March 10, 2010

Allendale, Mich. - The Grand Valley State men's and women's swimming & diving teams are set for competition at the 2010 NCAA DII Swimming & Diving National Championships March 10-13 in Canton, Ohio. The Laker men claimed the 2010 GLIAC Championship, while the Laker women placed second. Both teams finished ninth at the 2009 NCAA Championships, marking the best-ever finish for both programs at the NCAA Championships.

The Laker men have a record-number of student-athletes seeded in the top 16, including three number one seeds. GVSU's 200 medley relay team of Raphael Santos, Hans Hill, Justin Pattermann and Matt Witkowski have the nation's fastest time (1:30.97), while Santos is seeded first in the 100 backstroke (48.76) and Aaron Beebe is first in the 200 butterfly (1:47.02). The Lakers field a strong contingent in the 100 butterfly as Pattermann (4-48.88), Beebe (5-48.96) and Santos (6-49.19) are among the top seeds. Jordan Schrotenboer enters the NCAA Championships seeded fifth in the 200 free (1:39.60), 8th in the 200 back (1:50.14), and 10th in the 100 back (50.62). In addition to being the top seed in the 100 back, Santos is seeded second in the 200 back (1:48.03). Hans Hill has the 5th-best time in the 100 breast (56.28) and the 9th-fastest in the 200 breast (9-2:04.61). The Lakers' diving trio of Evan Betts, Patrick VanDommelen and Reece Bierhalter enter the NCAA Championhships with high expectations.

Toni Musto enters the 2010 NCAA Championships seeded fifth in the 200 breaststroke (2:19.41), while Lauren Dorsey is 11th (2:20.83) and Sam Stump 18th (2:22.33). Erin Kinney is ranked among the top 20 in three distance freestyle events. Kinney is 16th in the 500 free (5:04.65), 19th in the 1650 free (17:31.95), and 20th in the 1000 free (10:33.15). Kelsey Vermeer is seeded 12th in the 50 free (23.71) and 18th in the 100 back (57.75). Karen Verbrugge and Rachel Strom are coming off solid performances on the both 1 and 3-meter boards at the GLAIC Championships. GVSU's 200 medley relay (Marissa Orr, Lauren Dorsey, Kelsey Vermeer, Kim Baughman), 200 free relay (Vermeer, Allison Scholz, Jenna Faletti, Baughman), 400 medley relay (Baughman, Dorsey, Carly Bush, Vermeer), 800 free relay (Marissa Doepker, Erin Kinney, Faletti, Bush) and 400 free relay (Stump, Katelyn Childers, J. Faletti, Vermeer) are all seeded among the top 16.