Paula Struwing has resigned as head coach of the UW-Oshkosh men's and women's swimming and diving teams to accept a teaching and coaching position at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Ill. She will teach classes in health and alternative education as well as coach boys' and girls' swimming and diving.

During her four-year tenure at UW-Oshkosh, Struwing coached one NCAA Division III champion, four athletes to a total of seven NCAA Division III All-America awards and five athletes to a combined 11 WIAC titles. Her teams also established 10 school records, including seven during the 2004-05 season.

Struwing guided the UW-Oshkosh men's swimming and diving team to four fifth-place finishes at the six-team WIAC Championship. Her 2004 squad, led by two-time All-American Yusuke Iimori, also placed 18th at the NCAA Division III Championship.

Struwing coached the UW-Oshkosh women's swimming and diving team to two fourth and two fifth-place finishes at the six-team WIAC Championship. Her 2004 group, led by two-time diving champion Rachel Heitkamp, also finished 25th at the NCAA Division III Championship. Struwing's 2005 squad, paced by two-time All-American Renee Porter, also ranked 30th at the NCAA Division III Championship.

Before arriving at UW-Oshkosh, Struwing spent five years (1999-2003) as the head girls' swimming and diving coach at Bartlett High School in Bartlett, Ill. She was an assistant men's and women's swimming and diving coach at UW-La Crosse during the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

Struwing received a pair of degrees from UW-La Crosse, a bachelor's in 1994 and a master's in 1998. The Elgin, Ill., native earned a total of five NCAA Division III All-America awards as a member of the UW-La Crosse women's swimming and diving team from 1990-94.

Struwing was just the third swimming and diving coach at UW-Oshkosh since 1979. She followed Jan Moldenhauer (1979-93) and Andy Salm (1994-2003).

UW-Stevens Point repeated its feat of a year ago as both its men's and women's teams captured titles at the three-day WIAC Swimming and Diving Championships that concluded on Saturday (Feb. 17) in Stevens Point.

UW-Stevens Point's men’s team won the league crown for the eighth consecutive season and 11th time in school history, while the UW-Stevens Point women secured the WIAC trophy for the second straight year and fourth time in program history.

In the men’s competition, the Pointers totaled 914 points during the three-day meet to outdistance UW-La Crosse for the seventh straight year.  The Eagles finished with 882 points, followed by UW-Eau Claire in third with 507 points, UW-Whitewater in fourth with 457 points, UW-Oshkosh in third with 310 points and UW-River Falls in sixth with 175 points.

In the women’s division, UW-Stevens Point compiled 993.5 points to surpass UW-La Crosse’s second-place total of 900.5 points.   UW-Eau Claire finished third with 460.5 points, followed by UW-Whitewater in fourth with 365 points, UW-Oshkosh in fifth with 244 points and UW-River Falls in sixth with 199.5 points.

UW-Stevens Point secured three individual titles during the final day of competition.  Chase Gross captured the 100-yard freestyle for the second straight year with a NCAA “B” qualifying time of 46.47 to earn his second title of the meet.  He won the 200-yard freestyle yesterday.

The Pointers’ Ben Gensler established a pool record and NCAA “B” qualifying mark in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:04.90.  It marked the second consecutive year he has won the event and his second title of the championship after winning the 100-yard breaststroke a day ago.

Rob Donisch also earned his second title in as many days, winning the 200-yard butterfly with a clocking of 1:55.72.

UW-La Crosse’s Anthony Schmidt defended his title in the 200-yard backstroke with a mark of 1:55.73.  It was his third trophy during the championship after he won the 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard individual medley. Schmidt was named the Swimmer of the Meet for his performances.

The Eagles’ Karl Richters claimed the 1,650-yard freestyle for the third consecutive season with a time of 16:44.83.  He becomes just the second individual to win the event three straight years, joining UW-Whitewater’s Mike Foss (1983-85).

UW-La Crosse also won their fourth relay title at the league competition when the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Matthew Diehl, Christopher Boyle, Michael Beilman and Anthony Wolff established a pool record and NCAA “B” qualifying time of 3:05.78.

UW-Oshkosh’s Jacob Chadderdon won the three-meter diving competition with a score of 510.45 and was voted the Diver of the Meet for the second straight year.

UW-Stevens Point’s women’s squad captured all five individual titles and the relay crown during the third day of events.  Abby Strobel won the 200-yard backstroke for the second consecutive season with a NCAA “B” qualifying time of 2:08.16.  She was voted the Swimmer of the Meet after earning her third individual title of the championship.

