It was an exciting conclusion to the 2019 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championships.
Grand Valley State University Junior Melina Goebel and Northern Michigan Junior Rachel Helm brought home their fourth individual titles this evening. Helm set the new meet record in the women’s 200 backstroke with the men’s 200 back record being broken as well.
It was ultimately the Grand Valley State University depth that helped the Lakers the meet on both the men’s and women’s side. Tonight’s session included the 1650 free, 100 free, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke and 400 free relay.
Final Women’s Team Scores
- Grand Valley State University – 938.5
- Wayne State University – 871
- Northern Michigan University – 725
- Saginaw Valley State University – 383
- Davenport University – 259.5
- Ashland University – 247
Final Men’s Team Scores
- Grand Valley State University – 853
- Northern Michigan University – 818
- Wayne State University – 814
- St. Cloud State University – 359
- Ashland University – 283
- Saginaw Valley State University – 220
Women’s 1650 Freestyle
It was another Melina Goebel win that kicked off the final night of competition. Goebel cruised to first with a time of 16:49.08.Wayne State Senior Ellie Dean got to the wall second (17:05.01).
The closest two to the field were Saginaw Valley State University Senior Alexandra Davis and Grand Valley Senior Megan Shaughnessy. Davis finished third with a time of 17:16.96 with Shaughnessy right behind her at a 17:17.22.
Finishing fifth was Northern Michigan Sophomore Gabriella Spajic with a time of 17:21.33. Getting to the wall sixth was Grand Valley Senior Caroline Brereton with a 17:25.38.
Wayne State Sophomore Sophia Montesanti finished seventh (17:30.17) with Sydney Shipps of Saginaw Valley touching eighth (17:38.89).
Men’s 1650 Freestyle
Wayne State Junior Leonardo de Oliveira got to the wall first on the men’s side with a time of 15:32.78. Closing in on him was Grand Valley Freshman Jesse Goodyear finishing second (15:33.89). Teammate Moritz Bartels got to the wall next with a time of 15:49.32.
Freshman Franci Aleski of Ashland finished fourth (15:51.15) while Janne Roovers of Northern Michigan touched fifth (15:55.01).
Coming in sixth with a time of 15:55.27 was Northern Michigan Senior Grantas Dapkus. Ashland University Senior Lucas Cortini Oliveira claimed seventh with a time of 15:57.46.
Saginaw Valley State Freshman Pedro Martins Rezende had his first finals finish of the meet, coming in eighth with a time of 16:02.50.
Women’s 100 Free
From long to short, Northern Michigan Sophomore Lena Soulas got to the wall first in the women’s 100 freestyle touching at a 50.58. Close to her and claiming second with a 50.87 was Wayne State Senior Lezlie Bueno Estrada.
Not far behind was Grand Valley Senior Mercedes Martinez finishing third (51.40). In fourth was Wayne State Freshman Julia Brunner with a time of 52.04.
Grand Valley’s Lara Deibel and Wayne State’s Haley Groteler battled it out for fifth and sixth. Deibel touched fifth (52.10) while Groteler took sixth (52.16).
Seventh and eighth went to Aliza Durack of Wayne State and Hannah Richard of Grand Valley. Durack got seventh (52.22) and Richard got eighth (52.43).
Men’s 100 Free
It was Junior Lajos Bundai of Northern Michigan that took the men’s 100 free this evening. Bundai got to the wall first with a time of 44.12.
Finishing next was Grand Valley Senior Ben Walling touching second at a 44.51. Ryan Katulski of Wayne State finished third with a time of 44.71.
It was a race for fourth and fifth between Grand Valley teammates Jonathan Ham and Oscar Saura Armengol. Ham claimed fourth (44.87) while Saura Armengol got fifth (44.89).
It was another close race for sixth and seventh between Wayne State Senior Rasmus Olsen and Grand Valley State Senior Gabriel Souza. Olsen got to the wall sixth with a time of 45.07. Souza finished with a 45.11.
Wayne State Freshman Stewart Nowinski finished eighth (45.48).
Women’s 200 Backstroke
Northern Michigan Junior Rachel Helm won again tonight claiming her fourth individual title of the meet. She got to the wall first with a new record time of 1:56.21. Senior Emily Marginean of Wayne State was the next closest swimmer finishing second with a time of 1:59.65.
