RedHawks Finish Fourth At MAC Championships
3/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
BUFFALO, N.Y.—Miami’s men’s swimming and diving team finished fourth at the Mid-American Conference Championships Saturday, concluding the three day competition hosted at the Alumni Arena Natatorium in Buffalo, N.Y. by the University at Buffalo.
Missouri State won the championship with 833 total points. It was their first MAC Championship in the program’s history. Eastern Michigan took second-place with 682 points, while Buffalo finished third with 657 points. Miami finished with 527 points compiled over the three-day event for fourth. Southern Illinois (383 points), Ball State (160 points) and Evansville (153 points) rounded out the school rankings.
Saturday’s competition began, for the RedHawks, with senior Sean Minderlein taking eleventh with a time of 15:52.81 in the 1650 freestyle. Sophomore Christopher Dieter finished twelfth (15:55.61).
Sophomore Davis Staley and sophomore Jacob Prodoehl were fourth and fifth in the 200 backstroke, respectively. Staley swam a time of 1:46.54 and Prodoehl swam a time of 1:46.76. Sophomore Heshan Unamboowe was tenth (1:49.23) and senior Sam Flessner was thirteenth (1:50.27). Sophomore Sean Neri took fourteenth (1:50.73).
In the 100 freestyle, junior Joe Baumgartner swam a time of 44.24 for fourth-place. Freshman Jack Strauss finished with a time of 44.74, which was good enough for a ninth-place finish. Senior Dan Nemeth took eleventh with a time of 45.34. Freshman Lucas Brock was twelfth (45.38).
Sophomore Evan Bader earned a fourth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke. He swam a time of 1:59.19. Freshman Matthew Rigali was eleventh (2:03.49). Freshman Steve Russo took sixteenth (2:07.93).
Freshman Grant Stafford also managed a fourth-place finish in the 200 butterfly for the RedHawks. He finished with a time of 1:49.30. Staley won the “B” final earning a ninth-place overall finish in the process (1:50.10). Senior Michael Cavanaugh swam a time of 1:51.81, which earned him a fifteenth-place finish.
Sophomore Cole Fryman earned a seventh-place finish in the three-meter dive with 293.50 points.
Concluding the meet, Miami took third in the 400 freestyle relay. Baumgartner, Strauss, Brock and Nemeth swam in the event for the RedHawks, earning a time of 2:58.82.
The NCAA Zone C Diving Regional Meet begins Thursday, Mar. 13 in Columbus, Ohio. The NCAA Division I Men’s Championship will take place in Minneapolis, Minn. From Thursday, Mar. 27 through Saturday, Mar. 29.
Awards – 2014 All-MAC Teams and Specialty Awards
Most Outstanding Swimmer: Uvis Kalnins, Missouri State
Swimming Coach of the Year: Dave Collins, Missouri State
Most Outstanding Diver: Garrett Nevels, Missouri State
Diving Coach of the Year: Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
All-MAC First Team
Uvis Kalnins, Missouri State
Paul Le, Missouri State
Mike Dugan, Buffalo
Till Pallmann, SIU
Dan O’Connor, Buffalo
Miguel Davila, Missouri State
Caleb Schuermann, Missouri State
Brian Moore, EMU
Andrew Henry, EMU
Mike Fisher, EMU
Vitalii Baryshok, Missouri State
Cole Bateman, EMU
Krzysztof Gilski, EMU
Garrett Nevels, Missouri State
Alexander Chan, EMU
All-MAC Second Team
Scott Huang, Buffalo
Matt Wilson, Missouri State
Dusan Vukobrat, SIU
Davis Staley, Miami
Calvin Kolar, SIU
Eric Culver, Buffalo
Erik Gissen, EMU
Joe Baumgartner, Miami
Billy Patrum, Buffalo
Aaron Dennis, Missouri State
Isaac Springer, Missouri State
Jack Snow, Missouri State
Jacob Prodoehl, Miami
Lucas Brock, Miami
Charles Barry, Buffalo
Yuri Garanito, Missouri State
Kegan Skelton, SIU
Evan Bader, Miami