UW-L Captures WIAC Championship for Second Straight Year; Eleventh Title in School History

For Immediate Release: Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009

Brown Deer, Wis. - The UW-La Crosse women's swimming & diving team captured its second straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship Saturday night at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center. It is the Eagles' sixth league crown in the last eight seasons and 11th in school history.

The Eagles totaled 970 team points to win the conference title while UW-Stevens Point was second with 808. UW-Eau Claire placed third (611) followed by UW-Whitewater (384), UW-Oshkosh (241) and UW-River Falls (153).

UW-L head coach Rich Pein was named the WIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year. The Eagles' Chelsea Hoff was selected the WIAC Women's Swimmer of the Meet while teammate Rachel LaValley was named the WIAC Women's Diver of the Meet. Hoff won three individual titles at this year's conference championships and was a member of four first-place relays. She captured the 50 freestyle (23.10), 100 backstroke (55.94) and 200 backstroke (2:02.46) individually while being a member of the Eagles' winning relays in the 200 freestyle (1:33.47), 400 freestyle (3:26.80), 200 medley (1:43.43) and 400 medley (3:48.97). All seven times were NCAA Division III "A" qualifing marks and WIAC Championship records.

LaValley won the 3-meter diving competition (397.55 points) at this year's conference meet while finishing second in the 1-meter (390.35).

UW-L captured five titles Saturday, including four individually. Hoff won the 200 backstroke (2:02.46), Katelyn Hartung the 100 freestyle (51.98) and Anita Talavera the 200 butterfly (2:08.78). Hartung and Talavera recorded national "B" qualifying times.

UW-L also captured the 400 freestyle relay as Hoff, Danielle Ellingson, Hartung and Clare Hathaway met national "A" qualifying standards with a time of 3:26.80. The Eagles also set a conference championship record in their winning performance.

The Eagles had four of the top-seven finishers in the 200 breaststroke Saturday as Kacie O'Brien was third (2:24.25), Elizabeth Werner fifth (2:26.23), Maria Krisch sixth (2:26.48) and Melissa Klotz seventh (2:27.07). O'Brien, Werner and Krisch all met "B" qualifying times for the national championships.

Hathaway finished fourth (52.74) and Brianna Peyer sixth (53.38) in the 100 freestyle while Elisabeth Misener was fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:08.34). Hathaway and Misener each earned national "B" qualifying marks with their performances.

Other top finishes Saturday night included Jennifer Bryson fifth (17:54.25), Werner sixth (17:58.54) and Talavera seventh (18:10.35) in the 1,650 freestyle. Ellingson finished fourth in the 200 butterfly (2:11.21).

For the complete WIAC Championship results, click here.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, March 18 at the NCAA Division III Championships in Minneapolis, Minn.