Swimming teams complete day one of competition at DePauw Invitational

After the first day of competition at the 21st Annual DePauw University Invitational, the Olivet College men's and women's swimming teams stand in second and third-place, respectively. The men have tallied 318 points and are more than 100 points behind 11th-ranked DePauw, who has 452 points. The women have 218 points. DePauw is first with 436, followed by Wittenberg (Ohio) University, 302.

The men had 12 individual swims in the championship finals (top eight) and another five swims in the consolation finals (next eight). The top finisher was senior Dustin Meisner (Temperance/Erie Mason), who led a 2-3 Comet finish in the 100 breaststroke. His time was 1:01.02, followed by senior Ryan Key (Phoenix, Ariz./Brophy Prep) in 1:01.46. Senior Yury Bylina (Minsk, Belarus) placed eighth, 1:04.11; and freshman Zach McMunigal (Grand Blanc/Flint Powers Catholic) was 13th (1:05.29).

In the 200 individual medley (IM), Bylina and Key were third (2:02.29) and eighth (2:14.75), respectively. Senior Koji Takahashi (Etobicoke, Ontario/Silverthorn CI) swam in the consolation finals to place 14th (2:08.72).

In the 500 freestyle, Olivet took fourth through seventh-place. Senior Jason Wheatley (Portage/Central) led the way in 5:02.59, followed by sophomore Nathan Busscher (Hamilton/Holland Christian), 5:03.96; freshman Rick Kinsey (Chelsea), 5:05.31; and senior Brian Jaffee (Bowling Green, Ohio), 5:07.88.

Freshman Kellen Beckwith (Farmington Hills/North Farmington) was the only Comet to score points in the 200 backstroke, as he was seventh (2:03.08). In the 100 free, junior Brad Voss (Lansing/Holt) clocked-in at :49.51 to place eighth, and senior Mitch Powers (Kalamazoo/Central) clocked-in at :50.25 to place 12th.

Freshman Rafe Maxwell (Bay City/Western) swam the 200 butterfly in 2:03.40 to finish in fourth-place. Meisner finished in 10th (2:05.82) and Takahashi was right behind him in 11th (2:06.27).

Both the 800 freestyle and 400 medley relays were second. Busscher, Kinsey, Maxwell and Wheatley recorded a time of 7:24.70 in the 800 free relay. The 400 medley team of Beckwith, Meisner, Powers and Takahashi touched the wall in 3:40.22. In addition, the 200 freestyle relay team of Key, Powers, Voss and junior Brian Johnson (Lansing/Eastern) placed third (1:29.81).

The women's team had six individual swims in each the championship and consolation finals. The highest finisher was sophomore Jackie Taylor (Plainwell), who was third in the 200 backstroke, 2:16.98. Also in the 200 back, freshman Jami Lingbeek (Plainwell) placed sixth, 2:18.73.

In the 100 freestyle, junior Amy Johnson (Gaylord) completed the race in :55.03 to finish in fourth-place. Junior Heather Michalsen (Plymouth/Salem) was sixth and swam a lifetime best time of 2:21.14 in the 200 butterfly. Juniors Lauren Siedlik (Livonia/Churchill) and Erin Tramper (Jenison) were sixth (1:13.52) and seventh (1:14.20), respectively, in the 100 breaststroke.

Taylor also led an Olivet 9-11-13-15 finish in the 200 IM. Her time was 2:22.38, followed by junior Kalee Redder (Grandville/Jenison), 2:24.76; Siedlik, 2:26.10; and Tramper, 2:27.94. Senior Sarah Boyd (Napoleon, Ohio) finished the 500 freestyle in 5:32.82 to place 10th. Junior Lisa Egelkraut (Battle Creek/Central) also swam in the consolation finals of the 500, recording a 11th-place time of 5:34.50.

The 200 freestyle and 400 medley relay teams were third. The 200 freestyle team consisted of Johnson, Lingbeek, Redder and Taylor, and they finished the event in 1:43.41. Johnson, Michalsen, Taylor and senior Rachel Tunison (Erie-Mason) swam together in the 400 medley relay and they finished in 4:16.42. Boyd, Johnson, Michalsen and Redder completed the 800 freestyle relay in 8:18.21 to place fourth.

Tomorrow's second round begins with preliminaries at 9:30 a.m. Finals will begin at 4:30 p.m.

NOTE: The Olivet College diving teams are scheduled to participate in a diving invitational Saturday at Grand Valley State University.