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Milwaukee Opens Home Schedule Friday Against South Dakota State

Also welcomes Valparaiso Saturday afternoon

Dec. 4, 2007

Riding the momentum of its third-straight championship at the Wheaton Invitational, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team gets the home schedule underway by hosting South Dakota State and Valparaiso this weekend. The Panthers and Jackrabbits get things started Friday at the Klotsche Natatorium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The dual against Valparaiso then starts Saturday at 1 p.m.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
The Panthers have competed against South Dakota State in a dual meet just once, winning in November of 2005, 145-83. The Jackrabbits last outing was a sixth place showing (out of seven teams) at Nebraska's Husker Invitational Nov. 16-18. They carry an 0-4 record in duals this year, getting swept by Northern Colorado, 208-89, and UNI, 188-91, in their last dual action Nov. 10.

Milwaukee's all-time record against Valparaiso represents one of the best in the record book at 12-1, dating back to 1991. Last season, they won 11 of 12 events in posting a 161-56 decision. The Crusaders are off to a 2-5 start this season, losing to Western Illinois, 130-108, Nov. 17. They started the season with two wins in their first three duals, defeating Butler, 135-57, for its last win Oct. 20. The team will be swimming at UW-Green Bay on Friday before heading to Milwaukee for the league match-up Saturday afternoon.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
The Panthers won the Wheaton Invitational going away, claiming the team title for the third-straight season. The championship was also the fourth in five years at the event. UWM ended the meet with 902 points, almost 350 points ahead of runner-up Grand Valley State University (555.5). Rounding out the top five was Wheaton College in third (538), UW-Stevens Point in fourth (516) and Hope College in fifth (513.5).

Milwaukee used a team effort for the victory, recording season-best times across the board in every event. Sophomore Shannon Berndt and freshman Danielle Wenger added individual wins on day two, with the 400 free relay and 200 medley relay teams also coming through with victories to lead the way.

Friday, junior Molly Finn won the 200 butterfly, sophomore Kerry Rossow won the 100 breaststroke and the 400 medley relay team of freshman Ellie Gross, sophomore Kerry Rossow, Finn and senior Jess Kelly took first place as well.

AT THE MIAMI (OH) INVITATIONAL:
The Panthers had their entire diving team at the Miami (OH) Invitational, competing against 12 other NCAA DI schools. Junior Ashley Hall was the top finisher in both events. She placed first overall on the three-meter board with a season-high 296.05 points and finished third on the one-meter board with a season-high 269.90 points. Both scores were also NCAA Zone-qualifying totals.

LAST YEAR:
UWM won 11 of 12 events in cruising to a 161-56 victory over Valparaiso on the road. The Panthers got touched-out by the Crusaders in the final event of the night in narrowly missing the sweep.

Jess Kelly was the only double-winner for the Panthers, recording victories in the 50 freestyle with a time of 25.59 and the 100 freestyle in 55.15. Megan Skiba led the way in the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:09.94. Alex Nelson won the 1000 freestyle in a time of 10:54.76, Shannon Berndt the 200 IM in 2:14.91 and Jenny Westfall the 500 freestyle in 5:17.97.

Other winners for UWM included Lindsay Caldwell in the 200 freestyle, Emily Duesler in one-meter diving, Briana Fergusson in the 100 butterfly and the 200 medley relay team of Finn, Berndt, Fergusson and Goetsch.

STARTING IN THE TOP 10:
The first NCAA Division I mid-major collegeswimming.com poll of the season came out last week and the Panthers are starting high. For the second-consecutive season, they enter the poll in the Top 10 - this season at No. 8 with 171.16 points. Harvard tops the first poll with 202.90 points. UWM appeared at No. 10 in the initial poll a season ago.

QUITE A FIRST IMPRESSION:
After having to sit out last season after transferring, junior Ashley Hall is making quite a first impression on the UWM diving team. She was named Horizon League Diver of the Week for the second time Nov. 13, after winning both diving events against UIC and Butler Nov. 10 - marking the third time this season she has accomplished the feat. She has recorded six victories in eight attempts this year and has already qualified for NCAA Zones on both boards.

UP NEXT:
Milwaukee will be off for the rest of the month, not hitting the pool again until next year. The annual training trip to Florida is scheduled for January 3-12, 2008.