MINNESOTA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MIAC) – MEN AND WOMEN
- Dates: Thursday, February 13-Saturday, February 15, 2020
- Location: University of Minnesota Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center – Minneapolis, MN
- Hosts: Saint Benedict, Saint John’s, St. Catherine
- Defending Champion: St. Thomas women (4x); Gustavus Adolphus men
- Live Results: Available here
- Live Video: Available here
- Championship Central
Courtesy: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
WOMEN
MINNEAPOLIS – For the first time in school history, the St. Catherine University Wildcats are women’s swimming and diving champions of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). The Wildcats led from start-to-finish despite fierce competition from second-place St. Thomas and third-place Gustavus throughout.
The Wildcats posted 700.5 points over the four-day meet to outlast St. Thomas in second with 664 points, and Gustavus in third with 626.5 points. St. Olaf placed fourth with 451 points, followed by Carleton in fifth with 363, and Saint Benedict in sixth with 317 points. Macalester took seventh, with Hamline in eighth, Saint Mary’s in ninth, Concordia in 10th, and Augsburg in 11th.
The highlight of the night came during the 200-yard breaststroke when St. Catherine sophomore Jordyn Wentzel broke the NCAA Division III record in the event with a time of 2:11.85 to win the conference championship for a second consecutive season. Wentzel surpassed her own MIAC records with the win and topped the national mark of 2:12.20 that had stood for nearly four years.
For the second year in a row, St. Catherine’s Jordyn Wentzel received Swimmer of the Year honors, while St. Thomas sophomore Peyton Ekman was named Diver of the Year. St. Catherine head coach Justin Zook was named Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, while Saint John’s diving coach Jon Hazen was recognized as the Diving Coach of the Year.
| SESSION 7 RESULTS | TEAM SCORES | PHOTOS |
Following each of Saturday evening’s competitions, a short awards ceremony was held to honor the top eight finishers. The top three finishers in each event received medals and automatically earn All-Conference honors, while individual finishers 4-6 and the fourth-place relay team earned honorable mention distinction. Saturday’s All-Conference honorees are listed below.
RECORD-BREAKERS
St. Catherine sophomore Jordyn Wentzel set new MIAC and NCAA records in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:11.85. Wetzel’s previous MIAC mark was set last season, while the national record had stood since 2016.
MEN
MINNEAPOLIS – For the 23rd time in program history, the Gusties are Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) men’s swimming and diving champions. Gustavus Adolphus College scored 946 points over the four-day conference meet to win the men’s title at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota.
Gustavus – which repeated as conference champions for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign – has now won 23 MIAC men’s swimming and diving titles, second only to St. Olaf’s 30. St. Thomas placed second at the 2020 MIAC Championships with 739 points, followed by Saint John’s in third with 493, Carleton in fourth with 434, St. Olaf in fifth with 343.5, Hamline in sixth with 236.6, Macalester in seventh with 131, and Saint Mary’s in eighth with 85.
St. Olaf senior John Loepfe and Gustavus junior Nolan Larson shared Swimmer of the Year honors, while Saint John’s freshman Jack Grabinski and Gustavus senior Logan Bican were named Divers of the Year. Gustavus head coach Jon Carlson was honored by his peers with Men’s Coach of the Year honors for the second year in a row, while Saint John’s diving coach Jon Hazen was recognized as the Diving Coach of the Year.
| SESSION 7 RESULTS | TEAM SCORES | PHOTOS |
Following each of Saturday evening’s competitions, a short awards ceremony was held to honor the top eight finishers. The top three finishers in each event received medals and automatically earn All-Conference honors, while individual finishers 4-6 and the fourth-place relay team earned honorable mention distinction. Saturday’s All-Conference honorees are listed below.
RECORD-BREAKERS
The Gustavus 400-yard freestyle relay team ended the meet with a MIAC record-breaking time of 03:00.94. The team of Nolan Larson, Dutch Franko-Dynes, Andrew Becker, and Matt Allison broke the previous conference mark of 03:00.98, set by Gustavus in 2007.
