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UWM Women Start 2008 Schedule At Western Illinois

Team back in action ater seven week layoff

Jan. 23, 2008

Returning to action for the first time in seven weeks, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team is back in the pool for first time in 2008 this weekend. The Panthers will put their five-dual win streak on the line with a trip south, swimming against Western Illinois Saturday at 1 p.m.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
The Panthers come into the meet Saturday with an all-time record of 8-7 against Western Illinois, but have won the past five-straight in the series. Included in that mark is a 143-76 win a year ago.

The Westerwinds have already been back in the pool in 2008, competing in a quad meet Jan. 11 and falling to Iowa, 144-71, Jan. 18. The team is 5-2 in duals this season after a 5-0 start, having also dropped a 150-144 decision at UIC Dec. 19. Team leaders include Kaley Rowe, Shannon Nelson and Lauren Trondle. Rowe won the 50 and 200 freestyles against Iowa and is a top sprinter for Western. Nelson is a big contributor in the breaststroke events, posting wins in both the 100 and 200 against UIC, while Trondle leads the way in butterfly and IM events.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
The Panthers were last in the pool December 8, downing Valparaiso University, 170-114, to close out the semester schedule.

Juniors Ashley Hall, Molly Finn and Kristina Hansen and sophomores Kerry Rossow and Bailey Nennig led the way against the Crusaders. Each finished with two individual wins to help UWM increase its all-time record against Valpo to 13-1. Senior Jess Kelly, sophomore Shannon Berndt, freshman Kelsey Ogle and the 200 medley relay team also posted wins, giving Milwaukee 14 of 16 events on the day.

Hall swept the diving events for the second-straight day, winning the one-meter board with 248.40 points and the three-meter with a score of 280.73. Finn swept the butterfly events, taking home the win in the 100 in 59.32 and the 200 in 2:06.76. Hansen brought home the victory in each backstroke event, touching the wall in 1:01.51 in the 100 back and 2:12.20 in the 200 for the sweep.

Rossow once again added her name to the record book, eclipsing the pool record in the 100 breaststroke on the day. Her time of 1:05.46 broke the old standard of 1:05.74, set by Shannon Berndt last year. Berndt placed second in the race in a time of 1:07.33.

Nennig stepped up with a huge day, recording her first victories of the season in the 200 freestyle and in the 500 free. Kelly claimed a win in the 100 free in 54.46 and nearly pulled off the sprint sweep. Her time of 25.12 in the 50 free was touched-out by .13 of a second. Ogle won the 1000 free in 10:48.51, with Berndt rounding out the individual winners with a victory in the 400 IM in 4:46.44.

LAST YEAR:
UWM team extended its dual win streak to six, topping Western Illinois on Senior Day, 143-76. Milwaukee won 11 of 13 events on the day, getting wins from eight different athletes and two relay teams.

Lindsay Caldwell was the only repeat winner for UWM, taking top honors in both the 100 and 200 freestyles. She won the 200 in 1:54.27 before extending her win streak on the season in the 100 to eight in a time of 52.36.

Two other seniors helped out on Senior Day with victories, with Susan Harmsen winning the 1000 free in a season-best time of 10:48.25. Emily Duesler also added another win, topping the field on the one-meter diving board with 266.50 points. That point total also gave Duesler an NCAA Zone qualifying score on the one-meter, topping the required 265 points needed.

Jess Kelly won the 50 free in 25.15, Molly Finn took the 100 fly in 1:02.10 and three freshman added to their impressive first seasons at UWM. Shannon Berndt won for the 11th time on the year, touching the wall in 1:06.25 to edge freshman Kerry Rossow (1:06.56) for the victory in the 100 breaststroke. Megan Skiba took top honors in the 100 backstroke in 1:02.25, while Ali Winius won the 500 freestyle in a season-best 5:17.43.

HERE WE GO AGAIN:
After starting last season 0-2 in dual meets, the UWM women won six-straight head-to-head match-ups and ended the season at 6-3 overall in duals. That pattern is being followed again in 2007-08. After starting 0-3 this season, the Panthers have won five-straight to get to 5-3 in duals, while also adding a team championship at the Wheaton Invitational in between.

POLL TIME AGAIN:
The second NCAA Division I mid-major collegeswimming.com poll of the season came out over the break and the Panthers are still in it. After starting the season at No. 8, the team now stands in at No. 24 with 171.16 points. Harvard continues to top the poll with 193.40 points.

QUITE A FIRST IMPRESSION:
After having to sit out last season after transferring, junior Ashley Hall continues to make a great first impression on the UWM diving team. Just after the break last month, she was recognized inside and outside of the classroom, tabbed for Horizon League Female Diver of the Week and as the U.S. Army Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week Dec. 11. She actually earned both honors in back-to-back weeks and has now been the league diver of the week four times this season.

She has recorded 12 victories in 16 attempts overall this year - including seven-consecutive wins on the three-meter board - and has already qualified for NCAA Zones on both boards.

UP NEXT:
Milwaukee will be home for its final dual of the regular season, hosting UW-Green Bay next Saturday, Feb. 2. With league championships up after that, the Panthers and Phoenix will have an early battle for bragging rights, starting at 1 p.m. at the Klotsche Natatorium.