Feb. 25, 2007

Results

ASHLAND, Ohio - The Lewis University swimming team turned in one of the most successful conference championship performances in program history by combining for eight school records, three NCAA "A" qualifying times and 10 "B" cuts during the four-day Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference Championships on the campus of Ashland University.

The men finished in fifth place overall with 470 points, securing 170 more points than last season. The Flyer women also increased their point total from a year ago, coming in seventh with 275.5 points, only 20 points short of cracking the top five.

Senior Michael Lapustin was named Male Swimmer of the Meet after securing a total of three individual championships. Lapustin was first in the 200 IM, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke.

Lapustin's 200 backstroke time of (1:49.62) set a Lewis record and a GLIAC record. The swim also made the NCAA "A" standard, giving Lapustin an automatic entry in the NCAA Division II Championships in Buffalo in March. His 100 backstroke time of 50.72 set an Ashland pool record and also made the NCAA "A" cut, and his 200 IM run made the NCAA "B' threshold.

Lewis' other automatic entry into the NCAA championships belongs to freshman Jared Zimmer, who swam to second in the 1650 freestyle with a Lewis-record and NCAA "A' time of 15.53.86. Zimmer also swam school-record pace in the 1000 freestyle, securing an NCAA "B" cut, and he garnered another NCAA "B" cut with his time in the 500 freestyle.

Junior Adam Brown claimed three NCAA "B" cuts and two school records during the meet. He swam to second in the 500 freestyle (4:37.26) and fourth in the 200 butterfly (1:54.01), establishing school records and NCAA "B" cuts in both events. Brown's third in the 1650 freestyle (16:05.72) also made the NCAA"B" standard.

Seniors Jevgenijs Pesins and Steve O'Leary and freshmen Aidan Murphy provided additional NCAA "B" times and school records for the Lewis men.

Pesins finished third in 100 butterfly (50.68) for a Lewis record and NCAA "B" cut. He also was the consolation champion in the 200 butterfly.

O'Leary swam to fourth in the 400 IM (4:10.58), registering a school record and NCAA "B" time. Murphy took seventh in the 100 breaststroke with a Lewis-record time of 1:00.46.

Freshman Ryan Harrison was the consolation champion in the 200 backstroke.

For the women, junior Stephanie White-Olson secured two NCAA "B" times with solid runs in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. She swam to second in the 200 (2:24.80) and took third in the 100 (1:06.83).

Senior Michelle Sliva set a Lewis record with her fifth-place swim in the 100 butterfly (59.85).

Freshman Nicole Marano was the consolation champion in the 100 freestyle.