Youngsters Shine In First Meet Of The Year

Fase wins two events in collegiate debut

ALLENDALE, Mich. – Jacob Fase won two events in his collegiate debut as the Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team came out of the gates strong in a narrow 151-92 loss to Grand Valley State Friday afternoon from the GVSU Fieldhouse Pool.

"It's only meet one, and you are already seeing the evolution of our men's team," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Clements said. "Besides the two sprint freestyle events, a freshman or sophomore was the top finisher in all of our other individual events tonight. We will continue to lean on the experience and maturity of our upperclassmen while we wait for our young swimmers to develop. The team you see today will be much better come February."

UWM kicked off the season with a strong showing by four freshmen in the first event of the year. Patrick Kelley, Timmy Greci, Ryan Scripp and Bailey Bodart combined for a runner-up finish, taking second with a solid time of 1:38.49.

Milwaukee collected its first win of the season in the 200 freestyle. Freshman Jacob Fase put together a great race, just out touching GVSU's top swimmer with a winning time of 1:43.97 – just one-tenth of a second ahead of the next swimmer.

Fase later made it 2-for-2 with a win in the 500 free. The freshman touched the wall in 4:48.95, nearly a full second ahead of second place.

In the 200 IM, the Panthers claimed yet another win from another newcomer. Kelley had a strong second leg and was able to do enough down the stretch to take first in the four-stroke event in 1:57.20, just four-hundredths of a second faster than the Lakers' top swimmer.

Ryan Menninga also put together a victory for the Black & Gold on Friday. The sophomore cruised to a win in the 200 fly with a winning time of 1:57.28 – nearly two full seconds ahead of second place.

UWM also got runner-up finishes on the day from Dane Van Allen (1000 free), Nick Menninga (50 free), Kelley (200 back), and the 400 free relay squad of Anthony Kolbus, Bodart, Fase and N. Menninga.

Milwaukee now returns home for the annual All Wisconsin Showcase next Saturday just up the road from campus at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis.

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Players Mentioned

Anthony Kolbus: 5' 8"; Sophomore; Butterfly/IM

Nick Menninga: 6' 4"; Senior; Sprints

Ryan Menninga: 6' 2"; Sophomore; Butterfly

Dane Van Allen: 6' 2"; Sophomore; Distance

Jacob Fase: 6' 4"; Freshman; Mid-Distance

Bailey Bodart: 6' 0"; Freshman; Sprints

Tim Greci: 5' 9"; Freshman; Breaststroke

Ryan Scripp: 6' 2"; Freshman; IM

Players Mentioned

Anthony Kolbus
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; Butterfly/IM

Nick Menninga
: 6' 4"; Senior; Sprints

Ryan Menninga
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; Butterfly

Dane Van Allen
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; Distance

Jacob Fase
: 6' 4"; Freshman; Mid-Distance

Bailey Bodart
: 6' 0"; Freshman; Sprints

Tim Greci
: 5' 9"; Freshman; Breaststroke

Ryan Scripp
: 6' 2"; Freshman; IM