Feb. 20, 2005

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships concluded Saturday night at the Matthaei Aquatic Center in Detroit.

Some things changed in 2005, as the Grand Valley State men's team won its first conference title. Other things stayed the same, as the University of Indianapolis women's team won their third consecutive GLIAC crown.

There were several incredible performances over the four-day meet, as 27 Matthaei pool records (14 men, 13 women) and 11 GLIAC records (6 men, 5 women) were set.

Men's Athlete of the Year: David Lutz, Wayne State

Men's Freshman of the Year: A.J. Erard, Wayne State

Men's Coach of the Year: Sean Peters, Wayne State

Men's Recap

Top-three sweeps in both diving events lifted GVSU coach Dewey Newsome to his first men's team title after finishing second in 1994 and 1996. Freshman Joel Overway won the one-meter (398.00) and senior Ben Raap took the three-meter event (451.20).

The host Warriors of Wayne State were second with 671.50 points, which ended their two-year GLIAC reign, but they captured six event titles and swept all three postseason awards. The University of Indianapolis placed third (627).

GLIAC coaches named WSU senior David Lutz the Athlete of the Year and WSU rookie A.J. Erard the Freshman of the Year. WSU coach Sean Peters took Coach of the Year honors after guiding his team to a fifth consecutive top-two finish. This is the fourth straight year Peters has earned the honor.

Lutz, who had tied for first in the 100 backstroke on Friday in a time of 51.80, defended his 200 backstroke title Saturday in far more convincing fashion. Lutz broke his own conference record in a time 1:51.68, nearly two seconds ahead of the field. That is also a NCAA 'A' qualifying time.

Erard, who won the 400 IM with a NCAA 'A' cut on Friday (4:04.17), placed third in the 200 breaststroke on Saturday in a time of 2:09.70.

Also on Saturday night, junior Bruno Blanco won the 200 butterfly, achieving a NCAA 'A' cut by 0.02 seconds (1:52.97). Blanco also won the 100 butterfly on Friday in GLIAC-record time (50.14).

Lewis University made an impact in its first season as a GLIAC member. Michael Lapustin broke the 18-year-old conference record in the 200 IM with a time 1:53.10. He also tied Lutz in the 100 back, sharing the title with a time of 51.80.

Lapustin also anchored the Flyers' 800 free relay team that set a GLIAC record in 6:52.71.

UI junior Cole Tedhams broke a pair of 32-year-old Matthaei pool records when he won the 50 and 100 freestyles. Those records were formerly held by Mike Carnahan, the 1973 NCAA College Division champion. Tedhams' times were 20.58 and 44.90, respectively.

Women's Athlete of the Year: Alison Smith, Indianapolis

Women's Coach of the Year: Gary Kinkead, Indianapolis

Women's Freshman of the Year: Ellie Miller, Indianapolis

Women's Recap

Indianapolis won the women's team title convincingly with a total of 835 points, 170 more than second place GVSU (665).

The Wayne State women placed third, their highest team finish ever, ending three straight years in fourth.

UI coach Gary Kinkead was named Coach of the Year for the fourth straight year as his Greyhounds set three league relay marks in the 200 free relay (1:35.76), the 400 medley relay (3:52.83), and the 200 medley relay (1:46.14) en route to winning all five relay events.

The first two marks were formerly held by Northern Michigan and had stood for over a decade. (UI also set the 200 medley mark in 2002.)

UI freshman Valerie Crosby broke the other women's GLIAC mark in the 100 fly (56.55).

The Greyhounds also led the way with multiple-event winners with Alison Smith (200 freestyle and 100 backstroke) and Ellie Miller (500 and 1000 freestyles). Smith was named GLIAC Athlete of the Year and Miller won top freshman honors.

Northern Michigan's Larisa Graham won both the 200 and 400 individual medley events.