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Panthers Look To Extend Winning Ways Against Wheaton

Team is 16-1 all-time against Thunder

Oct. 30, 2007

After a week off, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team will be back in action Friday, swimming against Wheaton College. The non-conference meet against the Thunder is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start in Wheaton, Ill.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
The Thunder is an NCAA Division III team, and a good one at that. It has won 10 of the past 11 CCIW conference championships and placed seventh at the NCAA championships two years ago. UWM has owned the all-time series, going 16-1, winning the past five meetings.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
The Panthers had a busy weekend, swimming in three states in three days the weekend of October 19-21.

Against Wright State, sophomore P.J. Rongitsch continued his fast start to the season, winning both diving events to pace the team. Rongitsch was one of the lone bright spots for the Panthers as the Raiders won each swimming event en route to the 152-88 victory. Junior Robby Leibold added three second-place finishes on the night, while sophomore Jeremy Waldhart took second in two events.

Leibold then won three events to lead the Panthers against Eastern Michigan. He topped the field in the 500 freestyle, 1000 freestyle and 200 butterfly, but it was not enough as the Panthers fell to the Eagles, 151-92.

Rongitsch then led the way for UWM to take second at the UIC Diving Invitational, winning the one-meter competition and taking third on the three-meter board.

FAST START ... AND SMART:
Junior Robby Leibold is off to the best start of his UWM career and has been rewarded outside of the pool for it as well. Last week, he was named the Horizon League Scholar Athlete of the Week for the third time in his career. In eight races so far this season, he has posted four victories and four second-place finishes.

LAST YEAR:
Chase Gravengood, Jeremy Seibel and Robby Leibold won two events each to lead UWM to a 135-68 victory over Wheaton College a year ago. The Panthers won nine of 11 events in recording their first dual victory of the season.

Gravengood was victorious in one of his usual events - the 200 butterfly - but also recorded a win in the 200 freestyle to help Milwaukee out. His first attempt of the season in the 200 free was a battle, as Gravengood touched out the Thunder's John Higgins for the win in a time of 1:45.68, just 0.26 ahead of Higgins' 1:45.94.

Seibel earned wins for the Panthers in both the 200 IM and the 200 breaststroke, finishing in 1:59.82 in the IM and 2:14.44 in the breaststroke.

Leibold opened the meet with an easy win in the 1000 freestyle, coming in at 9:49.47 to top second place (10:02.14) by over 12 seconds. Then, in the 500, he added another victory, touching the wall in 4:48.30.

UP NEXT:
Milwaukee continues its season away from home Nov. 10, swimming at UIC, taking on the host Flames, Butler and North Dakota.