Oakland Rallies on Final Day to Win 10th-Straight Horizon League Titles

2023 HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 15 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
• IU Natatorium (IUPUI), Indianapolis, IN
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Oakland (9x)
  • Men: Oakland (9x)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide
• Psych Sheet

The Oakland Golden Grizzlies have won their 10th-straight Horizon League team titles, remaining perfect in their decade as members of the conference. This was perhaps the hardest fought battle Oakland has had yet, as the men’s team was trailing IUPUI for the entire meet, entering Saturday finals down 48 points. They were able to rally, taking a slim lead around halfway through Saturday’s finals session, and were able to hold that lead through the end.

Meanwhile, the Oakland women’s team was firmly in control of the meet from start-to-finish. They ended up winning by over 300 points, a massive margin for a six-team conference.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

MEN

1. IUPUI – 852
2. Oakland – 841
3. Cleveland State – 504
4. Youngstown State – 426
5. Milwaukee – 342
6. Green Bay – 310

WOMEN

1. Oakland – 938
2. IUPUI – 636.5
3. Milwaukee – 606.5
4. Youngstown State – 431
5. Cleveland State – 382
6. Green Bay – 210

IUPUI sophomore Emmaleigh Zeitlow won the women’s 1650 free by a comfortable margin to kick off Saturday’s finals session, swimming a 16:36.62. That swim marks a new personal best for Zeitlow by 0.08 seconds, chipping her previous best from mid-season.

Youngstown State’s Gavin Webb won the men’s mile with a 15:19.52, pulling ahead of Oakland’s Ben Davis on the second-to-last 50 after trailing him in the middle of the race. At the 500 mark, Webb had the lead, splitting 4:34.62 to Davis’ 4:35.71. Davis then took over, flipping at the 1000 in 9:17.71, just ahead of Webb’s 9:18.11. In the end, Webb retook the lead and Davis ended up second in 15:19.66.

Oakland’s Susan LaGrand clocked a 1:54.74 to win the women’s 200 back once again. The time was off LaGrand’s championship record of 1:53.93 from last season, but she still won the race by nearly four seconds. IUPUI’s Emma Theobald had a great swim as well, taking second in 1:58.30.

The Golden Grizzlies went 1-2 in the men’s 200 back, which at the time, cut IUPUI’s lead to just one point. Marko Khotynetskyi won the race, swimming a 1:42.63 to claim his third individual title of the meet. Like LaGrand, his swim was off his championship record of 1:41.63 from last year, but the performance did mark a season best for Khotynetskyi by well over two seconds. Oakland freshman Harry Nicholson finished second in 1:43.96.

Oakland sophomore Jordyn Shipps won the women’s 100 free in 49.85, marking her first time under 50 seconds this season. The swim also marks a lifetime best for Shipps, clipping the 49.97 she swam at the 2021 Zippy Invite.

The men’s 100 free was a very tight race, seeing Oakland’s Christian Bart win his third individual title of the meet. Bart got out to a slim early lead and was just able to maintain it through the back half of the race. He touched in 43.43, just ahead of IUPUI’s Spencer Jyawook (43.61), Oakland’s Samuel McKenzie (43.82), and IUPUI’s Kevin Burke (43.94).

It was Milwaukee that snapped Oakland’s win streak, seeing Makaila Scheiblein clock a 2:14.56 in the women’s 200 breast. She was trailing Oakland’s Taylor Bailey at the 100 mark, but out-split Bailey by 1.03 seconds on the second 100.

Following an incredible race in the men’s 100 breast on Friday night, IUPUI’s Logan Kelly won the men’s 200 breast for a second year in a row, speeding to a new Horizon League Record of 1:52.86. He opened up a big lead on the first half of the race, splitting 53.76 on the first 100.

IUPUI freshman Gabrielle Puryear-Lynch won the women’s 200 fly in 2:02.29. She built an early lead, then had a massive split of 30.60 on the third 50, which set her up for victory as she held on during the final 50.

Aleksa Radenovic, a Youngstown State sophomore, won the 200 fly in 1:45.23. Like Puryear-Lynch, Radenovic built an early lead then held on for the final 50.

Oakland’s Elleana Chalifoux won women’s 3-meter diving by a massive margin, racking up a score of 336.00, which was 77 points ahead of the runner-up.

The Golden Grizzlies then won the women’s 400 free relay by nearly six seconds. LaGrand (49.89), Sam Thiessen (50.64), Ronja Riihinen (50.29), and Shipps (49.79) combined for a 3:20.61. Impressively, the Oakland quartet posted the four fastest splits in the field.

Oakland closed out the meet with a resounding win and a new Horizon League Record in the men’s 400 free relay. Mckenzie (43.74), Khotynetskyi (43.30), Charlie Brown (43.08), and Bart (42.58) teamed up for a 2:52.70, breaking the Oakland program record and marking the fastest time in Horizon League history. Other notable splits in the event include Spencer Jyawook‘s 43.54 lead-off for IUPUI, which was slightly faster than he swam in the individual 100 free earlier in the session. IUPUI’s Kevin Burke has the second-fastest split in the event, clocking a 43.04 on the second leg of their relay.

AWARDS

• Women’s Freshman of the Year – Gabby Puryear-Lynch, IUPUI
• Men’s Freshman of the Year – Sebastian Otero, IUPUI
• Women’s Diver of the Meet – Elleanna Chalifoux, OAK
• Men’s Diver of the Meet – Sebastian Otero, IUPUI
• Co-Women’s Swimmers of the Meet – Emmaleigh Zietlow, IUPUI & Susan LaGrand, OAK
• Men’s Swimmer of the Meet – Marko Khotynetskyi, OAK
• Women’s Diving Coach of the Year – Larry Albright, OAK
• Men’s Diving Coach of the Year – Eric Barnes, IUPUI
• Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year – Pete Hovland, OAK
• Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year – Damion Dennis, IUPUI

Emmaleigh Zietlow and Susan LaGrand tied for women’s Swimmer of the Meet, each having won all three of their individual races. Zietlow won the women’s 200, 500, and 1650 freestyles, while LaGrand swam to victory in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 back.

On the men’s side, Oakland’s Marko Khotynetskyi came away with Swimmer of the Meet honors. Khotynetskyi won all three of his races, taking the men’s 200 IM, 100 back, and 200 back. Interestingly, Oakland teammate Christian Bart also won all three of his individual events (50 free, 100 breast, 100 free), but didn’t end up tying Khotynetski for the award.