WIAC Championships - Saturday's Results

Minneapolis, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's swimming & diving team placed second at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships Saturday night at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. The Eagles had 786 team points while UW-Stevens Point won its 11th consecutive title with 956 points. It marks the 10th straight season UW-L has placed second.

UW-Whitewater was third (500 points) Saturday followed by UW-Eau Claire (496), UW-Oshkosh (300) and UW-River Falls (155).

Spencer Loch and Justin Dembski earned individual conference titles Saturday for UW-L. Loch took the 100 freestyle with an NCAA Division III "B" qualifying time of 45.13 while Dembski won the 1,650 freestyle with a time of 16:27.04.

The Eagles' won the 400 freestyle relay Saturday with a "B" national qualifying time of 3:04.33. The relay consisted of Matthew Diehl, Joel Knuesel, Kevin Misener and Loch.

Diehl was also second in the 200 breaststroke (2:04.71) as he earned a "B" qualifying time. At the conclusion of the meet, Diehl was selected the WIAC Men's Swimmer of the Meet.

Head coach Rich Pein was named the 2009-10 WIAC Men's Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year while UW-L's Benjamin Knutson was selected to the All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Other top finishes Saturday for the Eagles included Misener placing third (1:54.62) and Casey Borden sixth (1:58.29) in the 200 backstroke. Misener's time was a "B" national qualifying performance. Knuesel finished fifth (47.50) and Jared Krueger seventh (47.96) in the 100 freestyle.

In the 200 butterfly, Kurt Zehel finished fourth (2:00.58) and Andrew Rasmussen eighth (2:05.19) while Bill Shuster placed eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:16.45).

UW-L returns to action Friday, Feb. 19 hosting a Last Chance Qualifying Meet at 4 p.m. in Mitchell Hall.