Men's Swimming & Diving January 29, 2016

Swimming & Diving Hosts Green Bay Saturday

Panthers to honor 16 seniors before final home meet

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee swimming & diving teams are home for the final time this season on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they host conference rival Green Bay at the Klotsche Natatorium.

Scouting The Meet
Milwaukee heads into its final meet of the regular season looking for more top times before the Horizon League Championships, which are just under a month from now.

Green Bay comes into the meet with a 4-2 record on the women's side and a 2-4 mark on the men's side. The Phoenix lost on both sides to conference foes UIC and Oakland earlier this year, split with Wright State and swept Valparaiso. Most recently, GB took down Northern Michigan last Saturday.

Senior Salute
Saturday will be the final time in the Klotsche Natatorium pool for 16 members of the Milwaukee Panthers. This year's graduating senior class combined for five league trophies – one league title and four second-place finishes.

Last Time In The Pool
UWM returned home from its annual winter training trip with a pair of wins at the University of Chicago two weeks ago. The Panthers won 18 of the 32 events on the day to complete the sweep in the windy city.

League Notice
With one week left in the regular season, the Panthers have already posted some of the top results in the Horizon League and the league office taking notice. In fact, after just four weeks in the pool, Milwaukee has already garnered six athlete of the week honors. Here is the complete list so far this season:

Oct. 20 – Sara Bentley, Rachel Margis
Oct. 27 – Sara Bentley, Rachel Margis, Nic Halverson
Nov. 10 – Rachel Margis
Jan. 19 – Rachel Margis

Top Times
UWM has been one of the top teams in the Horizon League since Kyle Clements was named the team's head coach. This year is no different, with the Panthers already boasting three of the top times in the league thus far. Milwaukee also has an impressive 55 top-eight times heading into the last meet of the regular season.

History Of Success
Milwaukee just missed another pair of Horizon League Championship last February in hosting the league meet, taking second on both the men's and women's side.

In all, UWM has won seven Horizon League titles in swimming & diving in program history. Milwaukee has been crowned league champs on the men's side four times (1999-2000, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12) and three times on the women's side (2000-2001, 2011-12, 2012-13).

Additionally, the Panthers have claimed an outstanding 16 team trophies (first or second) at the league meet since the move to Division I in 1990, with 12 of those trophies coming in the last seven years.

Back For More
Milwaukee had loads of success during last season and a majority of the team returns for the 2015-16 campaign.

In fact, the Panthers broke nine school records a year ago, with seven of those record-breakers back for more this year. Rachel Margis (1M), Tim Halverson (500 Free), Nic Halverson (1000 Free, 400 IM), Max Gatzke (1650 Free) and Taylor Wisdorf (100 Breast) all return in pursuit of more top times/marks this season.

Diving For Gold
UWM has always boasted some of the best divers in the conference, and this season figures to be much of the same.

Rachel Margis heads into her senior season leading the women's team. The Racine native has finished in the top-three four times at the league meet in her first three years and holds the school record on the one-meter board. Anna Percival also enters her senior season, while three freshmen (Cassidy Pilo, Carley Thomas and Kendra Wolf) all join the ranks this season.

Meanwhile, the men's team has also done remarkably well over the years. The Panthers do lose K.J. Heger (three-time league diver of the year, five time league champion, owns all three school records) to graduation, but three returners figure to play key roles in the scoring this season. Andres Villa enters his senior season after earning first-team all-league honors on both boards last year. Draven Feustel and Marcel Harris return after solid freshman campaigns.

A Look Back At Last Year
The 2014-15 season was another one for the record books for Milwaukee. Both teams capped the season with outstanding finishes at the Horizon League Championships, bringing home both runner-up trophies. That marks the fifth time in the last six years Milwaukee has won league trophies on both sides, including bringing home five league championships in that span.

Individually, the Panthers broke a whopping nine school records last season and an additional two freshman records. Quite a few of those records were broken at the league meet, where Milwaukee won seven league titles.

Up Next
Milwaukee now has just under a month to prepare for the Horizon League Championships. The four-day meet starts on Wednesday, Feb. 24 hosted this year by Oakland.

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Players Mentioned

K.J. Heger: 5' 9"; Senior; Diving

Draven Feustel: 6' 3"; Sophomore; Diving

Max Gatzke: 5' 9"; Senior; Distance

Nic Halverson: 5' 11"; Senior; Distance

Tim Halverson: 5' 11"; Senior; Distance

Marcel Harris: 5' 7"; Sophomore; Diving

Andres Villa: 5' 8"; Senior; Diving

Taylor Wisdorf: 5' 11"; Senior; Breaststroke/IM

Sara Bentley: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Backstroke

Rachel Margis: 5' 7"; Senior; Diving

Players Mentioned

K.J. Heger
: 5' 9"; Senior; Diving

Draven Feustel
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; Diving

Max Gatzke
: 5' 9"; Senior; Distance

Nic Halverson
: 5' 11"; Senior; Distance

Tim Halverson
: 5' 11"; Senior; Distance

Marcel Harris
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; Diving

Andres Villa
: 5' 8"; Senior; Diving

Taylor Wisdorf
: 5' 11"; Senior; Breaststroke/IM

Sara Bentley
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Backstroke

Rachel Margis
: 5' 7"; Senior; Diving