MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Milwaukee men's and women's swimming and diving team closes out the regular season of competition this weekend on the road. The MKE swimmers first match-up against UW-Stevens Point on Friday, Jan. 31, in Stevens Point, Wis. before the MKE diving team heads to the UIC Diving Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 1, in Chicago, Ill.
Friday's dual against UWSP is set to begin at 5 p.m. while the UIC Diving Invitational begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
SCOUTING THE POINTERS
The Panthers have already seen the likes of the DIII powerhouse UW-Stevens Point earlier this season at the Wheaton Invitational in December. MKE swept both sides of the meet while the Pointers claimed second place as a team on the men's side and fifth place for the women.
The UWSP men are 4-2 in dual season and undefeated at home, 2-0, while the women are 2-4 on the season and 1-1 when at home.
WE'VE GOT HISTORY
The Panther and Pointers first met in 1990 and competed against each other each year through the 1994-95 season. After a long hiatus, the two teams met back up in 2018 and Friday's meet will be the third-straight match-up.
One the women's side, MKE leads a perfect all-time series, 8-0, over the Pointers while the MKE men lead 7-1 with its only loss in January of 1994.
DIVING ONLY
For the ninth year in a row, the Milwaukee diving team will compete at the UIC Diving Invitational in Chicago, Ill in another talented field at the Flames Natatorium. The Panthers will see the likes of league foes UIC and Green Bay.
The host team's diving duo of Felix LaFortune and Cydney Liebenburg. The duo has swept the Horizon League Divers of the Week honors the past three weeks in a row. Both have also qualified for NCAA Zone Diving this season and currently lead the league from the boards.
LAST TIME OUT
Last week, the Panthers celebrated all 13 seniors on Senior Day in a home dual against in-state rival Green Bay. The men came out on top over the Phoenix, 168.5-131.5, while the Green Bay women outpaced the Panthers, 172-127.
TOP OF THE LEAGUE
Five Panthers swam to the league's top five times this season. Freshman
Molly Meland has the fourth-fastest time in the 100 back (56.62) and the fifth-fastest 100 fly time (55.60) while classmate
McKenzie Sanchez claims the second-best score on both the one-meter (289.50) and three-meter (282.83) events.
On the men's side, senior
Patrick Kelley has the second-fastest time in the league in the 200 fly (1:48.74), which is only 0.34 seconds from the top spot. Classmate
Zach Hammond grabbed the fifth-fastest time in the 200 breast (2:03.59) while freshman
Jared Kleczka has the fifth-best score on the one-meter (296.25).
ON DECK
After the weekend's competition, Milwaukee's next stop is Auburn Hills, Mich. for the 2020 Horizon League Championships starting on Wednesday, Feb. 19, through Saturday, Feb. 22. This year the league meet will be hosted by Oakland.
