The Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving teams began their season on Saturday, Oct. 12. Having now completed three competitions, they are off to a promising start under new Head Coach Jody Riskowski.
Riskowski was named Head Coach of the Swimming and Diving programs on August 9. As a freestyle and backstroke sprinter for the University of Wyoming, she set many top-10 times and won Mountain West Conference Swimmer of the Year in 2003, along with serving as a team captain. She has over 20 years of coaching experience, assistant coaching and consulting for Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, USA Diving and the University of Nebraska–Kearney. She has led programs at Glasgow Calendonian University and Pius X High School.
The season opener for swimming was a tough battle with both Carroll University and the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Without a relay and facing much larger teams, the men’s team beat Carroll 94-77 but lost to MSOE 133-61. Similarly outnumbered, the women’s team defeated MSOE 103-83 but lost to Carroll 125-75.
The Vikings put up a number of great times, including from senior Stella Macfarlane, who won the 200 individual medley with 2:29.91 and the 100 breaststroke with 1:16.67, and sophomore Will Phillips, who won the 100 freestyle with 48.77 and the 50 freestyle with 22.09. Phillips was named Midwest Conference Performer of the Week shortly after this meet for his standout work in the pool.
On Oct. 19, both Swimming and Diving competed against Ripon in a dual meet at Kohler Pool. The Viking men dominated, with a winning score of 102-57. It was very close on the women’s side, but ultimately Ripon won with a score of 111-104.
First-year Wiley Curtis (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke), Phillips (50 freestyle), senior Michael Thorson (1,000 freestyle), first-year Spencer Phillips (100 freestyle) and junior Jackson Bertman (1-meter diving) all boasted first-place finishes to help propel the Vikings to victory. On the women’s team, senior Irina Starostin won the 50 freestyle with 26.55 and the 100 butterfly with 1:03.97. Sophomore Olivia Martin won two rounds of 1-meter diving. Lawrence’s 400 medley relay team won with a time of 4:27.44.
On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Swimming and Diving teams traveled to Beloit College. In the Nicholls Natatorium, both teams dominated the competition and cruised to a well-earned victory. The women’s team defeated Beloit 121-103, while the men’s team swam and dove way ahead of the competition with a score of 124-26. The men’s team grabbed first in 11 events, including the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay. The women’s team won 7 events. This was the first competition with 3-meter dives. Although Martin was working through an injury, Bertman won with a score of 263.35.
The swim teams are looking forward to using the new wedged starting blocks that were just installed as they get ready to head St. Norbert College on Nov. 1. Both teams will be back home in the Boldt Natatorium for the Intrasquad and Alumni Meet on Nov. 2 and the Gene Davis Invitational on Nov. 9.