UW-La Crosse women and men’s swimming and diving teams competed on the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 8, in Mitchell Hall at UW-La Crosse. They faced the women and men’s swimming and diving teams from UW-Eau Claire. UW-L took the first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) meet with a team score of 154-88 for the men and 145-98 for the women.
UW-L’s Justin Bublitz came in first place for the one-meter (327.4 points) and the three-meter competition (290.5 points). Bublitz recorded a new school record for his one-meter score. Tanner Folvag finished in second place in the one-meter (231.4 points) and the three-meter competition (253.85 points).
The Eagles’ Christina Reif finished fourth in the three-meter competition (234.65 points). Kayley Alioto took second in the one-meter diving completion (231.4 points), while Jordan Anderson finished third (228.45 points). Anderson also finished fifth in the three-meter (222.5 points), while Alioto finished sixth.
The men and women’s teams captured first place in both the two relays, the 400 freestyle and the 200 medley. For the men, Daniel Streater, Stephan Hanko, Ben Weinhausand and Erich Schnell took the 200 medley relay (1:38.83) and the 400 freestyle relay consisted of Ryan Jessen, Caleb Cole, Kade McGilvray and Nicholas Brehmer (3:14.07).
For the women, Andrea Kolitsch, Brooke Reynolds, Mikayla Beuch and Leanna Schwartzlow took the 200 medley relay (1:50.50) and the 400 freestyle relay consisted of Beuch, Anna Landgraf, Sara Zemanovic and Carrie Schrock (3:43.53).
Both men and women topped many of the events. Each team took first in six out of the nine swimming events. Reynolds for the women and Jessen for the men both won a pair of events. Reynolds captured first in the 200 individual medley (2:14.97) and in the 100 backstroke (58.87).
“I am working on my speed and making sure I get out faster in the beginning of my races,” said Reynolds.
Jessen captured first in the 200 freestyle (1:49.89) and in the 100 freestyle (48.80).
Head coach Charlie King cannot be more excited about the beginning of the swim season so far. “We have a great group of student athletes,” he said.  “It has been very rewarding to see how hard they are working at practice and the commitment they are giving in the classroom.” King takes pride in making sure every person on the team is doing well academically.
The WIAC win, King said, was a great confidence booster.
“The men decided they were going to win before the meet started.  You could feel the energy on the deck,” King said. “The women had a little slower start and after the women heard this, they had a little meeting, lit the fire and came back focused and ready to win.”
Reynolds said, “Winning our first WIAC dual meet sets the bar for the rest of the season. I am so excited with how the guys and girls performed as whole.”
UW-L returns to action Saturday, Nov. 22, at Luther College in Iowa at 1 p.m. Charlie King