Feb. 24, 2009

BROWN DEER, Wis. – The Wright State swimming and diving program will open up competition at the 2009 Horizon League Championships on Wednesday, February 25 at the Shroeder YMCA in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The men’s squad will look to capture their third straight title, while the women’s team will look to knock of defending champion Green Bay and win their first title since 2004

On the men’s side, Wright State has captured the last two championships and has brought the crown back to Dayton in six of the past eight seasons. Nathan Demchuk will return to the championship after garnering Co-Swimmer of the Meet and Co-Athlete of the Year honors at last season’s league summit.

Sion Brinn won his third straight Men’s Coach of the Year honors at the 2008 Championships, with his team posting eight victories at the Championships. WSU set two championship records while at the league meet last season, with the 800 Freestyle Relay team posting a championship best and departed senior Warren Thompson setting a new record in the 200 Butterfly.

This year’s team enters the meet with hopes of defending their crown, as multiple swimmers, divers and relay teams enter the weekend with top qualifying times. Demchuk will enter the competition with the top 200 IM time, along with the second best time in the 1650 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstrokes. Zach Fisher (50 Free), Danny Munoz (200 Free), Hermanus Botha (100 Free) and Davynn Peffer (200 Breaststroke) all enter the weekend with the top time in their respective events.

Caleb Nettleton has posted the top score in the Horizon League in the 3 meter diving competition and will enter the weekend with the second best score on the 1 meter board. The Raiders relay teams will enter as the top seed in the 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay and the 800 Freestyle Relay.

On the women’s side, the Raiders will look to win their tenth championship in school history. WSU has posted three runner-up finishes since last capturing the title during the 2004 championship meet. The 2008 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, Krystyna Wieczerzak, will return for her sophomore swim at the championships.

Rookie Molley Pipkorn will enter the league summit with top-five times in the 1650 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 200 freestyle events. Wieczerzak owns the league’s best time in the 400 IM and 200 backstroke, while ranking among the top five in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. Candace Thornburg ranks second heading into the 100 butterfly event and Kelsey Cooper owns a pair of top-five qualifying times entering the championships.

Broadcast coverage of the championships will be a little different than in the past, as the Horizon League Network will take a different approach than usual when it enters the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center for the 2009 Championship.  Instead of the usual live video coverage, HLN will be covering the event live via a blog and will then be posting the races for on-demand viewing shortly after their completion.

“The championship experience is something the Horizon League Network is always trying to enhance,” said Horizon League Director of New Media & Technology Nate Flannery.  “It is vital for us to deliver our content in the most user-friendly manner and for that reason we chose the combination of the live blog and on-demand videos.  By using the on-demand model, viewers will be able to watch a specific race rather than having to watch an entire night of competition.”

HLN reporter Damon Lewis will be running the live blog during the event from poolside.  The blog will include student-athlete and coaches video interviews along with commentary, user questions/comments and much more.  It can be viewed at HLSwimDive.BlogSpot.com.

“We are really excited about the success of our blogging during basketball season and want to offer the same opportunity to our swimming and diving audience,” Lewis said.  “Fans will be able to ask questions, comment on videos and stay up-to-speed on everything going on at and around the championship.”

The Swimming and Diving Championship takes place at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center at the Rite-Hite Family YMCA in Brown Deer, Wis., Feb. 25-28.  For more information on the championship, visit the Horizon League’s website at www.HorizonLeague.org.

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