The Valpo men’s and women’s swimming squads honored the nine individuals from their senior group before the Senior Meet on Friday evening at the Valparaiso Aquatic Center. Once the event commenced, the men from the Beacon team clinched a 157-137 win over Wabash. The event turned out to be solely a dual competition for the men and a time trial event for the women as the additional planned contender could not make it to Valpo due to inclement weather.
Honoring the Seniors
- The four seniors on the men’s team and the five seniors on the women’s team received accolades prior to the first race on Friday.
- Andrew Berzai (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) holds the team’s record in the 400 IM and is listed among the top-10 in program history in three other disciplines. Berzai competed individually on Friday in the 200 fly, the 200 breast, and the 200 IM.
- Brendan Stangeland (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) possesses four top-10 times in program history. Stangeland triumphed in the 100 breast on Friday and also contested in the 200 breast.
- Alex Koetter (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) has two top-10 times in the program’s history. Koetter individually competed on Friday in the 1000 free and the 200 breast.
- Santiago Gutierrez Morales (Ibague, Colombia) swam individually in the 100 back and the 200 back on Friday.
- Sara Strauss (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) boasts four top-10 times in the history of the program. She excelled in both the 100 breast and the 200 breast on Friday.
- Haley Hume (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) holds two top-10 times in program history. Hume finished first in the 100 free on Friday and also competed individually in the 50 free.
- Emma Schmidt (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley) ranks among the top-10 in program history in two events. Schmidt contested individually on Friday in the 100 back and the 100 fly.
- Madi Boor (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) participated in the pool for the 50 free and the 100 fly on Friday.
- Courtney Ledbetter (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland [Notre Dame College]) joined the team prior to this season for her final eligibility year and has established the program’s record in the 50 fly while breaking into the top-10 in another event this year. Ledbetter won the 100 fly on Friday and also swam the 50 free individually.
How It Unfolded
- The men’s team began and concluded their victory over Wabash with relay victories. The Beacons commenced the event with a winning time of 1:36.67 in the 200 medley, thanks to the team of Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy), Stangeland, Garrett Hoppman (Midland, Texas/Midland) and Anthony Martin (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett).
- Martin, Will Schenk (Tulsa, Okla./Holland Hall), Carson Parker (Silver Lake, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) and Tim Mai (St. Johns, Fla./Creekside) closed the competition with a time of 3:13.35 in the 400 free relay to secure that event.
- In between, the men amassed seven individual event wins, including the aforementioned victory in the 100 breast by the senior Stangeland.
- Mai achieved a sweep in the fly events, winning the 200 fly with a time of 1:56.71 and the 100 fly with a time of 51.98.
- Oostman also secured two victories, finishing first in the 100 back (52.59) and the 200 IM (1:58.89).
- Eli Liebmann (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) led a sweep of the top four finishes by the Beacons in the 200 breast, finishing in 2:14.22, while Parker claimed victory in the 50 free with a time of 22.00.
- As the women competed in a time trial meet, Strauss took top honors in two events, just as Ally Unruh (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap), who finished first in the 200 free and the 200 IM.
- Hume, Ledbetter, Kailyn Benoit (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton), Bri Keese (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) and Sophie Schoch (Medina, Ohio/Medina) led Valpo in one event each.
Looking Ahead
Valpo will return to action in two weeks, as the Beacons head to Mishawaka, Ind. for a dual meet against Bethel on Friday, Jan. 24.