for their performances during the three-day event.
Stanley’s weekend was highlighted by a pair of CCIW meet and open records in both the 500 freestyle (4:52.47) and the 1650 freestyle (16:48.04). Stanley’s time in the 1650 freestyle time is currently the fastest in NCAA Division III. Bagley took first in three individual events including a CCIW meet and open record in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.79), and was part of four winning relay teams.
Other award winners included CCIW Rookie of the Meet Mattea Arndt from Carthage and Outstanding Participant Kayla Roberson of Wheaton. Arndt placed second in three events including the 200 IM (2:09.42), 400 IM (4:39.51) and 200 butterfly (2:11.04). Roberson set a CCIW meet and open record in the 200 breaststroke (2:18.25) and also won the 200 IM (2:07.71), 400 IM (4:28.17) and was part of three winning relay teams.
Lederhouse took home CCIW Coach of the Year honors in his last CCIW meet.
CCIW swimmers will await word on possible trips to the national meet as the NCAA Division III Swimming Championships will be held March 15-18 at CISD Natatorium in Shenandoah, Texas.
Nice job!