Swimmers Turn Heads at NCAC: Nine Individuals Qualify for NCAA Nationals

CANTON, Ohio -- Wittenberg University was the buzzword this weekend at the 17th Annual North Coast Athletic Conference Swimming Championships. It was not because Wittenberg was contending for a Conference Trophy, but because the Tiger swim team was able to power their way to finish just behind the first and second most powerful teams in Division III swimming. 

In nearly every race Wittenbergs name was being announced as a top finisher. Wittenberg had scorers in 17 of 18 events.  The Tigers claimed four individual first place finishes and managed to hang onto some very close races with the Lords and Ladies of Kenyon College, and Denison Universitys Big Red. 

Both the men's and women's team finished at fourth place. The men totaled 805 points, behind Kenyon (1,623.5) Denison (1,392.5) and Wabash College (860). The womens team had 770 points. Only Kenyon (1,601), Denison (1,555) and the College of Wooster (1,093) topped them. 

On their way to making 18 NCAA National cuts, and qualifying nine individuals to the NCAA National Championships the Tigers were turning a lot of heads. Wittenberg had their highest point totals ever, set 15 school records, and moved their way up the leader board by three positions from last year.

Head Coach Bob Rueppel was named both Men's and Women's NCAC Coach of the Year. This award is presented by the Conference to the most successful coach as voted upon by his peers. Rueppel has lead the Tigers for the past six seasons.  Since Rueppels arrival in1995 Wittenberg has finished as high as 18th nationally and has had 25 All-Americans named. Nearly half of all the All-Americans in Wittenberg history have come under coach Rueppel. 

On the mens side, Aaron Edsall and Jeremy Lazarus lead the Tigers to two first place finishes. Edsall made his mark for the second year in a row in the 100-yard backstroke, while Lazarus took his first conference title in the 100 breaststroke. Edsall was runner up in the 200 backstroke and finished third in the 50 freestyle. He made NCAA National standards in each event and also set a new school record in the 100 backstroke. Lazarus finished fifth in the 200 breaststroke and ninth in the 200 IM and made NCAA National standards in both breaststroke events.

Steve Rader took third place in the 200 IM, sixth place in the 100 butterfly and 11th place in the 100 freestyle. Rader made NCAA National standards in the 200 IM and also broke a nine year old school record in the same event.

The relay team of Edsall, Lazarus, Rader and Bob Rafferty also made a NCAA National standard time. The foursome took third place in the 400 medley relay by less than three tenths of a second and set a school record in the same event. Edsall, Lazarus, Rader and Rafferty also set a school record in the 400 free relay, while the team of Edsall, Rader Rafferty and Matt Werbach set a school record in the 800 free relay. 

Rafferty also finished 11th in the 200 freestyle and 13th in the 100 freestyle. Alex Berger took fifth place in the 100 breaststroke and ninth in the 200 breaststroke. Jason Hill took eighth in the 1650 freestyle and ninth in the 500 freestyle. Eric Jones was 12th in the 200 backstroke, 14th in the 100 backstroke and 15th in the 200 IM.

Joshua Schnacke took 14th in the 100 butterfly, Jon Bradley was 15th in the 500 freestyle, Kyle Dunaway finished 12th in the 400 IM, while Brandon Morris took 11th in the 1650 freestyle and 15th in the 400 IM. Scott Olmsted and Matt Werbach were also scorers for the Tigers.

On the Womens side of the meet, Rachel Juergens was the big scorer for the Lady Tigers. Juergens finished second in the 200 freestyle, and 1650 freestyle. She also finished fourth in the 500 freestyle. She broke school records in each of those events, including a 13 year old record in the mile. Juergens also made NCAA National standard times in each of those events.

Melissa Beck and Paula Hauser also set Wittenberg records. Beck erased a 13 year old record in the 100 butterfly and Hauser rewrote both the 100 and 200 breaststroke records, previously set by herself last season. Beck finished eighth in he 100 freestyle, and fifth in the 100 butterfly. Hauser finished fifth in the 100 breaststroke and sixth in the 200 breaststroke. Both women made NCAA national standards in each of their events. 

The relay team of Juergens, Beck, Hauser and Melanie Edsall also made NCAA National standards in the 400 medley relay. The team of Juergens, Beck, Hauser and Courtney Galliger made NCAA National standard times in the 200 medley and 400freestyle relay. The team of Beck, Juergens, Allison Dingus, and Betsy Godin set a school record in the 800 freestyle relay and placed third. 

Galliger also took 11th place in the 100 backstroke and 21st in the 100 free. Dingus finished 11th in both the 200 IM and 100 freestyle. Melanie Edsall brought in ninth place points in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. Betsy Godin finished 11th in the 200 fly. 

Courtney Smith finished 14th in the 50 freestyle and 20th I the 200 freestyle. Becky Barrytook 18th and 19th in the 100 and 200 breaststroke respectively. Erin Conway finished 18th in the 200 breaststroke, while Stephanie Conway took 16th in the same event. Jessica Foresberg finished 13th and 14th in the 200 and 100 back respectively, while Nicole Kinzler took 11th and 12th in the same events. Libby Weaver finished 16th in the 200 free. Theresa Conway finished 24th in the 100 breaststroke.