Since 2002, a maximum of 50.5 points have separated the first and second-place positions occupied by UW-La Crosse and UW-Stevens Point at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship.

This weekend in UW-Oshkosh’s Albee Hall, another fierce battle is expected as defending champion UW-Stevens Point and 2007 runner-up UW-La Crosse splash and splatter for WIAC supremacy.

The 37th version of the WIAC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship will run in harmony with the 46th Annual WIAC Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship this Thursday through Saturday (Feb. 21-23). The daily schedule features preliminary competition in the 10 a.m. sessions and consolation and championship activity in the 5:30 p.m. sessions.

UW-Stevens Point is attempting to capture its third straight WIAC title and fifth overall. The Pointers won last year’s meet with 993.5 points, while UW-La Crosse finished second with 900.5. The Eagles possess nine WIAC championships, including a string of titles from 2002-05.

UW-Eau Claire, which won 18 consecutive WIAC titles from 1980-97 and another in 1999, placed third at last year’s meet with 460.5 points. Trailing the Blugolds were fourth-place UW-Whitewater with 365 points, fifth-place UW-Oshkosh with 244 and sixth-place UW-River Falls with 199.5.

UW-Stevens Point returns eight student-athletes who have combined to total 28 first-place finishes in previous individual and relay events at the WIAC Championship.

Junior Abby Strobel leads the group of returning champions for the Pointers. Last year, she was named the meet’s outstanding swimmer after winning the 200-yard backstroke, the 200-yard individual medley and the 400-yard individual medley as well as performing on the first-place 400-yard medley relay team. She is the two-time defending champion in both the 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley.

The Pointers also return junior Caitlin Hake, an eight-time WIAC champion. Hake is the two-time defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle and the defending champion in the 100-yard freestyle. She has swum on five first-place relay teams, including the 400-yard freestyle and the 400-yard medley relay squads the past two years.

Another key returnee for UW-Stevens Point is senior Meghan Walsh. She won the 100-yard butterfly the past three seasons and the 200-yard butterfly in 2006. Walsh is looking to become the second four-time champion in the 100-yard butterfly. She also has swum on three first-place relay teams, including the 400-yard medley relay the past two years.

Other multiple titleholders back for the Pointers are junior Kristen Bennett and sophomore Kari Slawson. Last year, Kristen Bennett won the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke events, while Slawson won the 500-yard freestyle and the 1,650-yard freestyle.

Completing UW-Stevens Point’s list of returning champions are seniors Amy Bennett, Stephanie Boehme and Bridget Gormley. Amy Bennett won the 200-yard butterfly, while Boehme and Gormley were members of the first-place 800-yard freestyle relay team a year ago.

Leading UW-La Crosse’s quest for the team title is senior Amanda Medendorp. She has been named the outstanding diver at the WIAC Championship the last two years. Medendorp is the two-time defending champion in both the one and three-meter diving events.

Senior Kristi Parker is another returning champion for the Eagles. Last year, she won the 100-yard backstroke as well as swimming on the first-place 200-yard medley relay team.

In the relays, junior Clare Hathaway has been a part of three winning squads and sophomore Brianna Peyer two for UW-La Crosse. Hathaway and Peyer were both members of the Eagles’ first-place 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay teams of a year ago.

Other members of previous first-place relay teams back for UW-La Crosse are juniors Danielle Rux and Sarah Russart. Rux participated on last year’s 200-yard freestyle relay team, while Russart competed on the 800-yard freestyle relay squad in 2006.

Nationally, UW-La Crosse sophomore Chelsea Hoff ranks fifth in the NCAA Division III with a time of 23.96 in the 50-yard freestyle. In addition, UW-La Crosse’s 200-yard freestyle relay group of Hathaway, Hoff, Peyer and Rux ranks fifth in the country with a time of 1:37.33.

The NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship will be held March 13-15 in Oxford, Ohio.