Jacks Picked Second, USD Fourth And Fifth In Summit Swim Poll

ELMHURST, IL -- Oakland, the 13-time defending Summit League Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Champions, were picked to repeat as Summit League Champions in a vote of the league's head coaches.

Oakland finished atop the men's poll with 25 points and five first-place votes, while South Dakota State took second with 20 points and the final first-place tally.  Two points separated IUPUI (15 points) and South Dakota (13 points) in third and fourth. Eastern Illinois (10 points) and Western Illinois (seven points) rounded out the poll.

In the women's poll, the Golden Grizzlies claimed first with 36 points and six first-place votes. The Jackrabbits finished as runner-up with 28 points and the final first-place vote, while the Jaguars and league newcomer Omaha tied for third with 23 points each.  Filling the final three spots were South Dakota (19 points), Eastern Illinois (10 points) and Western Illinois (eight points).

A combined 11 individual event champions (seven men and four women) and 57 all-league honorees (30 men and 27 women) return this season, including the 2012 Men's Swimmer of the Year OU's Anders Jensen, the Men's Diver of the Year WIU's Doug Ogilvie and the Women's Swimmer of the Year OU's Vanessza Balogh.

For the men, the Golden Grizzlies welcome back a league-high 11 all-league selections.  Leading the way for OU are six individual event champions, Jensen (100 Back, 200 Back), Amr el Sayed (500 Free, 1,650 Free), Alex Aceino (100 Fly), Nick Evans (200 Free), Tobias Hansen (200 IM) and Matyas Keresztes (50 Free).  The Leathernecks are the only other team to return an individual champion from a year ago in Ogilvie (1-Meter Dive, 3-Meter Dive), the 2012 Diver of the Year.  The Jackrabbits welcome back eight all-league selections, while the Jaguars return five, the Coyotes with three and the Panthers with two.

On the women's side, Oakland returns a league-best 10 all-league members and are led by four individual event champions, in Balogh (500 Free, 1,650 Free, 400 IM), Sandra Czerska (100 Fly, 200 Fly, 200 IM), Alyssa Busch (100 Back, 200 Back) and Tricia Grant (3-Meter Dive).  South Dakota welcomes back seven-of-eight all-league honorees, while IUPUI returns five, South Dakota State with four and Eastern Illinois with one.

The regular season begins Oct. 6, as Western Illinois hosts Saint Louis opening weekend. The season culminates at The Summit League Swimming and Diving Championships in Rochester, Mich., Feb. 20-23.

Courtesy:  The Summit League