2003 WIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships Preview

    The outlook for this year�s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women�s swimming and diving championships could easily be confused with that of last year�s.

    Almost every individual champion from last year�s championships is back and even the team race could be just as close after UW-La Crosse ended UW-Stevens Point�s two-year reign by a record-low margin of just seven points.

    The champions are back in all but three swimming events and both diving events. In fact, all 11 returning champions won their first career titles last season. UW-La Crosse returns victors in 10 events, including three-event winner Fallon Toomsen in the 200-yard backstroke and both medley events with a record-setting swim in the 400-yard medley. Junior Karrin Lick was a two-event champion in the 500 and 1650-yard freestyle events and sophomore Krista Melvin captured the 100 and 200-yard freestyles.

     UW-La Crosse also features both defending butterfly champions as sophomore Anne Melvin won the 100-yard competition with a conference record and set a pool record at the UW-Stevens Point Invite in January. Sophomore Elizabeth Miles is the defending the 200-yard butterfly winner.

     Krista Melvin, Toomsen, Lick and Lexi Fink are all back to defend their championship in the 800-yard freestyle relay after setting a conference record last season. Anne Melvin will team with other returners Stacia Schacht and Lisa Koenig to defend their 200-yard medley relay crown. A trio of freshmen may also contend for titles as Carlene Empagner is a favorite in the distance events and will likely join the Eagles� top relays, while Stephanie Greiger could be near the top in both medley events and Sarah Thayer will battle for the diving titles.

     UW-Stevens Point counters with just one defending individual champion in junior Alissa Bartz in the 50-yard freestyle. However, the Pointers also possess senior Jen Randall, who has swam on six conference champion relays in her career, and senior Melanie Luke, the 2001 champion in the 1650-yard freestyle. Bartz and Randall both swam on two winning relays last year for the Pointers and join other defending relay winners Erica Janssen and Jean Hughes.

     Junior Berit Fahrner and sophomore Lindsay Correll were both top four finishers in three events for the Pointers last season. Newcomer Elizabeth Herder has posted strong backstroke times and freshman Jennie Roskopf could be a top finisher in the breaststroke.

     UW-Oshkosh should get quality diving points from junior Rachel Heitkamp, who was runner-up at the WIAC meet and in the top 10 at nationals in both events last year. Senior Liz Tierney has posted solid times in a variety of events this season.

     UW-Eau Claire features junior Liz Von Feldt, who has some of the league�s top times in several events this season. Junior Adria Bye could be near the top in both diving competitions.

     UW-River Falls has the conference�s top returner in the breaststroke in junior Megan Broskoff, who was runner-up in both the 100 and 200-yard events last season.