Swimming wins meet over Lewis
The University of Indianapolis men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams earned a victory over the Lewis University Flyers on Senior Day, Jan. 26. The men won 122-78, while the women came out on top 119-81. Overall, UIndy won 17 events during the meet.
Head Swimming and Diving Coach Gary Kinkead said that he was going to miss “the competitions and the seniors” more than anything else.
During the meet, freshman Katy Sonksen won the 1,000 free with a time of 10:47.10, while sophomore Hayley Good won the 200-yard race at 1:56.91.
Senior Maura Donahue’s performance stood out for the Greyhounds during the meet. Last week she was named the women’s swimming and diving Athlete of the Week for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Counsilman-Hunsaker National Collegiate Division II Female Swimmer of the Week.
Donahue earned these titles after recording the 17th fastest time in the country this season during her victory in the 200 individual medley, with a NCAA “B” standard of 2:07.68. The time was a personal-best for Donahue and the third-fastest in program history at UIndy. Donahue also contributed to the Greyhound victory by posting the fastest time in the individual 100 free, with a time of 53.28. She then helped UIndy in the 400 free relay, with a time of 53.49 as the lead 100 split, contributing to the Greyhound victory with the best time of 2:26.21.
Another Greyhound swimmer, freshman Dawid Rybinski, also gained the award for GLIAC Athlete of the Week for men’s swimming and diving following his performance against Lewis. Rybinski won the 1,000 freestyle, posting an NCAA “B” standard time of 9:21.56, which proved to be the third-fastest time in the country, best in the GLIAC this season and second all-time in school history.
Rybinski also had the fastest time in the individual 100 free, with a time of 47.66. In the Greyhounds’ 400 free relay, he swam the same distance in a better time of 46.68 as the best 100 split. The Greyhounds won the 400 free relay with the top time of 3:09.12.
Freshman Courtney Wilder also had a productive day for the Greyhounds, recording a personal best of 315.35 on the one-meter dive.
Senior Justin Klopp also won twice in the meet for the men’s side. Klopp placed first in the 50-meter with a time of 21.27. Later during the meet, Klopp won the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 51.22.
Kinkead said that he was pleased with both sides’ performances against Lewis, but his primary concerns remain the upcoming conference and national meets.
“I was pleased, but it was just a dual competition,” Kinkead said. “The Conference Championships and the NCAA National Championships are the most important.”
As for diving, sophomore Tyler Offutt made an all-time best in the three-meter, with 328.25 points. Offutt said that the GLIAC is a very competitive conference.
“Being a sophomore, I know what to expect from the competition. Our conference has some of the best divers in the nation,” Offutt said.
Offutt also said that although the Greyhounds are experienced, there are always challenges to meet.
“With every competition, it’s challenging to go into a new setting to dive … It can be disorienting,” Offutt said. “I just have to focus on me and doing my personal best.”
The Greyhounds are now preparing for their final appearance in the GLIAC Championships in Canton, Ohio, Feb. 6-9, at a time still to be determined. Next season, the Greyhounds will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
