Dec. 4, 2006

The men and women's swim teams proved a strong performance at the Wheaton College Invitational setting 101 season's best swims and 44 career best swims.

The Laker men finished fourth in the invitational posting 512 points, while the women finished sixth, recording 367 points.

The men's 800-yard freestyle relay team of senior Justin Vasquez, freshman Aaron Phillippe, senior Daniel Kimble and freshman Matt Witkowski set the new varsity school record of 6:59.79 this past weekend. Freshman Ryan Kraai set a new freshman record in the men's 500 freestyle, clocking a time of 4:46.66. Vasquez also recorded two NCAA "B" qualifying times of 1:43.86 in the 200-yard freestyle, and 51.44 in the 100-yard butterfly. Sophomore Justin Barkel also posted a NCAA "B" qualifying time of 2:08.37 in the 200-yard breastroke, finishing second. Barkel also finished the 100-yard breastroke in 57.76, recording another NCAA "B" qualifying time. Freshman Hans Hill finished fourth in the 100-yard breastroke, also earning a NCAA "B" qualifying time of 58.88.

Junior Evan Kobes was the only Laker to earn a NCAA "A" qualifying time in the 100-yard backstroke, clocking 58.86 to lead off the men's 400-yard medley relay. The relay just missed the qualifying standard for nationals by 3/100 of a second.

Sophomore Jenna Thayer proved a strong performance at the invitational earning four NCAA "B" qualifying times. Thayer earned qualifying times in the 200-yard IM (2:11.60), two in the 100-yard butterfly (58.86 and 57.86) and in the 200-yard butterfly (2:09.31). Freshman Alison VanKampen earned two NCAA "B" qualifying times in the 200-yard IM, clocking a 2:11.27 and a 2:10.67. VanKampen earned two more NCAA "B" qualifying times in the 100-yard breastroke finishing in 1:07.06 and 1:06.81. Sophomore Danielle Buglio added two more NCAA "B" qualifying times for the Lakers, one in the 200-yard backstroke (2:09.78), and one in first leg of the 100-yard medley relay (59.95).