2017 WIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a sixth consecutive first-place finish at the 2017 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. 16-18. UW-Oshkosh is serving as the host institution for the 46th meeting of women’s teams that will be held in unison with the 55th annual men’s championship. The Eagles captured the 16th WIAC title in program history a season ago with 806 points to nip UW-Eau Claire’s second-place total of 798 points. UW-Whitewater placed third with 693 points, while UW-Stevens Point was fourth with 546 and UW-Oshkosh fifth with 284. The eight-point margin of victory was the closest since UW-La Crosse beat UW-Stevens Point 1,223-1,216 at the 2002 championship. This year’s championship features 11 student-athletes that have combined to win 11 individual and 16 relay first-place medals at previous league meets. UW-Eau Claire sophomore Samantha Senczyszyn claimed Swimmer of the Meet honors a season ago after winning the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley. She also contributed to the victorious 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay teams. UW-Eau Claire junior Jessica Short was victorious at the 2016 championship in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard backstroke, while also helping the 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay teams to victory. UW-Whitewater junior Michaela Matthys is the two-time defending champion in the 100-yard butterfly. She also won the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard medley relay at the 2015 championship. Senior Sarah Arteaga has claimed consecutive titles in the 400-yard individual medley and added a first-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley in 2015. Seniors Grace Devine and Margaret Lotzer were members of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay team in 2015. UW-La Crosse senior Anna Landgraf helped the 800-yard freestyle relay team to victory in 2014 and 2016. She was joined on the 2016 foursome by junior Courtney Boak and the 2014 team by senior Katelyn Nadeau. UW-Stevens Point seniors Katelynn Homeyer and Katarina Walker-Daniels were members of the winning 400-yard medley relay squad in 2015. UW-Oshkosh has received strong performances from freshman Sydney Challoner and senior Taylor Teske this season. # # # # #