Kristen Bennett claimed the 200-yard breaststroke with a NCAA “B” qualifying mark of 2:24.74.  She also won the 100-yard breaststroke yesterday.

Caitlin Hake captured her second title of the championship, winning the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.59 and establishing a NCAA “B” performance, while Kari Slawson also earned her second crown of the meet after finishing first in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a clocking of 18:00.09.

Amy Bennett placed first in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:11.71.

The Pointers’ 400-yard freestyle relay quartet of Kesley Crunstedt, Jerica Crook, Beth Bard and Hake surpassed the NCAA “B” qualifying mark with a time of 3:33.70.  It was UW-Stevens Point’s third relay title at the championship.

UW-La Crosse’s Amanda Medendorp earned the Diver of the Meet award for the second straight season after winning both diving events during the first two days of the meet.

UW-Stevens Point head coach Al Boelk was voted the league’s women’s coach of the year for the third straight season and fifth time in his career.  He also won the award 2000 and 2003.

UW-La Crosse head coach Rich Pein was named the WIAC men’s coach of the year for the fourth time in his career.  He also claimed the honor in 1992, 1995 and 2001.

UW-Eau Claire’s Nick Peterson was selected the conference’s Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete, while UW-Stevens Point’s Beth Bard earned the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete award.

Final Results of the 2007 WIAC Swimming and Diving Championship can be found at http://www.uwsp.edu/athletics/swimming/WIACCHMP.htm

UW-La Crosse’s men’s team and UW-Stevens Point’s women’s team hold slim leads following the second of three days of competition at the 2007 WIAC Swimming and Diving Championships in Stevens Point.
 
UW-La Crosse’s men’s squad has compiled 591 points and holds a two-point lead over seven-time defending champion UW-Stevens Point.  The Pointers have totaled 589 points and are followed by UW-Eau Claire (307 points), UW-Whitewater (301 points), UW-Oshkosh (209 points) and UW-River Falls (131 points).
 
UW-Stevens Point’s women’s team, the defending conference champion, has totaled 661.50 points.   The Pointers are followed by UW-La Crosse (649.50 points), UW-Eau Claire (307.50 points), UW-Whitewater (258 points), UW-Oshkosh (189 points) and UW-River Falls (158.50 points).
 
UW-Stevens Point’s men’s team captured four individual titles during the second day of competition.  Chase Gross won the 200-yard freestyle for the second straight year with a NCAA “B” qualifying time of 1:42.83, while Ben Gensler also established a “B”-cut mark in winning the 100-yard breaststroke in 58.33. The Pointers’ Rob Donisch secured the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 52.15 and Willie Clapp was victorious in the 100-yard backstroke with a mark of 54.05.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Anthony Schmidt won his second championship in as many days, finishing first in the 400-yard individual medley for the third consecutive season with a NCAA “B” qualifying clocking of 4:10.66.  He claimed the 200-yard individual medley title yesterday. The Eagles also won both relay events during Friday’s competition.  The 200-yard medley relay quartet of Adam Carlson, Cole Swanson, Anthony Wolff and Matthew Diehl finished first with a NCAA “B” qualifying performance of 1:34.21. Diehl, Karl Richters, Joel Coyne and Michael Beilman set a pool record and NCAA “B” qualifying time en route to winning the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:57.74.
 
The men’s three-meter diving competition will be completed on Saturday.
 
In the women’s race, UW-Stevens Point claimed four individual titles and one relay trophy during the second of competition.  The Pointers were led by Abby Strobel, who captured her second title in as many days, winning the 400-yard individual medley in 4:40.67.  She claimed the 200-yard individual medley crown yesterday. The Pointers’ Meghan Walsh won the 100-yard butterfly for the third straight season with a clocking of 59.90, while Jerica Crook claimed the 200-yard freestyle in 1:57.83 and Kristen Bennett was victorious in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:08.28. Crook, Stephanie Boehme, Bridget Gormley and Alissa Colbert teamed to win the 800-yard freestyle relay with a time of 7:56.70.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Amanda Medendorp established a conference record in the one-meter diving competition with a score of 453.75, surpassing the previous total of 440.95 set by UW-Eau Claire’s Sara Mulatz in 1996.  This marked the second straight year Medendorp has won the one-meter event.  She also claimed the three-meter board yesterday. The Eagles’ Kristi Parker secured the 100-yard backstroke with a NCAA “B” qualifying mark of 59.94.  She also teamed with Brianna Peyer, Kelly Hackbarth and Clare Hathaway to set a pool record and establish a NCAA “B” performance with a time of 1:48.50 in the 200-yard medley relay.
 
