2018 WIAC Men's Swimming & Diving Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will strive for a 19th consecutive championship at the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship (presented by Culver’s) that will be held at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis., Feb. 15-17. UW-La Crosse is serving as the host institution for the 56th men’s championship that will be held in unison with the 47th women’s meet. The Pointers earned the 21st league crown in program archives a season ago with 971.50 points. UW-Eau Claire placed second with 720.50 points, UW-Whitewater third with 656, UW-La Crosse fourth with 539 and UW-Oshkosh fifth with 198. This year’s championship features 13 student-athletes that have combined to win 22 individual and 35 relay first-place medals at previous league meets. UW-Stevens Point’s Sam Jekel is the most decorated returnee with seven individual and 11 relay titles. A year ago, he won the 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay. In 2015, Jekel captured the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay. At the 2014 championship, he posted first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay. The Pointers’ Jack Englehardt is the two-time defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle and added a 100-yard freestyle crown in 2016. In relay competition, he owns titles in the 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay in 2016 and 2017, along with the 400-yard medley relay in 2017. UW-Stevens Point’s Grant Moser won the 100-yard butterfly at the 2016 championship and holds crowns in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 2017, 800-yard freestyle relay in 2016 and 2017, and 400-yard medley relay in 2017. Garrett Richetto and Jacob Aegerter are the defending champions in 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly, respectively. Richetto contributed to the triumphant 800-yard freestyle relay teams of 2016 and 2017, while Aegerter was a member of the winning 400-yard freestyle relay unit and 800-yard freestyle relay squads last year. The Pointers’ Reilly Donnellan has been a member of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay team and 200-yard medley relay team the past two seasons, while adding the 400-yard freestyle relay crown in 2016. Brandon Richardson helped the 200-yard medley relay unit to victories in 2016 and 2017, while Caleb Miller contributed to the first-place 800-yard freestyle relay squad in 2016. Owen Gluck received Diver of the Meet accolades at last year’s championship after winning the one-meter diving and three-meter diving events. UW-Eau Claire’s Collin Miller collected Swimmer of the Meet recognition a year ago after winning the 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley. The Blugolds’ Dayton Miller is the defending champion in the 200-yard breaststroke and has won consecutive titles in the 400-yard individual medley, while Dylan Glumac-Berberich earned a piece of the one-meter diving title a year ago and Logan Coert helped the 400-yard medley relay team to victory at the 2016 championship. UW-La Crosse has received strong swimming performances from Jacob Burchfield, Charles Hartt and Ryan Jessen this season, while Kyle Wolmutt has posted the team’s top diving marks. Matt Wilke owns the top diving performances for UW-Oshkosh in 2017-18, while Jarrett Lieder has produced the team’s leading swimming times. UW-Whitewater’s Jake Herlache and Zach Noll have generated strong swimming times, while Michael Steplyk owns the top diving scores for the Warhawks. # # # # #