The UW Oshkosh men and women’s swim and dive team captured fifth- and seventh- place finishes at the Carthage College Classic on Nov. 29 through Dec. 1.

The women totaled 1,321 points throughout the meet and the men collected 861 points as the Titans finished off their sixth meet of the season.
Junior Sydney Challoner led the way for the Titans as she collected a second-place finish in the women’s 200-yard butterfly, powering her way to a stunning 2:10.56 time. Challoner also captured two fourth-place finishes in the women’s 400-yard individual medley and women’s 100-yard fly, posting times of 4:51.49 and 59.55, respectively.

UWO placed fourth in both the women’s 800- and 400-yard free relay. In the 800-yard free relay, freshmen Alex Schuster and Rachel Jaworski, sophomore Tessa Shorten and Challoner swam their way to a time of 8:13.79. In the 400-yard free relay, Shorten, Schuster, Jaworski and freshman Hannah Cunningham finished with a time of 3:44.37.

UWO also placed fifth in both men’s 800- and 200-yard free relay. The 800-yard free relay consisted of sophomore Jarrett Lieder, junior Michael Gerondale, freshman Alex Jernberg and senior Ian Sewell as they propelled the Titans to their final time of 8:13.79. The 200-yard free relay included Lieder, Gerondale, Sewell and freshman Case Geidl as they recorded a 1:29.60 final time.

The Titans topped off the successful three-day weekend as sophomore Matt Wilke placed third and fourth place in the men’s one- and three-meter dives, posting scores of 423.95 and 409.40, respectfully.

Wilke won his third Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference male diver of the week award for his efforts at the Carthage College Classic.
Head coach Christopher Culp said he’s excited with what he saw at the Carthage College Classic and that the team is looking extremely good at the peak of their season.

“The whole meet was excellent,” Culp said. “I was really pleased, we had a lot of season-best times and a lot of second swims. It was kind of a dress rehearsal of what to expect at our conference meet.”

Culp said as UWO reaches the middle of their season, fatigue can often become a problem. However, the Titan’s don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

“Our team was tired but so was everyone else at the meet,” Culp said. “As soon as we stepped off the bus, we stayed focused and had a great attitude. I think that positive mindset really helped us throughout the weekend.”

Sewell said that the team seemed to get comfortable in the water as the races went on, which helped the team persevere through the fatigue.
“We had some really great swims and some [personal records] as well,” Sewell said. “I think that really says something about us as a team and Culp as a coach to be doing so well only halfway into the season.”

The Titans will take on a conference opponent as they compete against UW-Stevens Point on Friday.