Competition at the WIAC championships continues Saturday with preliminaries at 10 a.m. and the finals at 6 p.m.

Results of the 2007 WIAC Swimming and Diving Championship can be found at http://www.uwsp.edu/athletics/swimming/WIACCHMP.htm

UW-Stevens Point’s men’s and women’s teams lead after the first day of competition at the 2007 WIAC Swimming and Diving Championships in Stevens Point.

The seven-time defending champion men’s squad compiled 261 points to outdistance UW-La Crosse with 260 points.  The Eagles are followed by UW-Whitewater (141 points), UW-Eau Claire (139 points), UW-Oshkosh (116 points) and UW-River Falls (56 points).

UW-Stevens Point’s women’s squad, which claimed last year’s championship, totaled 292.50 points.   UW-La Crosse is second with 270 points, followed by UW-Eau Claire (120 points), UW-Whitewater (95 points), UW-Oshkosh (86 points) and UW-River Falls (78.50 points).

In the men’s race, UW-La Crosse secured three individual titles and one relay crown.  Matthew Diehl captured the 50-yard freestyle with a NCAA “B” qualifying time of 20.80, while Joel Coyne won the 500-yard freestyle with a performance of 4:44.96 and Anthony Schmidt claimed the 200-yard individual medley with a clocking of 1:55.72.

The Eagles’ 200-yard freestyle relay team of Diehl, Christopher Boyle, Adam Carlson and Anthony Wolff established a NCAA “B” qualifying time of 1:23.55 en route to winning the event.

UW-Eau Claire’s Bryan Dykstra claimed the one-meter diving competition with 480.10 points.

UW-Stevens Point’s Matt Meyer, Ben Gensler, Rob Donisch and Chase Gross earned a NCAA “B” qualifying time in winning the 400-yard medley relay with a performance of 3:26.86.

In the women’s contest, defending champion UW-Stevens Point claimed three individual titles and one relay crown during the opening day of events.  Caitlin Hake defended her title in the 50-yard freestyle with a NCAA “B” qualifying time of 24.14, while Abby Strobel protected her crown in the 200-yard individual medley with a performance of 2:12.15 and Kari Slawson claimed the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:12.49.

UW-Stevens Point’s 400-yard medley relay team of Strobel, Trish Nye, Meghan Walsh and Hake finished first,
posting a NCAA “B” qualifying performance of 3:57.97.

UW-La Crosse’s Amanda Medendorp won the three-meter diving competition for the second straight year with a score of 480.25, while Clare Hathaway, Brianna Peyer, Danielle Rux and Heather Vogts teamed to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:38.46.

Results of the 2007 WIAC Swimming and Diving Championship can be found at http://www.uwsp.edu/athletics/swimming/WIACCHMP.htm

Richard Nixon was president and none of the competitors in this year’s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s swimming and diving championships had even been born the last time somebody other than UW-Stevens Point or UW-Eau Claire took home the league trophy in 1971.

But that may change this weekend (Feb. 15-17) in Stevens Point as UW-La Crosse brings a strong squad into this year’s event and is the top challenger to dethrone seven-time defending champion UW-Stevens Point. The Eagles already defeated UW-Stevens Point in a dual meet on Jan. 27, snapping the Pointers’ 49-match conference dual win streak that dated to 1995.

UW-La Crosse also captured the team title at the UW-Stevens Point Invite the previous week. However, the Pointers are still imposing, having posted the conference’s best performances this year in 16 of 20 events and having the meet in their home pool on Feb. 15-17.

The defending champion Pointers feature junior Chase Gross, who won all three sprint events last season and set a conference record in the 100-yard freestyle. He has the league’s best time in the 100-yard and 200-yard events this year. Gross swam on four winning relays at last year’s conference meet, including record-setting swims in the 400-yard and 800-yard freestyle relays. The Pointers own the top times this year in four of the five relays.

UW-Stevens Point also features junior Ben Gensler, who is the conference record holder in the 200-yard breaststroke and has the top times in both breaststroke events this year. Gensler is also a strong contender in both individual medley events. Sophomore Rob Donisch is the defending champion in the 200-yard butterfly and has the league’s fastest time in the event again this year.

Junior Willie Clapp was last year’s runner-up in the 100-yard backstroke and has one of the conference’s fastest times this season. Senior Jeff Nelson has posted strong distance performances this year and freshman Chris Hruska could also challenge in both events with the league’s best regular season 200-yard backstroke performance.

