GRINNELL, Iowa – The Lake Forest women and Grinnell men hold the top spots after the first day of the 2013 Midwest Conference Swimming and Diving Championships hosted by Grinnell College.
The Forester women are trying to repeat and hold a 25.5 point lead over Grinnell with 288.50 total points. The Grinnell men hold a bigger advantage over second place Lake Forest with 277 points which is 51 points more than the Foresters.
Lake Forest and Grinnell won every gold medal but one on the first night as Carroll’s Alex Mishun won the 3-meter dive. Lake Forest captured seven total gold medals on the night while Grinnell added four others.
Eight Midwest Conference records were broken on the night by four individuals and three relay teams. The relay record breakers included the Lake Forest women’s 200 freestyle relay, the Lake Forest women’s 400 medley relay, and the Grinnell men’s 400 medley relay team. Of those relay champions the Grinnell men’s 400 medley team earned an NCAA “B” cut. Michael Brus (Grinnell) set new conference records in the 500 freestyle and the 100 backstroke as the leadoff leg of the 400 individual medley relay. Beck Shaak (Lake Forest) had a conference-best mark in the 500 freestyle, Grinnell’s Haley Levin set a new standard in the 200 individual medley, and Alex Dunn (Lake Forest) posted a conference record time in the preliminary round of the 50 freestyle. Both Brus and Levin earned NCAA “B” cuts.
Seven divers qualified for the NCAA Regional diving meet that will be hosted by Calvin College on March 1-2, 2013. They are as follows:
Women's 1-meter dive: Christina Pekar (Lake Forest), Samantha Gardner (Lake Forest) Sarah Pekar (Lake Forest), Emma Falley (Grinnell), and Allison Miller (Grinnell)
Men's 3-meter dive: Alex Mishun (Carroll), Daniel Goldstein (Grinnell)
The winners on Friday night are as follows:
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
Men: Lake Forest College (Jared Tennison, Kevin Barbrick, Garr Punnett, Diego Ledesma) 1:24.90
Women: Lake Forest College (Alex Dunn, Loren Dutca, Kelsie Miller, Meghan Mason) 1:38.56*
500-Yard Freestyle
Men: Michael Brus, Grinnell College (4:30.72)*B
Women: Becky Shaak, Lake Forest College (4:57.81)*B
200-Yard IM
Men: Garr Punnett, Lake Forest College (1:54.47)
Women: Haley Levin, Grinnell College (2:06.75)*B
50-Yard Freestyle
Men: Gus Fulgoni, Grinnell College (21.44)
Women: Alex Dunn, Lake Forest College (24.20)
400-Yard Medley Relay
Men: Grinnell College (Michael Brus, Dylan Gray, Emanuel Spooner, Kevin Bennett) 3:24.68*B
Women: Lake Forest College (Kelsie Miller, Becky Shaak, Brooke Rowley, Alex Dunn) 3:56.26*
Women 1-Meter Dive: Christina Pekar, Lake Forest College (455.90)
Men 3-Meter Dive: Alex Mishun, Carroll University (525.80)
Notes: * - Conference Championship Record; A – NCAA “A” Cut; B – NCAA “B” cut
The swimming and diving championships will continue tomorrow at Russell K. Osgood Pool on the campus of Grinnell College. The preliminary events will kick off at 10 a.m. with the 200-yard medley relays. You can find all results and broadcast information at the swimming and diving championship page which include live stats.
Alex Mishun talks about his win in the 3-meter dive:
Christina Pekar talks about her win in the 1-meter dive: