Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Glancing Back at Men's Swimming and Diving's Impressive Season
4/22/2016 9:08:00 AM | M. Swim & Dive
The Eagles claimed their 33rd MAC title in March
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Capturing the program's 33rd Mid-American Conference Championship highlighted an incredible 2015-16 campaign for the Eastern Michigan University men's swimming and diving team. The Eagles ended the season with a 5-2 dual record, including a 2-0 mark in MAC competition and a season opening win over Northwestern. The perfect record in league duals pushed EMU's MAC dual win streak to 70.
The Eagles claimed a total of 91 first-place finishes, 80 second-place honors, and 56 third-place finishes over the course of the season. More impressively however, 18 different student-athletes won events in addition to the Eagles sweeping an event on 13 occasions, including claiming the top three spots in the 200 Backstroke at the 2016 MAC Championships. Over the course of the year, Eastern posted 98 career-bests and racked up 37 times that rank inside the EMU all-time top-10. The Eagles also finished the season with 68 times ranking inside the MAC's top-20. Of the 68 ranked times, 21 were slotted within the top-five, and five marked the conference's best. The Green and White finished the season with five program records. Senior Andrew Henry (Garner, N.C. -West Johnston) turned in program records in the 100 and 200 Freestyle, as well as the 200 Individual Medley. Fellow senior Krzysztof Gilski (Dywity, Poland-Adam Mickiewicz State Secondary) also etched his name into the record books, and now holds the program records in the 100 and 200 Butterfly. The MAC also tabbed an Eagle the conference's swimmer of the week four times over the course of the season, with Henry garnering the accolade four times and sophomore Hunter Cook (Hilliard, Ohio-Hilliard Darby) recognized once. Additionally, Henry was named MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week twice
EMU claimed the MAC title for the second consecutive season behind eight first-place performances. Henry swept the 100 and 200 Free while junior Cole Bateman (Hutchinson, Minn.-Hutchinson) raked in wins in the 100 and 200 Backstroke. Junior Alex Chan (Toronto, Ontario-Neil McNeil Secondary School) paced the Eagles' springboard efforts, winning both the 1 and 3-meter events. The Green and White also added two wins in relays, besting the field in the 400 and 800 Freestyle relays. The Eagles shattered MAC, meet, and pool records in each event en route to EMU's first relay win since 2010.
Finishing with a total of 846 points, the Eagles topped Buffalo (649) and Missouri State (634) to claim the championship. Following the conference meet, Henry was named MAC Outstanding Swimmer and Chan was honored as the MAC's Outstanding Diver. Additionally, Peter Linn was recognized as MAC Swimming Coach of the Year for the ninth time while Buck Smith picked up MAC Diving Coach of the Year honors for the 16th time in his career. The Green and White also had 10 student-athletes named to the All-MAC teams. Bateman, Henry, Chan, Logan Burton (Chesapeake, Va.-Hickory), and Erik Gissen (Karlstad, Sweden-Alvkullegymnasiet) landed on the All-MAC First Team while juniors Kyle Aerne (Lake Villa, Ill.-Lakes) and Kyle Lichtenberg (Clarkston, Mich.), as well sophomore , and freshmen Tosh Kawaguchi (Cary, N.C.-Cary) and Jake Tyson (Ipswich, England-Northgate) picked up All-MAC Second Team honors.
Henry, Chan, and freshman Tom Gillis (Halifax, Nova Scotia-Citadel) closed out the season for the Eagles, participating in the 2016 NCAA Championships. Henry competed in the 100 and 200 Free as well as the 200 IM. Henry claimed 43rd in the 100 Free, besting swimmers from USC, California, Duke, and Navy. The senior freestyle specialist finished 22nd in the 200 Free, marking the highest finish for an Eagle in the event since the 1980's. The Garner, N.C. product also posted a 29th-place finish in the 200 IM, with a school record time of 1:45.15. On the springboard, Gillis competed on the 3-meter while Chan qualified on the 1-meter. Competing on the national stage for the first time in his collegiate career, Gillis wrapped up his freshman season on the 3-meter springboard. Posting a score of 308.60, Gillis claimed 43rd. One season after becoming the first EMU diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships, Chan became the first Eagle to compete on the 1-meter springboard. The Toronto, Ontario native posted a score of 305.60 in the preliminary round, ultimately nabbing a 31st-place finish.
In addition to leading the conference in All-MAC selections, the Eagles paced the league with 16 Academic All-MAC honorees. Making the Academic All-MAC team were: Erik Brinkhoff (Bethel Park, Pa.-Bethel Park), Logan Burton (Chesapeake, Va.-Hickory), Chris Buzard (Venetia, Pa.-Peters Township), Alex Chan (Toronto, Ontario-Neil McNeil Catholic Secondary School), Hunter Cook (Hilliard, Ohio-Hilliard Derby), Dylan Crompton (Redford, Mich.-Thurston), Conner Finnigan (Indianapolis, Ind.-Warren Central), Krzysztof Gilski (Dywity, Poland-Adam Mickiewicz State Secondary), Erik Gissen (Karlstad, Sweden-Alvkullegymnasiet), Andrew Henry (Garner, N.C.-West Johnston), Chris Hodges (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson), Connor Johnson (Fort Bragg, N.C.-Terry Sanford), Josh Kreider (Coopersburg, Pa.-Southern Lehigh), Kevin Moore (Phoenix, Ariz.-Boulder Creek), Brendan O'Shea (South Lyon, Mich.-South Lyon), and Peter Rusenas (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville Central). The group features five seniors, six juniors, and five sophomores.