Hruska’s brother, Mike, is a sophomore at UW-La Crosse and was a third-place finisher in both breaststroke events last year.

UW-La Crosse returns a pair of two-event champions in junior Anthony Schmidt and junior Karl Richters. Schmidt is the two-time defending champion in the 400-yard individual medley and won the 200-yard backstroke last season. He has the league’s second-best times in each event this year. Richters swept the distance titles the past two years and is a top contender in both events this season as well as either breaststroke competition.

A pair of freshmen will provide a Gross a stiff challenge in the sprints. Matt Diehl owns the conference’s fastest 50-yard freestyle time this season and edged Gross in the 100-yard freestyle in the dual meet, while Anthony Wolf has also posted swift times. Versatile senior Joel Coyne has solid times in distance, butterfly and individual medley events this season and was a top-three finisher in each discipline at last year’s meet.

UW-Eau Claire’s best title chances come in a trio of divers. Junior Bryan Dykstra posted the conference’s best three-meter score this year at the UW-Stevens Point Invite, while sophomore Donnie Vollmer and freshman Kenny Ritt have also achieved high marks. Senior Cale Schmidt-Jackson was fourth in both backstroke races last season and sophomore Pat Finley was a top-five finisher in middle distance events.

UW-Whitewater freshman Jon Stanczyk has been among the league’s top sprinters this year and has anchored the Warhawks’ relays. Sophomore Mike Huffman placed fifth in the 100-yard backstroke last year and junior John Sedgwick could contend in the butterfly events. Senior Kyle Boers is among the conference’s top divers.

UW-Oshkosh returns diver Jacob Chadderdon (So. • Madison), who won the one-meter conference title and was runner-up in the three-meter event last year. Nicholas Cole (Jr. • West Bend) placed fourth in last year’s 1,650-yard freestyle and is expected to be a top finisher in both the 200 and 500-yard freestyle events. UW-Oshkosh may also obtain top finishes from Jason Patzwald (Fr. • Menomonee Falls) in the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly and Joshua Ray (Fr. • Elkhorn) in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle.

UW-River Falls will likely look to sophomore breaststroker Michael Brudzinski for its top performances.

Results of the 2007 WIAC Swimming and Diving Championship can be found at http://www.uwsp.edu/athletics/swimming/WIACCHMP.htm

The UW-Oshkosh men's swimming and diving team had two wins in the pool and one on the board in a 166-77 loss to UW-Eau Claire in a dual meet held Saturday (Feb. 3) in Eau Claire.

Nicholas Cole (Jr. • West Bend) won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:49.55, Jason Patzwald (Fr. • Menomonee Falls) captured the 50-yeard freestyle in a time of 23.73 and Jacob Chadderdon (So. • Madison) won the 3-meter diving event with 267.00 points to pace the Titans.

Cole also took second in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.45, Chadderdon equaled Cole's performance in the 1-meter dive with 247.75 points and Patwald took fourth place in the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 2:23.14.

Other UW-Oshkosh second place performances included Matt Behnke (So. • Eden) in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:27.47.

Third-place listings for the Titans were Justin Zangl (So. • Hartford) in the 1,000-yard freestyle in a time of 11:16.73, Joshua Hyde (Sr. • Fond du Lac) in the 200-yard backstroke in a time of 2:20.55 and Steve Schendt (Fr. • Janesville) in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:34.89.

UW-Oshkosh brought home fourth place results from Kent Ludeman (Fr. • Cedarburg) in the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 25.09, Ryan Elliott (So. • Manitowoc) in the 400-yard individual medley in a time of 4:53.55 and Zangl in the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:24.74.

Joshua Ray (Fr. • Elkhorn) had two fourth place performances for the Titans. He swam the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 52.48 and the 200-yard backstroke in a time of 2:28.06.

Getting wet in their home pool for the first time this season, the UW-Oshkosh men's swimming and diving team had a rough time as it dropped a 192-45 decision to UW-La Crosse on Saturday (Jan. 13) in Albee Hall.

The Titans' lone first place showing was in the 400-yard freestyle relay, where Nicholas Cole (Jr. • West Bend), Jason Patzwald (Fr. • Menomonee Falls), Josh Ray (Fr. • Elkhorn) and Justin Zangl (So. • Hartford) posted a winning time of 3:24.28.

Cole and Patzwald also captured two second place listings for the Titans. Cole was runner-up in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:48.72 and in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:03.86. Patzwald was runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.85 and in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:11.69.

The Titans' lone third-place performance went to Matt Behnke (So. • Eden) in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 55.50.

