INDIANAPOLIS – Cleveland State’s Jack Krusinski and Matt Akers earned Nike #HLSD Men’s Swimmer and Diver of the Week after dual meets against Milwaukee and Green Bay. Milwaukee’s Molly Meland and McKenzie Sanchez each earned Nike #HLSD Women’s Swimmer and Diver of the Week honors after the Panthers swam against Cleveland State last week.
Men’s Swimmer of the Week
Jack Krusinski | Cleveland State | Sophomore | Brecksville, Ohio
Sophomore Jack Krusinski racked up first-place finishes as the Vikings traveled to Milwaukee and Green Bay for a pair of Horizon League duals. Krusinski went a perfect 4-for-4 in a win over the Panthers Friday night. He won the 100 breaststroke, the 200 breaststroke and the 200 IM and also swam on the winning 200 medley relay team. He won the 200 breast by over three seconds and won the 200 IM by over a second while posting the fastest second-leg split in the relay. Krusinski then posted two more first-place individual finishes fewer than 24 hours later at Green Bay and dropped time in all three individual events from the day before. He won the 200 breaststroke against the Phoenix in 2:03.41, the fastest time in the league this season. He also holds the fastest time in the league this season in the 200 IM.
Women’s Swimmer of the Week
Molly Meland | Milwaukee | Freshman | Golden Valley, Minn.
In the season’s home opener against Cleveland State, Meland continued her strong start to her collegiate career after grabbing a pair of wins in both of her individual events. The freshman led the field in the 100 back (58.39) and the 100 fly (57.80). She was also a key member in the winning 200 medley relay (1:48.49) after taking charge of the race as the backstroke leg. These helped Milwaukee win the dual, 165.5-132.5, over CSU and helped the Panther women to a 16-home winning streak.
Men’s Diver of the Week
Matt Akers | Cleveland State | Junior | Westlake, Ohio
Akers won three events across two meets as the Vikings traveled to Milwaukee and Green Bay for a pair of Horizon League duals. He won the 1-meter event Friday at Milwaukee in his first competition of the season with 298.95 points before he raised his performance to another level Saturday. Akers won the 1-meter event at Green Bay with a career-high 330.60 points, over 30 points clear of the NCAA zones standard. Akers also won the 3-meter event against the Phoenix with 318.07 points, just shy of tallying his second NCAA mark of the day.
Women’s Diver of the Week
McKenzie Sanchez | Milwaukee | Freshman | Racine, Wis.
Sanchez continues to lead the field from the boards. In the season’s home opener against Cleveland State, the freshman swept both the one-meter and the three-meter again. Sanchez grabbed a career best on the three-meter with a score 282.83. The score now sits seventh on the all-time Panther Top-10 list. She also claimed first on the one-meter with a score of 268.13. Sanchez has now won the one-meter in all four meets this season.
