Men's Swimming and Diving

Pioneers Picked First in Men's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches Poll

Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa — The Pioneers of Grinnell College have been selected by the men’s swimming & diving head coaches of the Midwest Conference (MWC) to win their fifth consecutive championship this winter. 
 
The Pioneers, who have won 16 of the last 18 championships, received seven first-place votes and 56 points to take first place in the poll. The Foresters of Lake Forest College followed with one first-place vote and 50 points for second place. 
 
Participating in swimming & diving for the second year, the Green Knights of St. Norbert College secured third place in the poll after finishing in fourth place at last year’s championship meet. Their 39 points just edged out the Scots of Monmouth College who claimed 37 points for fourth place, one spot below where they finished the 2018-19 season. 
 
Rounding out the top five in the poll, Lawrence University received 31 points to claim fifth place. 
 
The 2019-20 season kicks off on Saturday, October 19 with Beloit College and Lawrence University competing in the All Wisconsin Showcase. Knox College, Monmouth College and Ripon College will also be in action this opening weekend. 
 
Full preseason poll results can be found below followed by quick facts for all nine MWC teams. 
 
Team (First-Place Votes), Points
 
2019-20 MWC Men’s Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
  1. Grinnell College (7), 56 points
  2. Lake Forest College (1), 50 points
  3. St. Norbert College, 39 points 
  4. Monmouth College, 37 points
  5. Lawrence University, 31 points
  6. Illinois College, 29 points
  7. Ripon College, 23 points
  8. Beloit College, 16 points
  9. Knox College, 7 points
 
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Kevin Schober (18th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 8th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 8th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Tenajh Gaitor – 100 Butterfly (0:53.68 – 9th in MWC) 
  • Wil Kangas-Olson – 1-Meter Diving (372.55 points – 2nd in MWC)
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Erin Hurley (25th Season) – 2018-19 Coach of the Year
2018-19 MWC Finish: 1st
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 1st
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Paul Cover – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion)
  • Albert Ford – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
  • Ben Grubb – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Freestyle (1:42.13 - MWC Champion) – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 100 Freestyle (0:46.52 - MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
  • Brodie Mikuta – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) 
  • Mitch Sevier – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
  • Dante Smith – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) 
  • Jackson Thompson – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion)
  • Chris Zhang – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
Illinois College Blueboys
Head Coach: Christopher Sykes (8th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 7th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 6th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Marty Ambre – 1650 Freestyle (17:17.81 – 9th in MWC) – 200 Freestyle (1:45.90 – 7th in MWC) – 500 Freestyle (4:50.01 – 6th in MWC)
  • Davide Sanna (2018-19 MWC Swimmer of the Year) – 200 Backstroke (1:48.46 – MWC Champion) – 100 Backstroke (49.44- MWC Champion) – 200 IM (1:55.61 – MWC Champion) 
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Jonathan Powers (12th Season) 
2018-19 MWC Finish: 9th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 9th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Fred Lehman – 500 Free (6:43.59)
  • Isaac Milne – 50 Free (0:28.08)
  • Bill Tate – 50 Breast (0:33.33) – 100 Breast (1:16.17) – 200 Breast (2:43.77)
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Vadim Tashlitsky (12th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 2nd
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 2nd
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Thomas Anderson – 200 Butterfly (1:55.46 – MWC Champion) 
  • Alec Pittman – 400 IM (4:09.65 – 2nd in MWC) 
  • Max Rowland – 400 IM (4:07.43 – MWC Champion)
  • Nathan Ulm – 200 IM (1:57.61 – 3rd in MWC) 
  • Sebastian Wagner – 200 Breaststroke (2:12.36 – 4th in MWC) 
  • Evan Weller – 200 Butterfly (1:56.70 – 2nd in MWC) – 400 IM (4:16.83 – 4th in MWC) – 200 IM (1:59.18 – 5th in MWC)
  • Graeme Witte – 200 Freestyle (1:44.79 – 3rd in MWC) 
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Andrew Fleek (12th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 5th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 5th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Tom Goldberg – 100 Breaststroke (0:59.89 – 3rd in MWC) 
  • Anton Hutchinson – 200 Freestyle (1:43.12 – 2nd in MWC) – 500 Freestyle (4:43.98 – 4th in MWC) – 1650 Freestyle (16:40.72 – 4th in MWC)
  • Liam Wulfman – 100 Backstroke (0:52.59 – 3rd in MWC) – 200 Backstroke (1:57.24 – 4th in MWC) 
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Tom Burek (7th Season) 
2018-19 MWC Finish: 3rd
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 4th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Preston Bocchi – 50 Freestyle  
Ripon College Redhawks
Head Coach: Ryan Goggans (6th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 6th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 7th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Ben Georgia – 100 Breaststroke (1:02.21 – 8th in MWC)  
St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: Hannah Saiz (1st Season) 
2018-19 MWC Finish: 4th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 3rd
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 
  • Ben Stolberg – 100 Freestyle (0:46.97 – 3rd in MWC) – 50 Freestyle (0:21.59 – 3rd in MWC) – 100 Butterfly (0:51.04 – MWC Champion)