2019 Liberal Arts Championship
- Wednesday-Saturday, February 13th-16th
- Coe College Natatorium, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Short Course Yards, Prelims-Finals
- Day One Results
- Day Two Results
- Day Three Results
- Day Four Results
The 2019 Liberal Arts Championship witnessed a major changing of the guard. Franklin College, who won both the men’s and women’s meets at last year’s meet, didn’t end up competing this year. In their absence, meet hosts and last year’s runner up on the women’s side Coe College won their first LAC title in program history. Nebraska Wesleyan, who also finished second to Franklin last year, also earned a program first LAC crown on the men’s side.
The team champions from NWU. Courtesy: Nebraska Wesleyan Athletics
Note: The Liberal Arts Championship is not officially a conference meet, but rather acts as a ‘pseudo’ Division III/NAIA conference meet – specifically designed for small teams who don’t otherwise have a conference meet to attend to (e.g. small schools that are a part of an athletic conference full of schools without swim teams).
Women’s Meet
The Coe College women dominated this year’s Liberal Arts Championships. Only giving up one of the five relays contested at the meet, the Kohawk women finished first with a final score of 606.5, well ahead of second place Loras College’s score of 430.
Setting the tone on night one, the Kohawk women blew away the field in the 800 free relay. The efforts of Sammi Hall, Tracy Martinek, Darby Mantermach and Alanna Thompson resulted in a final time of 7:56.14, 13 seconds ahead of second place finisher College of Saint Mary.
Freshman Sammi Hall was key component in the Kohawk’s women’s success this weekend. She won a nail-biter of a 200 back, finishing in a time of 2:07.35, just a hair faster than Mills College’s Morgan Leishmann’s 2:07.37. Additionally, Hall placed second in the 200 IM (2:12.74) and third in the 100 back (59.47).
Katy Lydon, a junior out of Illinois Institute of Technology, was named the Women Swimmer of the Meet, as she completed a sweep of the distance freestyle events. She won the 200 free (1:56.56), the 500 free (5:10.06), and the 1650 free (17:49.39).
Two of Lydon’s teammates were two-time individual event winners. Senior Kristin Wills, swept both of the IMs, posting a 2:12.46 in the 200 IM and a 4:45.85 in the 400 IM. Freshman Megan Burrill had an outstanding LAC debut, taking the both the 100 and 200 butterflies with times of 57.80 and 2:09.36.
The only relay that the Kohawk women didn’t take was the 400 medley relay, where Loras College’s team, comprised of Jenn Young, Logan Eckhardt, Sarah Shafter and Tessa Orozco, took home the victory in a time of 4:03.59. Coming in second was IIT at 4:05.13, and settling for third was Coe College at 4:05.56.
Loras also swept the diving events, with senior Mikaela Lengwin – who interestingly swam the 50 free in prelims, placing 21st overall with a 26.59 – taking both the 1m (450.45) and 3m (482.30) events.
Coe College ended the meet victorious in the 400 freestyle relay in a time of 3:37.69. Freshman Darby Manternach, the winner of the individual 100 free, lead the Kohawk relay off, and was followed by Sammi Hall, Katie Freeland and Alanna Thompson. Touching second was IIT’s squad at 3:39.11.
Women’s Final Team Scores
- Coe College – 606.5
- Loras College – 430
- Illinois Institute of Technology – 415.5
- Minnesota Morris – 344
- Nebraska Wesleyan – 342
- Morningside College – 331
- College of Saint Mary – 321
- Luther College – 298
- Simpson College – 204
- Mills College – 158
- Principia College – 76
Men’s Meet
Nebraska Wesleyan won all five of the contested relays en route to their first ever LAC title, finishing with a final score of 655, comfortably ahead of the 570 points amassed by second place finishing Illinois Institute of Technology.
The NWU Prairie Wolves started things off with a clutch finish in the 800 free relay. The team of Vlad Blazhievskiy, Dan Novinski, Andy Vasquez and Sam Trofholz narrowly out-touched IIT’s squad, 7:06.81 to 7:07.61.
Carter Lyons of NWU was rightfully awarded the Male Swimmer of the Meet for his dominant performances this weekend. The senior won all three of his individual events, including the 200 IM (1:53.35), 100 fly (51.33) and 100 free (46.90). Additionally, he swam legs on four of the Prairie Wolves’ five winning relays.
Corbin Faidley out of host Coe College was a double event winner this weekend, taking the top spot in both the 500 free (4:43.01) and the 200 fly (1:54.96).
Loras College senior Mac Faldet dominated the breaststroke events, winning the 100 breast (56.70) by almost three seconds, and the 200 breast (2:06.54) by almost four seconds.
Faldet’s teammate, junior Nick Baron, swept both the 1m and 3m diving events, tallying final scores of 372.80 and 372.85 respectively.
The Prairie Wolves capped off the meet with a commanding win in the 400 freestyle relay. Braley Keller, Nolan Reid, Sam Trofholz and Carter Lyons locked in their team’s first LAC championship with a time of 3:08.56. Coming in second was Morningside College’s quartet of Brennan Gorski, Billy Salber, Jake Korhorst and Gage Dewsbury at 3:10.95.
Men’s Final Team Scores
- Nebraska Wesleyan – 655
- Illinois Institute of Technology – 570
- Coe College – 520
- Morningside – 505
- Luther College – 403
- Loras College – 325
- Principia College – 151
- Simpson College – 134