TicketsDALLAS, Texas – For the first time in program history, the University of Cincinnati swimming and diving program brought home a conference title as the men's team won the 2018 American Athletic Conference Championships this week, wrapping up the 111-point victory on Saturday night.
The men weren't the only successful ones, as the women placed second behind the University of Houston.
The Bearcats will be bringing lots of hardware back to Cincinnati as the awards continued after the meet ended. Head Coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle was named the Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, Kirtley Krombholz was named Women's Diving Coach of the Year and Claire Schuermann was named the Women's Diver of the Year. 2018 will go down as one of the most decorated conference championships in Cincinnati history.
// COACH COMMONS-DISALLE'S COMMENT
"I am so proud of this team and what they accomplished tonight. Our women fought for every point this weekend and did an outstanding job placing runner-up. I couldn't be more happy with our men's team. They believed in what they were capable of doing and worked as a team to win this championship in true Bearcat 'fight to the finish' style."
// PODIUM FINISHES
• Sara Wanasek started the night with a win in the 1650 free, coming in with a time of 16:15:51 which shattered her own school record. Rocky Laabs finished second in the event
• Records continued to fall as Chris Bready beat his own school record and posted a new meet record to win the 1650 free in 14:54:88. Din Selmanovic finished the event second and Toby Van Dyke third for Bearcats sweep
• UC kept rolling to sweep the next event, women's platform diving. Tricia Roscoe took top honors with a score of 211.85 while Ellen Posch took second and Claire Schuermann came in third
• William Sigala was second in the 100 free with a time of 44:24
• Dominic Polling was third in the 200 breaststroke. He came to the wall in 1:58:78
• Simone Palomo finished second in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:59:35
• Louis Hunt took third in platform diving. He earned a score of 231.50
• The Bearcats finished third in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:22:78. Maddie Exton, Michaela Wheeler, Abby Johnston and Katherine Gob swam the event
• In the last event of the meet, UC's men took second in the 400 free relay. William Sigala, Dominic Polling, Hans Kabelka and Alex Fortman swam it in 2:57:53
// OTHER EVENTS
• Natalie Obando took sixth in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:59:27
• Remington Oland finished fifth in the 200 backstroke at 1:47:90
• Katherine Gob just missed a podium spot in the 100 free, coming to the wall in 50:12 to place fourth
• Dee Sopapong was fifth in the 200 breaststroke. She finished in 2:13:43
• George Epsly placed fourth with a time of 1:48:76 in the 200 butterfly, coming in fourth
// FINAL WOMEN'S STANDINGS
1. Houston – 826
2. Cincinnati - 663
3. ECU - 552
4. SMU - 529
5. Tulane – 401
6. UConn – 379
// FINAL MEN'S STANDINGS
1. Cincinnati – 906
2. ECU - 795
3. SMU – 676
4. UConn - 641
// UP NEXT
• The postseason will continue for select Bearcats at NCAA's
• The NCAA Zone Diving Championships are set for March 8-10 in Columbus, Ohio
• The women's NCAA Championships will also be held in Columbus, Ohio, the following weekend, March 15-17
• The postseason will come to a close with the men's NCAA Championships March 22-24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
• For an inside look at Cincinnati swimming and diving follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@GoBearcatsSwim)
The men weren't the only successful ones, as the women placed second behind the University of Houston.
The Bearcats will be bringing lots of hardware back to Cincinnati as the awards continued after the meet ended. Head Coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle was named the Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, Kirtley Krombholz was named Women's Diving Coach of the Year and Claire Schuermann was named the Women's Diver of the Year. 2018 will go down as one of the most decorated conference championships in Cincinnati history.
// COACH COMMONS-DISALLE'S COMMENT
"I am so proud of this team and what they accomplished tonight. Our women fought for every point this weekend and did an outstanding job placing runner-up. I couldn't be more happy with our men's team. They believed in what they were capable of doing and worked as a team to win this championship in true Bearcat 'fight to the finish' style."
// PODIUM FINISHES
• Sara Wanasek started the night with a win in the 1650 free, coming in with a time of 16:15:51 which shattered her own school record. Rocky Laabs finished second in the event
• Records continued to fall as Chris Bready beat his own school record and posted a new meet record to win the 1650 free in 14:54:88. Din Selmanovic finished the event second and Toby Van Dyke third for Bearcats sweep
• UC kept rolling to sweep the next event, women's platform diving. Tricia Roscoe took top honors with a score of 211.85 while Ellen Posch took second and Claire Schuermann came in third
• William Sigala was second in the 100 free with a time of 44:24
• Dominic Polling was third in the 200 breaststroke. He came to the wall in 1:58:78
• Simone Palomo finished second in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:59:35
• Louis Hunt took third in platform diving. He earned a score of 231.50
• The Bearcats finished third in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:22:78. Maddie Exton, Michaela Wheeler, Abby Johnston and Katherine Gob swam the event
• In the last event of the meet, UC's men took second in the 400 free relay. William Sigala, Dominic Polling, Hans Kabelka and Alex Fortman swam it in 2:57:53
// OTHER EVENTS
• Natalie Obando took sixth in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:59:27
• Remington Oland finished fifth in the 200 backstroke at 1:47:90
• Katherine Gob just missed a podium spot in the 100 free, coming to the wall in 50:12 to place fourth
• Dee Sopapong was fifth in the 200 breaststroke. She finished in 2:13:43
• George Epsly placed fourth with a time of 1:48:76 in the 200 butterfly, coming in fourth
// FINAL WOMEN'S STANDINGS
1. Houston – 826
2. Cincinnati - 663
3. ECU - 552
4. SMU - 529
5. Tulane – 401
6. UConn – 379
// FINAL MEN'S STANDINGS
1. Cincinnati – 906
2. ECU - 795
3. SMU – 676
4. UConn - 641
// UP NEXT
• The postseason will continue for select Bearcats at NCAA's
• The NCAA Zone Diving Championships are set for March 8-10 in Columbus, Ohio
• The women's NCAA Championships will also be held in Columbus, Ohio, the following weekend, March 15-17
• The postseason will come to a close with the men's NCAA Championships March 22-24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
• For an inside look at Cincinnati swimming and diving follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@GoBearcatsSwim)