Media Relations The Summit League Media Relations TBA, Director Greg Mette, Assistant Director Lindy Zamora, Intern 340 W. Butterfi eld Rd., Suite 3D Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone - (630) 516-0661 Fax - (630) 516-0673

For Immediate Release: Friday, Sept. 19, 2008 Contact: Greg Mette, Assistant Director of Media Relations ([email protected]) thesummitleague.org

Golden Grizzlies Favored to Sweep & Championships

ELMHURST, Ill. - The Oakland men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads are both unanimous favorites to capture their 10th consecutive league championships, according to a vote of the league’s six head coaches. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own squads.

On the women’s side, the Golden Grizzlies amassed fi ve fi rst-place votes en route to 25 points. Western tallied the other fi rst-place vote on its way to 19 points. Centenary followed in third place with 16 points, while South Dakota State came in fourth with 14 points. Eastern Illinois received 10 points and IUPUI garnered six points to round out the voting.

The Oakland men received the same praise as the women’s squad, registering fi ve fi rst-place votes and 25 points. Centenary was second with 21 points and the remaining fi rst-place vote. Western Illinois came in third with 17 points, while Eastern Illinois was in fourth place with 11 points. IUPUI (9) and South Dakota State (7) fi nished fi fth and sixth, respectively.

Oakland’s women’s squad returns seven champions from last season’s league championships, including three-time winner Agnes Solan. Chelsea Oates, Sarah Ludema, Sophia Gustafsson and Emily Wilke also return after capturing two event titles each last year. Gustafsson was named Swimmer of the Year, Oates captured Diver of the Year honors and Solan was the Newcomer of the Year for the league. Reigning Coach of the Year Pete Hovland returns a total of nine all-league performers as the Golden Grizzlies look to capture their 10th straight title. 2008-09 Women’s Swimming First-year head coach Sean Raffi le looks to lead the Westerwinds to their fi rst league title since & Diving Preseason Poll the 1998-99 season and fi nishing second 10 of the last 16 years. Western returns fi ve all-league selections from a year ago, including 200 fl y champion, Laura Dinkelmann. Also returning are Team Points (1st) second-place fi nishers Kaley Rowe (200 free) and Taylor Martin (100 fl y). 1. Oakland 25 (5) 2. Western Illinois 19 (1) The Ladies also return fi ve all-league members from last season and will be led by 1,650 free 3. Centenary 16 champion Maggie Vaughan. Vaughan also recorded a second-place performance in the 500 free, 4. South Dakota State 14 while Natalie Holcomb (200 free) and Lauren Kloepfer (400 IM) placed third. South Dakota 5. Eastern Illinois 10 State is led by returnees Mallory Onisk and Alex Hoffman. Onisk placed third in both the 200 fl y 6. IUPUI 6 and 200 IM, while Hoffman was second in the 100 and 200 back and placed third in the 50 free.

Laura Nilsen leads Eastern Illinois after placing third in the 200 back at last season’s championships. Matt Bos takes over the Panther program for his former coach Ray Padovan, who led the program for 42 years. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Scott leads IUPUI after placing second in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competitions.

The Golden Grizzly men’s squad welcomes back Swimmer of the Year Marcin Unold. Unold won three league titles last season, breaking two records, and also placed fi fth in the 200 back and 2008-09 Men’s Swimming & ninth in the 100 back at the 2008 NCAA Championships. Aaron Holdsworth also returns for OU, Diving Preseason Poll along with nine all-league performers, after capturing the 1,650 free and 200 fl y last year at the league championships. In addition, Eddie Toro is welcomed back to the Oakland squad following Team Points (1st) his championship record time in the 400 IM last season. 1. Oakland 25 (5) 2. Centenary 21 (1) Centenary returns third-place fi nishers Wladimir Montoya (100 fl y) and Aaron Otto (100 back) 3. Western Illinois 17 to its 2008-09 team. Head coach Butch Jordan also welcomes fi ve all-league members back to 4. Eastern Illinois 11 the Gents’ squad. 5. IUPUI 9 Reigning Diver of the Year Eric Campbell and Anthony Holzhauer lead Western Illinois’ 6. South Dakota State 7 championship quest as Campbell captured the 3-meter competition and Holzhauer won the 1-meter championship last season. Freestyler Jeff Davis also returns after placing second in the 1,650 free and third in the 500 free last season. Eastern Illinois has four all-league selections back from a year ago, while Thomas Showers captured the lone individual medal, placing second in the 100 back.

The Jaguars bring back second-place fi nisher Jaron Tuttle in the 3-meter dive and third-place fi nalist Matt Levenhagen in the 200 breast. South Dakota State head coach Brad Erickson welcomes six newcomers to the squad this season for the Jackrabbits.

The 2009 Summit League Swimming & Diving Championships will be contested from Thursday, Feb. 19 to Saturday, Feb. 21, at the OU Aquatics Center in Rochester, Mich.

Centenary College • IPFW • IUPUI • UMKC • North Dakota State University • • South Dakota State University • • Western Illinois University