Savanna Saunders of Northern Michigan and Ashlen Michalski of Wayne State were both in the two minute range. Saunders finished third (2:00.13) while Michalski finished fourth (200.56).
Northern Michigan Senior Regan Kilburn decreased her prelims time finishing fifth (2:01.79). Behind her was Grand Valley Freshman Melina De Court claiming sixth (2:02.13).
Finishing seventh and eighth were seniors Amanda Thielen of Saginaw Valley and Caroline Brereton of Grand Valley. Thielen finished seventh (2:03.60) and Brereton got eighth (2:06.46).
Men’s 200 Backstroke
Grand Valley Junior Harry Shalamon brought home a win tonight in the men’s 200 back. Dropping three seconds from prelims, he set a new meet record at 143.38.
Renars Bundizs of Northern Michigan finished next with a time of 1:44.25. Behind him was Wayne State Senior Dmytro Drobnych finishing third (1:45.93).
Ryan Leonard of Northern Michigan clocked in fourth (1:46.77) with Sophomore Franz Mueller of Wayne State University close behind at a 1:46.90.
Placing sixth with a time of 1:47.55 was Northern Michigan Senior Joshua Cosgrove. His teammate, Senior Esteban Gutierrez, finished seventh (1:48.78).
Grand Valley Freshman Noah Ellis placed eighth (1:50.89).
Women’s 200 Breastroke
First place this evening went to Freshman Samantha Laruich from Grand Valley. Dropping four seconds from prelims, she clocked in at a 2:15.06. Giving her a close race was Grand Valley teammate Celia Hoag finishing second with a time of 2:15.18
Leading the rest of the field was Wayne State Sophomore Jia Yi Koh placing third (2:19.05). Katherine Svisco of Wayne State finished close behind with a time of 2:19.31.
Saginaw Valley Senior Lydia Mattar represented her team tonight with a fifth place finishing time of 2:20.79. Northern Michigan Sophomore Katharina Springhetti finished just out of the 2:20 range with a 2:21.16.
Seventh went to Northern Michigan Senior Dana Stroven with a time of 2:25.26. Freshman Victoria Postmus represented Davenport University this evening finishing eighth with a time of 2:25.38.
Men’s 200 Breastroke
Junior Sasha Palazzo of Wayne State University won the 200 breast on the men’s side this evening. He finished with a time of 1:57.51. Competing with him was Grand Valley Senior Marius Mikalauskas finishing second with a 1:57.81. Also under two minutes was Wayne State Junior Ahmed Ahmed finishing third (1:59.65).
Grand Valley State Freshman Keegan Hawkins placed fourth with a time of 2:00.79. Wayne State Junior Joao Ribeiro finished fifth (2:01.16) with Arnoldo Herrera of Northern Michigan finishing sixth (2:01.18).
Finishing in seventh as Lars Lindberg of Northern Michigan with a time of 2:01.64. Falling behind the field was was Grand Valley Junior Ahmed Nabih finishing at 2:06.13.
Women’s 400 Freestyle Relay
The Northern Michigan ladies took home the women’s relay win tonight as well as set a new meet record. The team of Rachel Helm, Margaret Vaitkus, Regan Kilburn and Lena Soulas finished first with a time of 3:25.05.
The Grand Valley team of Mercedes Martinez, Melina Goebel, Hannah Richard and Lara Deibel finished next with a time of 3:26.00.
Wayne State’s Lezie Bueno Estrada, Julia Brunner, Haley Groteler and Katherine Svisco took third (3:26.01).
Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay
The Wayne State men took home another first place relay finish tonight. The team of Franz Mueller, Rasmus Olsen, Dmytro Drobynch and Ryan Katulski finished with a time of 2:58.35.
Behind them was the Grand Valley team of Gabriel Souza, Ben Walling, Oscar Laura Armengol and Jonathan Ham finishing second (2:58.88).
Taking third was the Northern Michigan Wildcats. The team of Jonathan Busse,Henry Bauer, Ryan Leonard, and Jonas Reinhold finished with a time of 3:00.41.