University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will aim for a 14th consecutive first-place finish at the 2013 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship that will be held at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis., Feb. 14-16.  The 51st edition of the men’s championship will be held in conjunction with the 42nd annual women’s event.

The Pointers claimed the 16th first-place trophy in program archives a season ago with 874 points.  UW-La Crosse finished second with 753 points, UW-Whitewater third with 632, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 541, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 305 and UW-River Falls sixth with 169.

This year’s championship features 12 individuals that have combined to win 22 individual and 29 relay first-place medals.

UW-Stevens Point senior Joey Clapp has five individual and nine relay titles to his credit, and claimed the Swimmer of the Meet honor at last year’s championship.  He is the two-time defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke, and could become the first individual in WIAC history to win the 50-yard freestyle three straight times since UW-La Crosse’s Bob Halstead (1980-82).

Clapp is also the defending champion in the 100-yard freestyle.  In relay competition, he has been a member of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay (2011, 2012), 400-yard freestyle relay (2011, 2012), 200-yard medley relay (2010, 2011, 2012) and 400-yard medley relay (2011, 2012).

Senior Ryan Farmer won titles in the 100-yard butterfly in 2010 and 2011 and owns 11 relay first-place finishes - 200-yard freestyle relay (2012), 400-yard freestyle relay (2011), 800-yard freestyle relay (2010, 2011, 2012), 200-yard medley relay (2010, 2011, 2012) and 400-yard medley relay (2010, 2011, 2012).

Junior Luuk Dekkers has claimed consecutive crowns in the 500-yard freestyle and could become the first individual in conference annals to win three straight titles in the event.  He won the 1,650-yard freestyle at the 2011 championship and has been a member of the first-place 800-yard freestyle relay quartet the past two seasons.

Sophomore Alex Loftus captured the 200-yard breaststroke a season ago and produced first-place times in the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay.  Senior Zach Desy posted first-place finishes in the 200-yard butterfly and 400-yard individual medley in 2010, and was a member of the victorious 800-yard freestyle relay.

Rounding out the returning title winners for the Pointers is senior Eric Emerson, who was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay a year ago, after earning the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2011.

UW-Eau Claire junior Alex Card is the defending champion in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley, and was triumphant in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2011.  Sophomore Jake McDade was victorious in the 1,650-yard freestyle a year ago.

UW-La Crosse sophomore Garrett Runing is the defending champion in the 200-yard freestyle, while senior Kevin Misener won the 100-yard backstroke in 2010 and was a member of the triumphant 400-yard freestyle relay quartet.

UW-Whitewater junior John Devroy won the 200-yard butterfly and 400-yard individual medley a season ago, while sophomore Joe Devroy earned the 200-yard backstroke crown.