Feb. 4, 2012

Results

Photo Gallery

MILWAUKEE - Seniors Heidi Niespodzany and Sarah Wardecke combined to win four events to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming and diving team to a convincing 163-78 win over Green Bay on Senior Day in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Klotsche Natatorium Saturday afternoon.

Milwaukee won all but two events on the day en route to their largest margin of victory this season and their first win over the Phoenix in four years.

In all, the Panthers broke four Klotsche Natatorium records and posted 12 season-best times in their final meet of the regular season.

"Today was a mixed bag of emotions," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Clements said. "Being reflective of my seniors, it was a little weird seeing them go through that; giving them hugs and handshakes, still knowing that we've got a lot of time together and a lot of work to do.

"Overall, I'm pleased with the times we put up today. The kids get up for this meet every year on both sides. They're always going to get up and race hard. It was good to see them get up and get excited here at home and it was nice to have a full set of stands."

Milwaukee kicked things off right away as Becky Yokosh, Emily McClellan, Mary Kuyvenhoven and Sierra Townsend teamed up to break the Klotsche Natatorium record in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:50.13 to start the day's action.

Niespodzany continued that trend by breaking the pool record in the 200 freestyle in 1:52.66. The senior also won the 100 freestyle in impressive fashion, taking first in 52.19. Townsend (53.27) and sophomore Lindsey Verhulst (53.80) finished just behind in second and third.

Kuyvenhoven then broke the pool record in the 100 fly, touching the wall in 57.75.

McClellan also broke a pool record during individual events, setting the new standard in the 200 IM to 2:05.17 in winning the event. Diana Diel came in second at 2:06.02.

Wardecke just missed knocking off another Klotsche record in the 50 freestyle. The senior finished first with a time of 24.00, a hair short of the top time of 23.98.

In diving, junior Aubrey Griffiths won both boards with season best times. On the three-meter she posted a score of 266.62, while on the one-meter she finished at 252.00.

In the 200 backstroke, Becky Yokosh took first with a time of 2:04.70, while three seniors came in just behind with season-best times. Danielle Chapman took second in 2:07.57, Jennifer Schober was fourth at 2:12.45 and Maggie Pease was sixth in 2:13.70.

Other winners on the day were Kuyvenhoven in the 200 butterfly (2:05.61), McClellan in the 200 breaststroke (2:19.20) and the 400 free relay team (3:31.41). All three times missed pool records by fractions of seconds.

The Panthers are off until they host the Horizon League Championships in just over two weeks, Feb. 22-25.