Viking Swim Teams Host Senior Day Meets This Weekend
    CSU women host St. Francis (PA) Friday, men take on Miami (OH) Saturday
    Junior Dave Duecker holds the Horizon League top time in the 400 IM (4:02.55)

    Junior Dave Duecker holds the Horizon League top time in the 400 IM (4:02.55)

    Jan. 23, 2007

    Contact: Josh Rattray

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    Cleveland State Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving

     

    (Women) vs. St. Francis (PA)

    Date: Jan. 26, 2007

    Time: 5:00 p.m.

    Site: Busbey Natatorium - Cleveland, Ohio

     

    (Men) vs. Miami (OH)

    Date: Jan. 27, 2007

    Time: 1:00 p.m.

    Site: Busbey Natatorium - Cleveland, Ohio

     

     

    SETTING THE SCENE: The men's and women's swimming teams each clos the home portion of their schedule with Senior Day duals this weekend. The women's team (3-8) hosts St. Francis (PA) on Friday, Jan. 26 at 5:00 p.m. while the men (9-3) host defending MAC champion Miami (OH) on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 1:00 p.m.

     

    PREVIEWING THE WOMEN'S TEAM: The CSU women's squad is a young one that has seen its ups and downs this year. With seven freshmen and sophomores on the roster, the majority of the team is in just its first or second year of collegiate swimming. Marianne Lionell is the team's only senior and is currently CSU's top swimmer in seven events (50, 100 and 200 free, 100 and 200 breast, 200 IM and 100 fly).

     

    Sophomore twins Kristine and Sandra Bunker are among the team's top distance swimmers, with Sandra leading the team in the 500 and 1,000 free and Kristine ranking second.  Along with Lionell, junior Lesley Jones is among the team's top sprint swimmers, ranking in the top three in the 50, 100 and 200 free. Junior Deanna Raedel and freshman Eileen Bringman also provide support in the sprint corps.

     

    The return of sophomore Jen MacLauchlan, who was ill throughout the fall semester, gives CSU a chanc to capture backstroke points, Unfortunately for the Vikings, there are no divers on the roster, so CSU is usually down 18 points automatically in dual meets if its opponent has a diver.

     

    PREVIEWING THE MEN'S TEAM: The CSU men's squad is swimming at its best heading into the final month of the season. The team is led by senior Bjorn Schantz, last year's Horizon League Swimming Athlete of the Year. Schantz, who was also named the Men's Outstanding Swimmer at the league championships, is currently at the top of the league leaderboard in the 200 and 500 free and is second in the 1,000  and mile free. Schantz holds school records in the 200 (1:39.15) and 500 (4:24.65) and his time in the 500 was good for the Horizon League Championship record last year. He was also the anchor leg of CSU's championship 800 free relay team that also posted a school-record time.

     

    The Vikings received a large boost when they added freshman Jakub Dobies to the lineup at semester. The Poland native has not wasted any time making a splash at CSU, setting a school record in the 100 breast (55.29) in his very first meet. When combined with sophomore Stef Potgieter and junior Dave Duecker, CSU can win a lot of points in the breaststroke events.

     

    Sophomores Marko Milenkovic and Nedim Nisic are also among the league's top performers. Milenkovic is the team's top sprint swimmer, holding the league's second-best time (46.01) in the 100 free. Nisic is the team's top butterfly swimmer in the league, posting a top time in the 100 (49.64) while ranking second in the 200 fly (1:52.08).

     

    Senior Chris Dalman is among the top divers in the midwest, placing first in every diving event save one (three-meter vs. Ohio State) this year. He currently is tops on the league leaderboard in both the one-meter (365.00) and three-meter (375.45) and he holds the CSU one-meter dive record with a score of 415.40 on Feb. 4 last year against UIC. Junior Dan Baiko also returns and the two divers together give the Vikings a huge edge in diving points.

     

    POLISH INVASION: Jakub Dobies made an immediate impact in his first meet as a Viking, breaking a 12-year-old school record in the 100 breast with a time of 55.29 on Jan. 13 and capturing Horizon League Swimmer of the Week honors in the process. Brian Lamers had held the CSU 100 breast mark (55.95) since 1995. Dobies also competed in the 50 free in his Viking debut.

