2013-14 Season Casts Off At NCAC Relays

GAMBIER/GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Wittenberg men's and women's swimming and diving teams kicked off the 2013-14 season with a pair of impressive finishes at the NCAC Relays, hosted by Kenyon (swimming) and Denison (diving).

The women opened the new campaign with a third-place finish among eight teams, while the men finished fifth among eight.

Leading the way for the women was freshman Amy Schulz (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo), who swam in each of the Tigers' top-five finishes. She helped the 200 breaststroke relay team of sophomore Madeline Kraft (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth), senior Molly Gustafson (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) and senior Claire Kozlowski (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) to a third-place result, and swam on the fourth-place 200 backstroke team and fifth-place 200 medley team.

Also placing third was the diving duo of freshman Emily Allen (Camp Hill, Penn./Cedar Cliff) and freshman Kate Gustafson (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events.

Joining Schulz on the 200 backstroke team were senior Sarah Wilson (Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe), senior Courtney Carani (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest) and freshman Emalie Taylor (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter). Wilson and raced in the 200 medley event, joined by Schulz, Gustafson and sophomore Dani Lacy (Louisville, Ky./Louisville Collegiate School).

Representing the distance swimmers with a fifth-place finish in the 1500 freestyle relay were Carani, freshman Emily Faas (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and sophomore Margaret White (Westfield, Ind./Westfield).

For the men, junior James Dumstorf (Louisville, Ky/St. Xavier), freshman Nick Rittenhouse (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) and freshman Jacob Griffith (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) each contributed legs to three top-10 relays, including the 400 individual medley for a seventh-place finish, the 200 breaststroke in a 10th-place finish and the 200 butterfly for another 10th-place finish.

Rounding out the team in both the 400 individual medley and the 200 butterfly relay was Stephen Stuthers (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic).  Junior Cameron Mackintosh (Lusaka, Zambia/American International) was the fourth member of the 200 breaststroke team, and also led the 1500 freestyle team of junior Ed Young (Shaker Heights, Ohio/University School) and sophomore Sean Oberschlake (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview) to an 11^th-place finish.

The highest place for the men was third in both the diving events, powered by fine performances by junior Eric Roberts (Willits, Calif./Willits) and sophomore Kevin Duhl (Westerville, Ohio/North).

Denison University took home the women's title, followed by Kenyon College in second. On the men's side the top two were flipped, followed by Ohio Athletic Conference guest Ohio Northern and the College of Wooster.

The dual meet schedule opens for Wittenberg with a home meet versus Wooster on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. in the HPER Center Natatorium.

John Strawn '07