UW-L Leads After First Day of WIAC Championships

For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 21, 2008

Oshkosh, Wis. - The UW-La Crosse women's swimming & diving team leads after the first day of competition at the WIAC Championships at UW-Oshkosh. The Eagles have 300 team pionts while UW-Stevens Point is second (235) and UW-Eau Claire third (190).

UW-Whitewater is fourth (105) followed by UW-River Falls (67) and UW-Oshkosh (66).

In Thursday's action, Chelsea Hoff and Amanda Medendorp both captured individual crowns. Hoff won the 50 freestyle (23.93) while Medendorp took the 1-meter diving competition (435.80 points). Hoff set a pool and conference record in winning the 50 freestyle while also earning an NCAA Division III "B" qualifying standard. Medendorp also set a pool record in the 1-meter diving title as well as qualifying for the national championships.

UW-L swept the relays Thursday as Hoff, Brianna Peyer, Danielle Rux and Clare Hathaway won the 200 freestyle relay (1:37.00). The 200 freestyle relay set a Albee Hall pool record. The Eagles' 400 medley relay of Kristi Parker, Sarah Russart, Hoff and Katelyn Hartung also finished first (3:59.25). Both relays met NCAA Division III "B" qualifying status Thursday.

The Eagles took the top five places in the 1-meter diving. Along with Medendorp's first-place showing, Kristina Wanous was second (429.20 points), Shannon Doyle third (401.50), Samantha Koch fourth (399.90) and Rachel LaValley fifth (375.40). Wanous, Doyle and Koch all met the national qualifying standard.

Peyer finished third in the 50 freestyle (24.76) for UW-L while Anita Talavera was fourth in the 500 freestyle (5:18.01) and Kacie O'Brien fifth in the 200 I.M. (2:14.07).

For complete results, click here.

UW-L returns to action Friday, February 22 in the second day of the WIAC Championships.