     

     

    ...VIKINGS TAKE OVER THE BREASTSTROKE: With the addition of Dobies, the Vikings now have the Horizon League's top two breastroke swimmers, as Stef Potgieter has held the league's top times for most of the year. If that weren't enough junior Dave Duecker posted a 59.53 in the 100 breast to add even more support.

     

    COME ONE, COME ALL: This Saturday's meet against Miami (OH) marks the third time this season Cleveland State will have competed against a defending league champion. On Nov. 4, CSU defeated defending A-10 champion St. Bonaventure and the Vikings hosted reigning Big East champ Notre Dame on Jan. 13.

     

    `BJORN' TO SWIM: Bjorn Schantz, the reigning Horizon League Swim Athlete of the Year, owns league-best times in the 200 and 500 free and is second in the league in the 1,000 and mile. At some point this season, he has been at the top of the league leaderboard in each of those events. Schantz has won 12 individual events this season, including five in the 500 and four in the 1,000 free, and has scored a team-leading 214.75 points in 12 dual meets. The Sweden native also competes in the freestyle relays.

     

    ...AND A WINNER IN THE CLASSROOM: Schantz, an international business major who owns a 3.89 GPA, was named the Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week five times in the fall semester. He won the league honor twice each in October and November and once more on December 5.

     

    LIONELL THE LEADER: Marianne Lionell holds the team's top times in seven events after posting a  1:01.18 in the 100 fly on Jan. 13. The Sodertalje, Sweden native is also the leader in the 50 free (24.59 on Dec. 1), 100 free (53.30 on Dec. 2), 200 free (2:00.09 on Oct. 21), 100 breast (1:07.59 on Dec. 1), 200 breast (2:32.80 on Oct. 21) and the 200 IM (2:18.52 on Nov. 10). She is CSU's only female swimmer ranked in the Horizon League top five, as she ranks fourth in the league in the 50 free and 100 breast and is fifth in the 100 free.

     

    `DALMAN-ATION': Chris Dalman has been named Horizon League Diver of the Week four times in the last six weeks. The senior from Auburn, Washington holds the league's top scores in both diving events and is undefeated in 12 trips off the one-meter boards and has placed first 11 of 12 times in the three-meter dive. Dalman's diving prowess, along with solid performances by Dan Baiko, has given the Vikings a big lift in dual action, as CSU has outscored its opponents, 285-90, in diving events, including 211 points from Dalman.

     

    SUPREME NEDIM: Nedim Nisic posted a league-best time of 49.64 in the 100 fly in the final day of the Miami Invitational on Dec. 2 and also holds the league's second best time in the 200 fly (1:52.08 on Nov. 11). Nisic, who is training to swim for Bosnia in the 2008 Olympic games, is third on the team (behind Schantz and Dalman) in dual-meet scoring with 178 points.

     

    MARKO...POLO: Marko Milenkovic has been one of the league's top sprint swimmers this year, posting his name on the top five list in three events. Milenkovic stands second in theleague in the 100 free (46.01 on Dec. 2), fifth in the 100 breast (59.34 on Oct. 28) and third in the 200 IM (1:54.39 on Nov. 11). Milenkovic is fourth on the team (behind Schantz, Dalman and Nisic) in dual meet scoring with 173.25 points.

     

    WOMEN'S HEAD COACH

    Mike Lehto (Cleveland State `85)

    At CSU: 88-95 (13th Year)

    Overall: Same

     

    Lehto, the winningest women's swimming coach in Cleveland State history, has mentored the Vikings to five straight seasons at .500 or better. Under his tutelage, Samantha Jones became the school's first Horizon League Female Swim Athlete of the Year in 2005.

     

    MEN'S HEAD COACH

    Wally Morton (Miami (OH) `70)

    At CSU: 228-129 (26th Year)

    Overall: Same

     

    Morton has led the Vikings to 12 conference championships and 22 winning seasons in his 25 years at the helm of the men's program. Morton, who also serves as CSU's Director of Aquatics, has led the Vikings to five straight seasons of 10 or more dual meet victories and for four straight years a Viking has claimed the league's Male Swim Athlete of the Year Award.

     

    UP NEXT: The Viking women host St. Francis (PA) in a dual contest on Friday, Jan. 26 at 5:00 p.m. Marianne Lionell will be honored in the Senior Day festivities. The men's Senior Day is the next day at 1:00 p.m. against Miami (OH).