Taking fourth place for UW-Oshkosh were Behnke in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:31.40, David Lonie (Sr. • Cypress, Calif.) in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.38, Steve Schendt (Fr. • Janesville) in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 5:08.86 and Zangl in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:21.26.

Jacob Chadderdon (So. • Madison) captured first place in two diving events, and two relay teams swam to titles to lead the UW-Oshkosh men's swimming and diving team to a third-place finish at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational held Friday and Saturday (Dec. 1-2) at Lawrence University in Appleton.

Chadderdon scored 436.95 points in the 3-meter dive and 365.40 points in the 1-meter dive to win both events.

Also taking first place was the foursome of Matt Behnke (So. • Eden), Nicholas Cole (Jr. • West Bend), Jason Patzwald (Fr. • Menomonee Falls) and Joshua Ray (Fr. • Elkhorn) in the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:44.02 and the 400-yard medley relay in a time of 3:50.99.

Patzwald also captured first place in the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 22.90 to round out the Titans' championship performances.

UW-Oshkosh scored 765 points in the five-team event. UW-Eau Claire won the invitational with 971 points followed by UW-Whitewater with 844, UW-Oshkosh, Lawrence University with 353 and Ripon College with 216.

UW-Oshkosh's second place performances went to Cole in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 50.34 and the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:00.18, Patzwald in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 57.36 and the quartet of Cole, Patzwald, Ray and Kyle Spittler (Fr. • Clinton, Iowa) in the 400-yard freestyle relay in a time of 3:27.23.

Ray touched the wall in 23.30 to take the lone third place performance for the Titans in the 50-yard freestyle.

Taking fifth place for UW-Oshkosh were Ray in the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 1:01.10, Patzwald in the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 2:14.54 and Steve Schendt (Fr. • Janesville) in both the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 4:57.79 and the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 1:01.10. Alex Socha (So. • Pleasant Prairie) finalized the Titans fifth place results by scoring 271.70 points in the 1-meter dive and 262.95 points in the 3-meter dive.

Sixth-place listings for UW-Oshkosh were Behnke in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:07.51 and Ray in the 200-yard backstroke in a time of 2:20.88.

The UW-Oshkosh men's swimming and diving team captured fifth place with 58 points at the WIAC relays held Saturday (Nov. 18) in Eau Claire. UW-Stevens Point won the event with 152 points followed by UW-La Crosse with 128.

Highlighting the day for the Titans was a second place performance by Jacob Chadderdon (So. • Madison) and Alex Socha (So. • Pleasant Prairie) in the one-meter and three-meter dive. The duo combined to score 196.10 points in the one-meter and 208.05 in the three-meter to take runner-up honors.

UW-Oshkosh captured fifth place in eight of the 11 events for their top performances. Jason Patzwald (Fr. • Menomonee Falls) led the Titans as a part of five of those relays. Dan Johnson (So. • Anoka, Minn.), Joshua Ray (Fr. • Elkhorn), Kyle Spittler (Fr. • Clinton, Iowa) and Justin Zangl (So. • Hartford) each swam on four relay teams and Matt Behnke (So. • Eden) was a member of three.

Last season the men took fifth place with 44 points at the WIAC relays. No WIAC relay records were broken during the event.

Jacob Chadderdon (So. • Madison) flipped his way to two second place performances in the diving events to lead the UW-Oshkosh men's swimming and diving team to a sixth-place finish at the University of Chicago Invitational held Friday and Saturday (Nov. 10-11) in Chicago, Ill.

UW-Oshkosh tallied 240 points in the 11-team event. The host Maroons won the meet with 891 points.

Chadderdon scored 401.90 points in the 1-meter dive and 404.40 points in the 3-meter dive to capture runner-up finishes. Alex Socha (Fr. • Pleasant Prairie) also performed well on the board taking sixth place in both the 1-meter dive and 3-meter dive with 255.30 and 234.50 points, respectively.

Nicholas Cole (Jr. • West Bend) had the highest UW-Oshkosh individual result off the board with a fourth place performance in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:09.39.

Josh Ray (Fr. • Elkhorn) has a time of 2:21.36 in the 200-yard backstroke and a time of 1:01.54 in the 100-yard backstroke to capture ninth place in both events. Jason Patzwald (Fr. • Menomonee Falls) took ninth place in the 50-yard freestyle with at time of 22.94 and Josh Hyde (Sr. • Fond du Lac) had a tenth place result in the 200-yard backstroke with at time of 2:29.50 to round out the Titans' top-ten individual performances.