UIC vs Milwaukee
- Saturday, October 15, 2022
- Chicago, Ill.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
- Team Scores
- Women: UIC 176.5, Milwaukee 123.5
- Men: UIC 195, Milwaukee 104
Courtesy: UIC Athletics
A successful opening meet saw UIC win 21 combined events, and sweep the top three places in four events, as the men and women both defeated Milwaukee at Flames Natatorium. UIC’s men claimed a 195-104 triumph, and the women prevailed by a score of 176.5-123.5.
Veterans established their presence, with the likes of Liam Davis, Jan Komorowski, Jeff Wiedoff, and Ben Ramminger all winning multiple events. Freshmen had their say as well. Bruno Carrillo, Brianna Corro, Isabella Drake, and Madison Helmick were all event winners.
“Today was a great way to kick off the new era of UIC swimming and diving,” first-year head coach Ashley Dell said. “Having three divers qualify for Zones in the first dual meet is huge and we had so many standout swimmers between the four relay wins and several individual event champions. It was a blast to see them race again and to think we’re just getting started is super exciting.”
The Flames showed their depth in several events. Victoria Thor, Taira Juronis, and Jessica Sanders were among the women with multiple top-three finishes. Luke Wiesner and Owen Zant turned in good swims in both backstroke events, as did Dan Galinski and Aidan Foley in the breaststroke races.
UIC bookended the meet with wins in the medley and freestyle relays by the men and the women.
A busy October will see the women host the Valley Showcase next weekend. UNI, Illinois State, and Indiana State will visit Flames Natatorium for a two-day meet on Friday and Saturday.
Event Winners
- Ciara McCliment claimed the 3-meter and 1-meter diving events, with an NCAA Zone-qualifying score in each.
- Bruno Carrillo was the winner in 1-meter men’s diving. By breaking 300 points, he qualified for NCAA zones on the board.
- Brianna Corro had a 10-second margin of victory in the 1000 free.
- Liam Davis finished strong to win the 1000 free. He also won the 200 fly.
- Kalie Landrum took the 200 free, and led four Flames atop the 500 free.
- Jan Komorowski won the 200 free and the 500 free.
- Isabella Drake was fastest in the 100 back.
- Cory Michalek led a trio of Flames who swept the 100 back.
- The Flames swept the top three spots in the 100 breast as well, with Ben Ramminger leading the way.
- Poleena Kovalaske out-touched a Panther to win the 50 free.
- Jeff Wiedoff won the 50 free and 100 free.
- Madison Helmick finished in a dead heat to tie for first in the 100 free.
- Owen Zant won the 200 back.
- It was another Flames sweep in the 200 breast, which Ben Ramminger won. He also won the 200 IM.
Top Performers
- Victoria Thor was third in the 1000 free and the 500 free.
- Madison Helmick came in second in the 200 free and the 500 free.
- Matt Fernandez nipped a Panther to place third in the 200 free.
- Ashlee Weltyk swam third in the 100 back.
- Luke Wiesner and Owen Zant were second and third respectively in the 100 back. Wiesner was third in the 200 back.
- Sam Malecki was second in the 100 breast.
- Dan Galinski and Aidan Foley came in 2-3 in the 100 breast. They flipped positions in the 200 breast. Galinski was third in the 200 IM.
- Hunter Rey came in third in the 50 free.
- Kovalaske was third in the 100 free.
- Komorowski finished second in the 100 free.
- Drake was the third place swimmer in the 200 back.
- Taira Juronis and Jessica Sanders were second and third in the 200 breast. Juronis was also second in the 200 IM.
- Isabella Del Rosario was second in the 100 fly.
- Carrillo came in second on the 3-meter board.
- Kerri-Leigh Morrison was the runner-up in both women’s diving events. She cleared the Zone standard on the 1-meter board.
Relays
- Drake, Juronis, Del Rosario, and Kovalaske claimed first place in the 200 medley relay.
- Zant, Ramminger, Wiedoff, and Michalek teamed up to win the 200 medley relay.
- The Flames also won the 200 free relay on both the men’s and women’s sides.
Courtesy: Milwaukee Athletics
CHICAGO, Ill. – Nik Wheeler and Jared Kleczka each picked up an individual victory as the Milwaukee men’s swimming & diving team opened the 2022-23 season Saturday at UIC.
“It’s an early start to our season, we are just getting going in race plans, and race strategies, and race tempos in practice,” head coach Kyle Clements said. “So this meet is a couple of weeks earlier than our typical first dual meet, but it was fun to get down to UIC and travel with the team for the first time this season. It’s always kind of a ‘see where you are at’ meet when it’s this early. And then you’re on the road, you’re on the bus early, it’s all the first time for the freshmen. So it’s always fun, but as the coach you never know quite where you are going to be at. This weekend was our first time this season swimming a lot of events, so it was fun to see where we are starting at. This meet is just the first of the next four weekends of racing, so we will be able to see how we progress over the next month and using this as a jumping-off point. And for that, I can’t be happier.”
The Panthers did drop the meet by a final score of 195-104 to the Flames.
“Looking back at our first meet last year, which was also against UIC but on October 30, in comparing some of the top times, we were faster in 16 of the 24 events today – eight on both sides,” Clements said. “So I am pleased to see where we are at for such an early start.”
Wheeler provided a victory in the 100 butterfly, winning in 50.60. Kleczka was right back at it, topping the field in the 3-meter diving competition with a score of 316.05 to win by over 45 points.
“On the men’s side, Jared Kleczka picked up an event win on three-meter,” Clements said. “Almost a zone-qualifying score – not quite – but looking great early. And then freshman Nik Wheeler put together two really great swims – runner-up in the 200 fly and a great win in the 100 fly.”
MKE nearly pulled off the same finish in the 200 butterfly, seeing Wheeler second (1:54.41) and Zach McClellan in third (1:56.86). McClellan was also third in the 100 butterfly in 51.99.
Ben Lorenz was nipped at the line in the 50 freestyle, with his 21.32 oh-co-close to the winning clocking of 21.08. Another tight finish came in the 200 backstroke, seeing Ben Huynh just behind the top time of 1:57.09, touching the wall in 1:57.83.
The team showed well in the 1000 freestyle, with Jack Garcia second (9:54.04) and Vince Chiappetta third (9:57.19).
Other top finishers included Jay Jensen in the 200 freestyle (second in 1:43.48), Chiappetta in the 500 freestyle (second in 4:47.21) and teammate Garcia right behind (third in 4:55.71), and Jensen in the 200 IM (second in a time of 1:55.90).
Kleczka was third in the one-meter with a score of 287.85, while Adam St. John placed second in that event with a total of 291.08 and was third in the three-meter with a final count of 275.10.
Up next, Milwaukee hosts the Wisconsin Showcase at Schroeder Aquatic Center on October 22.