Men's & Women's
Swimming & Diving Championships
February 15-17, 2001
Albee Hall Aquatic Center - Oshkosh, Wis.

2001 Preview

Some familiar competitors hope to increase their collection of medals when they participate at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend in UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Aquatic Center. This year's event, hosted by UW-Oshkosh for only the second time, is the 39th league championship for the men and the 30th for the women.

For the first time ever, UW-Stevens Point is the defending champion on both the men's and women's side. Both teams went undefeated in WIAC dual meets and captured the WIAC Relays last November. The UW-Stevens Point men have won three of the last four WIAC titles, while the UW-Stevens Point women claimed its first-ever league crown last season.

Expected to contend along with UW-Stevens Point for the men's title are UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse, second and third-place finishers a year ago, respectively. UW-Eau Claire has won 25 WIAC titles in the past 29 years, while UW-La Crosse has been a top-three finisher every year since 1980. UW-Stevens Point's women are also expected to receive its stiffest competition from UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse, second and third-place finishers a year ago, respectively. UW-Eau Claire has won 19 WIAC championships in the past 21 years, with the most recent being in 1999. UW-La Crosse, the 1998 WIAC champion, has finished in the top three every year since 1986.

Individually, seven event champions return to defend their titles won a year ago. Headlining the contingent is UW-Stevens Point's Randy Boelk, who has won seven individual WIAC titles and swam on nine championship relay teams. Boelk is the defending champion in the 200 yard butterfly, 200 yard individual medley and 400 yard individual medley. Another three-time defending champion back is UW-Stevens Point's Christine Sammons, who won the 100 yard breaststroke, 200 yard breaststroke and the 200 yard individual medley last year.

Other defending champions returning are UW-Eau Claire's Matt Oglesby in the 100 yard butterfly, UW-Eau Claire's Kaici Burk in the one meter and three meter diving, UW-Eau Claire's Brianna Crowley in the 400 yard individual medley, UW-La Crosse's Anna Meyer in the 100 yard backstroke and UW-Stevens Point's Mary Thone in the 200 yard butterfly.