Oakland Takes Eighth Consecutive Pair of #HLSD Championship Titles
#HLSD Full Results
#HLSD Day 5 Results
INDIANAPOLIS — The 2021 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships ended Saturday with Oakland winning their eighth consecutive men’s and women’s titles. This extends the League record for most consecutive men’s championships won and ties for the most #HLSD men’s team championships won.
Athlete of the Year, Oakland junior Susan LaGrand, was the women’s 200 backstroke champion after setting her third championship record (1:53.99). The record was previously set by LaGrand at the 2020 #HLSD championship. Runner-up was IUPUI’s Emma Theobald (1:59.38) while Cleveland State’s Sule Van Der Merwe rounded out the podium in a time of 2:00.22.
Swimmer of the Meet and Athlete of the Year, Christian Bart, took the men’s 100 freestyle crown in a time of 43.38 for Oakland. Runner-up was Cleveland State’s Colin Martin (44.04) and third went to Benjamin Redman of Green Bay (44.10).
Women’s Swimmer of the Meet, Green Bay’s Anna Liu, earned the top podium position in the women’s 100 freestyle with a 49.80 finish. Women’s Freshman of the Year, Ronja Riihinen of Oakland, was the second place finisher with 50.01. Third went to UIC’s Poleena Kovalaske (51.00).
Men’s Freshman of the Year, Bob Fick, was the 200 butterfly winner after gliding in at 1:46.39 for Cleveland State. Next up was Oakland’s Danylo Hrebelnyi with a finish of 1:47.40. Third on the podium was Nicholas Dibley of IUPUI who touched in 1:47.73.
Marko Khotynetskyi of Oakland (1:43.16) was the first to touch the wall in the men’s 200 backstroke. Second on the podium was Cleveland State senior Dominik Niedzialek (1:43.79), followed by his teammate Timmy Kubacki with 1:43.84.
Taylor Bailey was crowned the champion of the women’s 200 breaststroke for the Golden Grizzles, closing the event in 2:13.58. Emily Shores was second on the podium for Oakland with a 2:15.47 finish. The men’s 200 breaststroke saw Oakland’s Tarek Aboelenin win the event in 1:58.28.
The women’s 1650 freestyle was championed by Oakland’s Emily Aycock in a time of 17:00.45. Cleveland State’s Lexie Kostelnik was the event runner-up in 17:04.02. Third place was earned by Jael Dankle of Youngstown State (17:17.94). Oakland went on to take the men’s section of the 1650 freestyle in 15:23.71 from Ben Davis. Spencer Tussing of Cleveland State was second with 15:25.19 while his teammate, Jake Taulbee, took third in 15:30.36.
Freshman Lilly Culp of UIC was the women’s 200 butterfly champion with a 2:03.06 finish. Next to touch was Oakland’s Sohvi Nenonen (2:03.63) and third place went Green Bay’s Kate Vanderhoef (2:04.02).
To close the 2021 #HLSD Championships, Oakland swept the 400 freestyle relay with 3:21.30 on the women’s side and 2:56.63 for the men’s competition.
Horizon League Swimming & Diving Specialty Awards
Women’s Specialty Awards
Athlete of the Year: Susan LaGrand, Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Ronja Riihinen, Oakland
Swimmer of the Meet: Anna Liu, Green Bay
Swimming Coach of the Year: Pete Hovland, Oakland
Men’s Specialty Awards
Athlete of the Year: Christian Bart, Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Bob Fick, Cleveland State
Swimmer of the Meet: Christian Bart, Oakland
Swimming Coach of the Year: Eddie Gillie, Green Bay
TEAM SCORES
WOMEN
1) Oakland – 939
2) UIC – 544.5
3) Milwaukee – 476
4) IUPUI – 376.5
5) Cleveland State – 358
6) Green Bay – 338
7) Youngstown State – 274
MEN
1) Oakland – 819
2) Cleveland State – 718.5
3) UIC – 481
4) IUPUI – 383
5) Green Bay – 374
6) Milwaukee – 306
7) Youngstown State – 300.5