UW-La Crosse Captures Fifth Consecutive Women’s Swimming & Diving Crown
BROWN DEER, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse captured its fifth consecutive title at the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship (presented by Culver’s) at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center on Feb. 20.
The Eagles claimed the 16th first-place finish in program history with 806 points to nip UW-Eau Claire second-place sum of 798 points. UW-Whitewater took third with 693 points, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 546 and UW-Oshkosh fifth with 284. The eight-point margin of victory is the closest since UW-La Crosse beat UW-Stevens Point 1,223-1,216 at the 2002 championship.
UW-La Crosse’s Sara Zemanovic won the 100-yard freestyle for the fourth consecutive year with a time of 52.06 to become the second four-time winner of the event in WIAC history, joining UW-Eau Claire’s Sara Shimanski (1994-97).
UW-Eau Claire’s Samantha Senczyszyn established a NCAA Division III record time of 2:12.20 enroute to winning the 200-yard breaststroke. She was a member of the first-place 400-yard freestyle relay squad that had a time of 3:27.36 and included Allison Hable, Madeline Gray and Jessica Short. Senczyszyn was selected the Swimmer of the Meet for her efforts during the three-day championship.
Short also won the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:02.90, while Hannah Sisto earned the 200-yard butterfly in 2:10.27.
UW-Stevens Point’s Amanda Walker won the 1,650-yard freestyle for the second time in her career with a time of 17:26.79. She also won the event at the 2014 league meet.
UW-Whitewater’s Sierra Becker was triumphant in the three-meter diving competition with a score of 460.55. She earned Diver of the Meet recognition.
UW-Eau Claire head coach Annie Ryder won Coach of the Year honors and UW-La Crosse’s Sara Zemanovic received the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award, which is sponsored by Badgerland Financial.
Individual Champions – Day Three
100-Yard Freestyle: Sara Zemanovic (UW-La Crosse), 52.06
1,650-Yard Freestyle: Amanda Walker (UW-Stevens Point), 17:26.79
200-Yard Backstroke: Jessica Short (UW-Eau Claire), 2:02.90
200-Yard Breaststroke: Samantha Senczyszyn (UW-Eau Claire), 2:12.20* (Also a NCAA Division III Record)
200-Yard Butterfly: Hannah Sisto (UW-Eau Claire), 2:10.27
Three-Meter Diving: Sierra Becker (UW-Whitewater), 460.55
Relay Champions – Day Three
400-Yard Freestyle Relay: UW-Eau Claire (Allison Hable, Madeline Gray, Jessica Short, Samantha Senczyszyn), 3:27.36
*Conference Meet Record
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