Swim Teams Head Into Final Week Of Regular Season

Women have dual at Youngstown State on Thursday, both teams at UIC Saturday

Senior Bjorn Schantz owns the league's top times in the 200 and 500 free

Jan. 29, 2007

Contact: Josh Rattray

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

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

(Women) at Youngstown State (Ohio)

Date: Feb. 1, 2007

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Site: Beeghly Natatorium - Youngstown, Ohio

(Men/Women) at UIC

Date: Feb. 3, 2007

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Site: Flames Natatorium - Chicago, Ill.

SETTING THE SCENE: The men's and women's swimming teams head into the final week of the regular season against Horizon League competition, with the Viking women heading to Youngstown State for a dual meet on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 6:00 p.m. before both squads travel to UIC on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 2:00 p.m.

PREVIEWING THE WOMEN'S TEAM: The CSU women's squad (3-9) 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 five events (50, 100 and 200 free, 100 and 200 breast).

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 (10-3) 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 has three of the league's top five breaststroke swimmers.

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 (46.00) in the 100 free and is ranked third in the 200 free (1:41.69). Nisic is the team's top butterfly swimmer in the league, posting a top time in the 100 (49.64) while ranking third 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 (370.65) and three-meter (405.15) and he holds the school record in both events. Along with junior Dan Baiko, the two divers give the Vikings a huge edge in diving points.

CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION: This weekend's meet at UIC is the perfect time for the Vikings to take a trip to Chicago. It gives CSU a chance to swim in Flames Natatorium, which is the site of the league championships from Feb. 21-24.

SCHOOL RECORD NUMBER TWO FOR DALMAN: After posting a 405.15 in the three-meter dive on Jan. 27 versus Miami (Ohio), Chris Dalman now owns the school record in both diving events. He set the school record in the one-meter dive with a 415.40 against UIC on Feb. 4, 2006.

`DALMAN-ATION': Chris Dalman has been named Horizon League Diver of the Week five times in the last seven weeks, with the two exceptions during weeks in which the Vikings didn't compete. The senior from Auburn, Washington holds the league's top scores in both diving events and is undefeated in 13 trips off the one-meter boards and has placed first 12 of 13 times in the three-meter dive with his lone loss coming against Ohio State. 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, 308-105, in diving events, including 229 points from Dalman.

POLISH INVASION: Jakub Dobies made an immediate impact in his first meet as a Viking on Jan. 13, breaking a 12-year-old school record in the 100 breast with a time of 55.29 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. Dobies ranks first in the league in the 100 breast (55.29 on Jan. 13) and Potgieter is third (57.64 on Nov. 10). In the 200 breast, Potgieter own the league's top time of 2:03.80, with Dobies fourth at 2:08.77. If that weren't enough, junior Dave Duecker is in the top six in each event as well.

LIONELL THE LEADER: Marianne Lionell holds the team's top times in five events. The Sodertalje, Sweden native leads the Vikings 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) and 200 breast (2:32.80 on Oct. 21). She is CSU's only female swimmer ranked in the Horizon League top five, as she ranks fifth in the league in the 50 free and 100 breast.

`BJORN' TO SWIM: Bjorn Schantz, the reigning Horizon League Swim Athlete of the Year, owns league-best times in the 200 free (1:39.75 on Nov. 21) and 500 free (4:30.42 on Dec. 2)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 ranks second on the team in dual points with 225 in 13 dual meets. The Sweden native also competes in the freestyle relays, swimming the anchor leg of two top time relay efforts.

...TOP TIMES AND TOP GRADES: 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. He was one of 28 swimmers named to the league's academic honor roll, and his 3.89 mark is the best in the Horizon League.

CSU VS. OTHER CONFERENCE CHAMPS: Cleveland State's 147-96 win over Miami (OH) was its second win against a defending league champion in three tries this season. On Nov. 4, CSU defeated defending A-10 champion St. Bonaventure, 143-95, and the Vikings lost to defending Big East champ Notre Dame, 154-87, on Jan. 13.

MAC ATTACK: After missing most of the fall semester due to illness, Jen MacLauchlan has returned to the lineup and now owns team top times in both backstroke events. MacLauchlan registered a 1:01.24 in the 100 back on Jan. 13 and was just .01 slower against St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 26. She set the team's best mark in the 200 back (2:18.31) on Oct. 28 at UW-Green Bay.

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: 88-96 (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: 229-129 (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 Vikings have almost three weeks off for final preparation for the Horizon League Championships, which begin on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at UIC.