2016 WIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will try for a fifth straight title at the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship (presented by Culver's) that will be held at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis., Feb. 18-20. UW-Stevens Point is serving as the host institution for the 45th gathering of women’s teams that will be held in conjunction with the 54th annual men’s championship. The Eagles claimed the 15th league championship in program archives a season ago with 826 points to surpass UW-Whitewater’s second-place total of 750 points. UW-Stevens Point finished third with 617 points, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 587 and UW-Oshkosh fifth with 272. This year’s championship features 17 student-athletes that have combined to win 21 individual and 26 relay first-place medals at previous league meets. UW-La Crosse senior Sara Zemanovic is the most decorated returnee with 10 titles (five individual, five relay) to her credit. She has won the 100-yard freestyle three straight seasons and could become the second four-time winner of the event in conference history, joining UW-Eau Claire’s Sara Shimanski (1994-97). Zemanovic secured the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle at the 2013 championship. In relay competition, Zemanovic helped the 200-yard freestyle relay team to victory a season ago and won consecutive titles in the 800-yard freestyle relay in 2013 and 2014. She added championships in the 400-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay at the 2013 meet. Senior Mikayla Beuch is the defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle and was a member of last year’s first-place 200-yard freestyle relay team, along with junior Carrie Schrock. Beuch contributed to the winning 200-yard medley relay foursome in 2014. Senior Jordan Anderson emerged with three-meter diving titles in 2013 and 2015. She received Diver of the Meet honors a season ago. Junior Anna Landgraf contributed to the victorious 800-yard freestyle relay team in 2014, while senior Dayna Johnson was a member of the winning 400-yard medley relay squad in 2013. UW-Stevens Point senior Amanda Walker is the two-time defending champion in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle, while adding a victory in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 2014. She has contributed to the triumphant 400-yard freestyle relay team in 2014 and 2015, and 200-yard freestyle relay unit in 2014. Walker was selected the Swimmer of the Meet a year ago. Seniors Emily Nienhaus and Alexa Pronga own four relay titles apiece, with the duo contributing to the winning 400-yard freestyle relay teams in 2014 and 2015, and the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2014. Nienhaus added a 400-yard medley relay crown last season, while Pronga helped the 200-yard medley relay unit to a first-place finish in 2013. Juniors Katelynn Homeyer and Katarina Walker-Daniels were members of the 400-yard medley team team in 2015. UW-Whitewater sophomore Michaela Matthys won the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard butterfly at last year’s championship, while contributing to the 200-yard medley relay squad. Junior Sarah Arteaga secured the 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard individual medley last season. Senior Sierra Becker is the three-time defending champion in one-meter diving and could become the first four-time winner of the event in conference history since UW-Madison’s Peggy Anderson (1973-76). Becker received Diver of the Meet honors in 2013. Juniors Grace Devine and Margaret Lotzer helped the 800-yard freestyle relay team to victory a season ago. UW-Eau Claire senior Allison Hable captured the 50-yard freestyle in 2014. # # # # #