GREAT LAKES INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (GLIAC) – MEN AND WOMEN
- Dates: Wednesday-Saturday, February 19-22nd
- Location:Gerstacker Regional Aquatic Center, University Center, Michigan
- Defending Champions: Grand Valley State men (5x); Grand Valley State women (1x)
- Championship Central
- Complete Results
Courtesy: Grand Valley State Athletics
The Grand Valley State men’s swimming & diving team claimed the 2020 GLIAC Championship with a team score of 1,025 points, well ahead of second-place finishing Wayne State (761). The Laker men have now won six consecutive GLIAC Swimming & Diving Championships and the nine total GLIAC titles tied Wayne State for the most titles among current league schools. The GVSU women finished third with 767.5 points, behind first-place Northern Michigan (927.5) and second-place Wayne State (778.5).
GVSU dominated the individual awards on both sides with sophomore Jesse Goodyear being named the GLIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Year, freshman Roger Miret Sala being named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year, Chris Kelly being named the Men’s Diver of the Year and head coach Andy Boyce being named the GLIAC Men’s Coach of the Year. On the women’s side, senior Melina Goebel was named the GLIAC Women’s Swimmer of the Year and senior Mikayla Karasek being named the Women’s Diver of the Year.
Awards
Sophomore Jesse Goodyear was named the GLIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Year with three GLIAC titles (500, 1000, 1650 free) and two GLIAC Championship meet records in the 1000 free and 1650 free. Goodyear also finished ninth in the 200 fly.
Senior Melina Goebel was named the GLIAC Women’s Swimmer of the Year with three GLIAC individual titles titles (500, 1000, 1650 free). Goebel has won 11 GLIAC individual titles in her career between the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle. Goebel also finished second in the 200 free and was a part of the 800 free relay team.
Freshman Roger Miret Sala was named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year after recording a second in the 200 fly, third in the 200 free and fourth in the 200 IM. In addition, Sala was a part of two second-place finishing relays (200 FR/400 MR) and a fifth-place finishing 800 free relay.
Senior Mikayla Karasek was named the GLIAC Women’s Diver of the Year after finishing first on the 1-meter board and third on the 3-meter board. Karasek claimed three 1-meter titles and a 3-meter title during her career.
Junior Chris Kelly was named the GLIAC Men’s Diver of the Year after finishing second on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.
Andy Boyce was named the GLIAC Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the Laker men to their sixth consecutive GLIAC Swimming & Diving title.
Men
1650 Free – Sophomore Jesse Goodyear won the GLIAC crown, set the GLIAC meet record and broke his own school record when he touched the wall in 15:23.04*. Junior Moritz Bartels finished fifth (15:49.48)*, Austin Cabel sixth (16:03.55), and David Turner 12th(16:21.01).
100 Free – Junior Oscar Saura-Armengol touched third in a time of 44.89*, junior Cade Vruggink was seventh (46.21) and Dzmitry Novikau was 10th (46.09).
200 Back – Senior Harry Shalamon claimed the GLIAC crown in a time of 1:44.97*, followed by Roger Miret Sala in fifth (1:50.62), Noah Ellis in sixth (1:51.48), Joseph Zlotnick in ninth (1:52.13) and Tabor Smyth in 11th(1:55.81).
200 Breaststroke – Sophomore Keegan Hawkins finished fourth (2:00.27)*, freshman Evan Dies was seventh (2:05.00), sophomore Trevor Sallee was eighth (2:05.52) and Austin Cabel was 12th (2:07.25).
3-Meter Diving – The Lakers take five of the top eight spots on the 3-meter board, including freshman Illusha Gerasimchuk claiming the GLIAC title with a score of 476.55. Chris Kelly finished second (429.55), Wrigley Fields third (417.50), Nick Burciaga fourth (399.95) and Cameron Snoap eighth (361.95).
The Lakers’ 400 free relay finished fourth in a time of 3:04.72.
