INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A school record and a pair of consolation titles were part of the highlights recorded during the final day for the Milwaukee women's & men's swimming teams Saturday at the Horizon League Championships at IU Natatorium.
 
"I couldn't be more proud of where our teams are at and the performances they put up," head coach Kyle Clements said. "They worked so hard for an extra month this year to be able to perform like that. I am just grateful and proud to be the coach of a program like this and be able to work with these student-athletes every day. Even though it was a crazy year, it will go down as one of the most fun I have had coaching."
 
The Panthers once again recorded season-best times from start to finish, sending 19 student-athletes to final heats, including six to A-finals. In addition, the MKE women had three of the eight A-finalists in the 100 freestyle to lead the way.
 
"We couldn't be more proud of the attitude and demeanor of our team," Clements said. "Not just this week, but throughout the entire year. We surpassed expectations of ourselves and are very proud of the team. We typically train 18 to 19 hours a week and that got cut down to about eight hours in the pool. We would train 40 to 50,000 yards per week and we were down to 20,000 yards this season. Yet, through our will and determination, we were able to come away with those times and results."
 
Milwaukee got consolation titles from Betsy Weil in the 200 breaststroke and Bella Passamani in the 200 butterfly.
 
Top finishers overall included a fifth-place showing from Cassandra Hutchins in the 100 freestyle (51.95), sixth-place from Antoni Haupt in the 1,650 freestyle (17:29.30), as well as a sixth-place effort from Giulia Guerra-Montes in the 200 backstroke (season-best 2:02.44). For the men, Jay Jensen was seventh in the 1,650 freestyle (16:01.87).
 
MKE had three of the top eight in the 100 free, with Hutchins fifth (51.95), Meghan Jagdfeld sixth (52.32), and Kelen McDaniels eighth (52.58). The trio recorded season-best times in either finals or prelims. They had another athlete in the B-final, with Alivia Farber posting a seventh-place finish in 52.84.
 
On the men's side, Milwaukee sent three to the B-finals of the 200 fly and ended up with two swimmers breaking the school freshmen record in the event. While just missing out on the top spot (.16 behind), Robert Petersen finished second (1:49.41) and Zach McClellan third (1:50.35), both touching the wall under the former MKE freshmen standard in the event set back in 2016 (Ryan Menninga held the mark with 1:50.54).
 
"The whole week was really summed up in those last couple of swims; the highlight really came in the end," Clements said regarding the men's side. "We needed those points on the men's side to stay ahead of Youngstown, so that race and the finish – both breaking the freshmen record at the same time – really gave us the advantage going into that last relay. It was a fun little punctuation on the entire event."
 
Passamani's 200 fly time in coming in first in the consolation heat was 2:05.40, leading from start to finish. Brianna Homontowski also made finals, placing 14^th overall in 2:08.98.
 
On the men's side of the 200 fly, Jacob Weber was seventh in the B-final in 1:52.34, setting a season-best in the prelims.
 
Weil's finish was much more of a thriller, coming from behind in the final 50 to take the consolation title in 2:19.81. Makaila Scheiblein also swam in the A-final of the 200 breast, placing eighth in a time of 2:22.62.
 
Immediately after swimming the mile, Haupt's next event was the B-finals of the 200 back, finishing eighth in 2:13.62 after setting a season-best of 2:06.70 in the prelims. Riley Melendy was sixth in 2:06.19.
 
On the men's side, Mason Schoof swam a time of 1:50.89 to place seventh in the B-final. The 100 freestyle came close to seeing another school record, as Danny Larson's 45.11 clocking was not only good enough for third in the heat, but within striking distance of the school record of 44.32 set back in 2011.
 
Daniel Jablonski (15^th in 200 breast in 2:08.75) was the remaining finalist, with the meet wrapping up with the men taking sixth in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:02.18; the women fifth in 3:29.26.
 
In the end, Oakland continued their winning ways, claiming the team championships on both sides for the eighth consecutive season. The Milwaukee women placed third with 476 points; the MKE men sixth with 306 points.
 
TEAM SCORES
WOMEN
1) Oakland – 939
2) UIC – 544.5
3) Milwaukee – 476
4) IUPUI – 376.5
5) Cleveland State – 358
6) Green Bay – 338
7) Youngstown State – 274
 
MEN
1) Oakland – 819
2) Cleveland State – 718.5
3) UIC – 481
4) IUPUI – 383
5) Green Bay – 374
6) Milwaukee – 306
7) Youngstown State – 300.5
 
Horizon League Swimming & Diving Specialty Awards
Women's Specialty Awards
Athlete of the Year: Susan LaGrand, Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Ronja Riihinen, Oakland
Swimmer of the Meet: Anna Liu, Green Bay
Swimming Coach of the Year: Pete Hovland, Oakland
 
Men's Specialty Awards
Athlete of the Year: Christian Bart, Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Bob Fick, Cleveland State
Swimmer of the Meet: Christian Bart, Oakland
Swimming Coach of the Year: Eddie Gillie, Green Bay