Men's Swim Team Claims Third Place at MAC Championships
3/10/2002 12:00:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Athens, OH - The University of Toledo men's swimming and diving team claimed third place at the MAC Championships with 595 points. Eastern Michigan won the MAC Championship with 777 points edging out Miami with 749 points. Following the Rockets were Northern Illinois (393), Ohio (375), Ball State (297), Bowling Green (185) and Buffalo (113).
Junior Pierre Van Zyl (Bloenfontein, S. Africa) and sophomore Michael Alvan (Lima, Peru) were named to the All-MAC First Team. Van Zyl claimed the MAC title in the 50 freestyle, while Alvan claimed the three-meter diving event. Sophomore Vuk Danilovic (Belgrade, Yugoslavia) and freshman Patrik Johansson (Lund, Sweden) were named to the All-MAC Second Team.
The Rockets captured one MAC title on the final day in the three-meter diving event. Alvan won the event with 486.75 points. Teammate senior Bryan Franzen (Phoenix, AZ) placed eighth with 424.20 points.
Rockets' diving coach, Kelly Lajiness, was named MAC Diving Coach of the Year.
UT took four top 16 spots in the 1650 freestyle. Leading the way for the Rockets was Vuk Danilovic finishing in third place with a time of 15:41.56. Senior William Breitigam (Fostoria, OH) placed eighth (16:08.35), while sophomores David Molnar (Milan, MI) and Jason Brauer (Dunedin, FL) placed 10th (16:19.62) and 12th (16:26.04).
Sophomore Justin Lawrance (Sloane Park, S. Africa) was fourth in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:50.74. Freshman Todd Hostutler (Mansville, OH) placed seventh with a time of 1:53.55.
The Rockets claimed four spots in the 100 freestyle. Senior Paul Southey (Waterrooff, S. Africa) led the way with a sixth-place finish (46.00). Patrik Johansson and senior Steve Hnatiuk (Hobart, IN) placed eighth (46.61) and ninth (47.10), while junior Zack Henning (Sandusky, OH) finished in 15th (47.49).
Senior John Voege (Clearwater, FL) placed eighth in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:10.14. Van Zyl placed 10th (2:09.57), senior Jay Turner (Arvada, CO) placed 14th (2:12.29) and junior Mark Glenn (Palatine, IL) placed 15th (2:12.48).
Freshman Grant O'Brien (Queensburgh, S. Africa) placed ninth in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:52.23.
The Rockets placed eighth in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:03.93. The relay consisted of Divald, Southey, Johansson and Hnatuik.