Women
1650 Free – Senior Melina Goebel captured her third consecutive 1650 title when she touched the wall in 16:51.55*. Goebel captured 11 GLIAC individual freestyle titles in her career, including three 1650 free, three 1000 free and three 500 free. GVSU has dominated the women’s distance free events, winning each of the last five titles in the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle. Freshman Neta Shiff finished second (17:04.87)*, freshman Erin Jacob eighth (17:31.63) and freshman Bianca Licari 10th(17:46.65).
100 Free – Freshman Kelly Peasley touched the wall third in a time of 52.24, while freshman Claire Meeuwsen was 11th(53.05), freshman Rebecca Farber was 12th (53.16) and Meda Kulbaciauskaite was 14th (53.47).
200 Backstroke – Sophomore Melina DeCort finished ninth in a time of 2:03.83 and junior Abigail Sauerbrei touched 13thin 2:10.64.
200 Breaststroke – Sophomore Samantha Laurich claimed the GLIAC title with a time of 2:17.00*, while Delaney Wihebrink was second in 2:18.44*. Freshman Dayna Borregard was 11th (2:26.78), senior Sidney Weaver was 13th (2:29.83) and senior Paige Hoeve finished 15th (2:31.38).
GVSU’s 400 free relay team finished third in a time of 3:29.17.
Courtesy: Northern Michigan Athletics
SAGINAW, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University Swim and Dive teams finished the 2020 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships Saturday, February 21. The women’s team won with 927.5 points, clinching their seventh title in school history and the first since 2002. The men took third overall with 653.5 points.
| ON THE PODIUM |
In the 1650-yard freestyle, junior Gabriella Spajic (Sydney, Australia) placed third with a time of 17:05.65. Following was freshman Maria Arakelian (Livonia, Mich.) in fourth, finishing at 17:11.09. Senior Nicola Pasquire (Bedford, England) also made the podium, touching the wall in 17:28.37 for seventh overall.
Junior Ondrej Zach (Rudolfov, Czech Republic) placed second in the men’s race, hitting the wall at 15:33.06.
| BOTH EVENTS TAKEN BY WILDCATS |
In the 100-yard freestyle, freshman Michaela Nelson (Sun Prairie, Wis.) won the event, swimming a 51:50 time. Junior Margaret Vaitkus (Munster, Ind.) took fourth finishing at 52.37. Junior Lena Soulas (London, England) finished with a time of 52.83 to take sixth.
For the men’s 100-yard freestyle, senior Lajos Budai (Kecskemet, Hungary) won, hitting the wall at 44.31. Senior Maksim Kapustin (Minneapolis, Minn.) took eighth with a time of 46.29.
| BACKSTROKE CHAMPION |
Senior Rachel Helm (Newcastle upon Tyne, England) took first in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:58.90. Freshman Jenna Joerger (Eagan, Minn.) followed with a 2:01.81 finish to take fourth.
Sophomore Filpe Lemos (Curitiba, Brazil) and freshman Erikas Kapocius (Ignalina, Lithuania) stuck together in the men’s 200-yard backstroke taking third and fourth with times of 1:49.64 and 1:49.86 respectively.
| BREASTSTROKE, BEST STROKE |
In the 200-yard breaststroke, junior Katharina Springhetti (Tramin, Italy) placed third at 2:21.14. Sophomore Briana Arnold (Black Creek, Wis.) made the podium for eighth, hitting the wall at 2:30.53.
Freshman Roberto Camera (Rozzano, Italy) placed third for the men, finishing at 1:59.94.
| RELAYS TO FINISH THE MEET |
For the final event of the meet, the women took second in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:27.17. The team consisted of Nelson, Helm, Soulas, and Vaitkus.
The men’s 400-yard freestyle relay had a team of Camera, Kapustin, sophomore Henry Bauer (Howell, Mich.), and freshman Ivan Amillo Escobedo (Valencia, Spain), who finished at 3:01.37 for second.
| UP NEXT |
For those swimmers who qualified, the team will be moving on to the National Collegiate Athletic Association championships, beginning March 10 through the 14th in Geneva, Ohio.