Now, the Eagles turn their attention to off-season training with competition set to begin in October.
The Eagles claimed a total of 91 first-place finishes, 80 second-place honors, and 56 third-place finishes over the course of the season. More impressively however, 18 different student-athletes won events in addition to the Eagles sweeping an event on 13 occasions, including claiming the top three spots in the 200 Backstroke at the 2016 MAC Championships. Over the course of the year, Eastern posted 98 career-bests and racked up 37 times that rank inside the EMU all-time top-10. The Eagles also finished the season with 68 times ranking inside the MAC's top-20. Of the 68 ranked times, 21 were slotted within the top-five, and five marked the conference's best. The Green and White finished the season with five program records. Senior Andrew Henry (Garner, N.C. -West Johnston) turned in program records in the 100 and 200 Freestyle, as well as the 200 Individual Medley. Fellow senior Krzysztof Gilski (Dywity, Poland-Adam Mickiewicz State Secondary) also etched his name into the record books, and now holds the program records in the 100 and 200 Butterfly. The MAC also tabbed an Eagle the conference's swimmer of the week four times over the course of the season, with Henry garnering the accolade four times and sophomore Hunter Cook (Hilliard, Ohio-Hilliard Darby) recognized once. Additionally, Henry was named MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week twice
EMU claimed the MAC title for the second consecutive season behind eight first-place performances. Henry swept the 100 and 200 Free while junior Cole Bateman (Hutchinson, Minn.-Hutchinson) raked in wins in the 100 and 200 Backstroke. Junior Alex Chan (Toronto, Ontario-Neil McNeil Secondary School) paced the Eagles' springboard efforts, winning both the 1 and 3-meter events. The Green and White also added two wins in relays, besting the field in the 400 and 800 Freestyle relays. The Eagles shattered MAC, meet, and pool records in each event en route to EMU's first relay win since 2010.
Finishing with a total of 846 points, the Eagles topped Buffalo (649) and Missouri State (634) to claim the championship. Following the conference meet, Henry was named MAC Outstanding Swimmer and Chan was honored as the MAC's Outstanding Diver. Additionally, Peter Linn was recognized as MAC Swimming Coach of the Year for the ninth time while Buck Smith picked up MAC Diving Coach of the Year honors for the 16th time in his career. The Green and White also had 10 student-athletes named to the All-MAC teams. Bateman, Henry, Chan, Logan Burton (Chesapeake, Va.-Hickory), and Erik Gissen (Karlstad, Sweden-Alvkullegymnasiet) landed on the All-MAC First Team while juniors Kyle Aerne (Lake Villa, Ill.-Lakes) and Kyle Lichtenberg (Clarkston, Mich.), as well sophomore , and freshmen Tosh Kawaguchi (Cary, N.C.-Cary) and Jake Tyson (Ipswich, England-Northgate) picked up All-MAC Second Team honors.
Henry, Chan, and freshman Tom Gillis (Halifax, Nova Scotia-Citadel) closed out the season for the Eagles, participating in the 2016 NCAA Championships. Henry competed in the 100 and 200 Free as well as the 200 IM. Henry claimed 43rd in the 100 Free, besting swimmers from USC, California, Duke, and Navy. The senior freestyle specialist finished 22nd in the 200 Free, marking the highest finish for an Eagle in the event since the 1980's. The Garner, N.C. product also posted a 29th-place finish in the 200 IM, with a school record time of 1:45.15. On the springboard, Gillis competed on the 3-meter while Chan qualified on the 1-meter. Competing on the national stage for the first time in his collegiate career, Gillis wrapped up his freshman season on the 3-meter springboard. Posting a score of 308.60, Gillis claimed 43rd. One season after becoming the first EMU diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships, Chan became the first Eagle to compete on the 1-meter springboard. The Toronto, Ontario native posted a score of 305.60 in the preliminary round, ultimately nabbing a 31st-place finish.
In addition to leading the conference in All-MAC selections, the Eagles paced the league with 16 Academic All-MAC honorees. Making the Academic All-MAC team were: Erik Brinkhoff (Bethel Park, Pa.-Bethel Park), Logan Burton (Chesapeake, Va.-Hickory), Chris Buzard (Venetia, Pa.-Peters Township), Alex Chan (Toronto, Ontario-Neil McNeil Catholic Secondary School), Hunter Cook (Hilliard, Ohio-Hilliard Derby), Dylan Crompton (Redford, Mich.-Thurston), Conner Finnigan (Indianapolis, Ind.-Warren Central), Krzysztof Gilski (Dywity, Poland-Adam Mickiewicz State Secondary), Erik Gissen (Karlstad, Sweden-Alvkullegymnasiet), Andrew Henry (Garner, N.C.-West Johnston), Chris Hodges (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson), Connor Johnson (Fort Bragg, N.C.-Terry Sanford), Josh Kreider (Coopersburg, Pa.-Southern Lehigh), Kevin Moore (Phoenix, Ariz.-Boulder Creek), Brendan O'Shea (South Lyon, Mich.-South Lyon), and Peter Rusenas (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville Central). The group features five seniors, six juniors, and five sophomores.
Now, the Eagles turn their attention to off-season training with competition set to begin in October.
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/ M. Swim & DiveEastern Michigan Head Coach Peter Linn
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Day 1 Recap: 2016 Men's Swimming & Diving Championships
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