MILWAUKEE- The Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team returned to action on Saturday, hosting Green Bay for "Senior Day". The Panthers sent their seniors out right in their final home meet, with a comfortable 235.5-64 win.
 
"The senior meet is always a special one" said head coach Kyle Clements. "Starting the meet recognizing and acknowledging all those men and women that have worked so hard over the past years makes this one of my favorite meets."
 
Milwaukee absolutely dominated the meet, winning all 16 events held with 10 different athletes grabbing first-place finishes.
 
"Once we got racing the fast swims started coming." Clements continued.
 
Three Panthers had multiple top finishes, including Erika Thomas, who won the first individual event of the day finishing the 1000 freestyle in 10:35.05. She followed that up in the 100 butterfly, touching the wall in 58.89 to cruise into the winner's circle.
 
Janelle Schulz had a multi-win day as well, first claiming the top spot in the 200 freestyle (1:55.44), before closing her day in the 200 individual medley with a winning time of 2:09.86.
 
Gabrielle LePine continued her dominance in the 100 breaststroke, reaching the finish in 1:02.63, before finishing with a first-place in the 100 freestyle (52.30).
 
Milwaukee saw more success in the backstroke events with Mara Freeman (58.09) and Skylar Ruggles (58.40) taking the top two spots in the 100. The two then flipped in the 200 with Ruggles in first at 2:04.84, and Freeman trailing just behind at 2:09.19.
 
In the 200 butterfly, Maddi Hayashi outswam the competition to take the event with a time of 2:06.60.
 
Moving to the 50 freestyle, Carly Plate led the way, being the first to finish with a time of 24.38. Closing out the freestyle events was Lilly Nesson, grabbing the top spot in the 500 freestyle at 5:10.13.
 
Nadia Switalski was the final winner in the pool for the Panthers, finishing at the top of the 200 breaststroke clocking in at 2:27.07.
 
On the diving boards, Julie Rebek had the top score in both the 1m (264.98) and 3m (272.48). While Therese Missiaen claimed second in the 3m (256.73), and Kristina Wittmann took the second spot in the 1m (261.75).
 
The relays bookended the meet starting with the 200 medley relay with the Panthers coming out on top at 1:45.22. It ended with an 800 freestyle relay win at 7:52.70.
 
"This part of the season is all about fine-tuning and getting ready for the final meet" Clements concluded. "We have come a long way this season and I look forward to seeing how it all ends."
 
The meet was the final at Klotsche Natatorium for seniors: Allie Buytendorp, Jenna Fistler, Sasha Gesner, Therese Missiaen, Julie Rebek, Skylar Ruggles, Janelle Schulz, and Jennifer Tokarz.
 
UP NEXT
 
Milwaukee will be back on Friday, Jan. 31 at 5:00 p.m. when they hit the road to take on Stevens Point.