CHICAGO, Ill. – Nik Wheeler and Jared Kleczka each picked up an individual victory as the Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team opened the 2022-23 season Saturday at UIC.
 
"It's an early start to our season, we are just getting going in race plans, and race strategies, and race tempos in practice," head coach Kyle Clements said. "So this meet is a couple of weeks earlier than our typical first dual meet, but it was fun to get down to UIC and travel with the team for the first time this season. It's always kind of a 'see where you are at' meet when it's this early. And then you're on the road, you're on the bus early, it's all the first time for the freshmen. So it's always fun, but as the coach you never know quite where you are going to be at. This weekend was our first time this season swimming a lot of events, so it was fun to see where we are starting at. This meet is just the first of the next four weekends of racing, so we will be able to see how we progress over the next month and using this as a jumping-off point. And for that, I can't be happier."
 
The Panthers did drop the meet by a final score of 195-104 to the Flames.
 
"Looking back at our first meet last year, which was also against UIC but on October 30, in comparing some of the top times, we were faster in 16 of the 24 events today – eight on both sides," Clements said. "So I am pleased to see where we are at for such an early start."
 
Wheeler provided a victory in the 100 butterfly, winning in 50.60. Kleczka was right back at it, topping the field in the 3-meter diving competition with a score of 316.05 to win by over 45 points.
 
"On the men's side, Jared Kleczka picked up an event win on three-meter," Clements said. "Almost a zone-qualifying score – not quite – but looking great early. And then freshman Nik Wheeler put together two really great swims – runner-up in the 200 fly and a great win in the 100 fly."
 
MKE nearly pulled off the same finish in the 200 butterfly, seeing Wheeler second (1:54.41) and Zach McClellan in third (1:56.86). McClellan was also third in the 100 butterfly in 51.99.
 
Ben Lorenz was nipped at the line in the 50 freestyle, with his 21.32 oh-co-close to the winning clocking of 21.08. Another tight finish came in the 200 backstroke, seeing Ben Huynh just behind the top time of 1:57.09, touching the wall in 1:57.83.
 
The team showed well in the 1000 freestyle, with Jack Garcia second (9:54.04) and Vince Chiappetta third (9:57.19).
 
Other top finishers included Jay Jensen in the 200 freestyle (second in 1:43.48), Chiappetta in the 500 freestyle (second in 4:47.21) and teammate Garcia right behind (third in 4:55.71), and Jensen in the 200 IM (second in a time of 1:55.90).
 
Kleczka was third in the one-meter with a score of 287.85, while Adam St. John placed second in that event with a total of 291.08 and was third in the three-meter with a final count of 275.10.
 
Up next, Milwaukee hosts the Wisconsin Showcase at Schroeder Aquatic Center on October 22.