The Milwaukee swim and dive teams are preparing to compete in the Horizon League Championships, which will take place at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis from Wednesday through Saturday. The event begins with the women’s 3-meter dive preliminary round at noon.
Last year, the Panther women finished second out of six teams at the Horizon League Championships, earning 655 points. The men’s team achieved its best result since the 2015-16 season by finishing fourth with 414 points.
Gabrielle LePine led the women’s team last year by winning the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.01 and also placing in the top ten for both the 50 freestyle and 200 breaststroke finals. The Panthers also secured first place in both the 200 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay events. The members of these relays included LePine, Carly Plate, Christiana Brooks, Janelle Schulz, Mara Freeman, and Maddi Hayashi.
Head coach Kyle Clements received his sixth Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year award during his tenure with Milwaukee.
On the men’s side, Gunnar Seversen was named Newcomer of the Year last season. He became the first male swimmer from Milwaukee to receive this honor since Kenny Stelpflug in 2012.
In their most recent competition at the Wisconsin Badger Invitational in Madison, Alvin Valkki was Milwaukee’s top swimmer in the 100 butterfly with a time of 50.62 seconds. Etienne Dolezal placed third in the 50 freestyle at 20.73 seconds, while Marko Vucelic reached the A-Final for the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:07.94.
Among Panther women competing against Wisconsin were Johanna Edgren (2:11.59 in prelims for the 200 IM), Bella Sponseller (second place in the 100 breaststroke at 1:08.56), and Kalli Stark (top finisher for Milwaukee in the A-Final of the 50 freestyle at 24.52).
The Horizon League Championships can be watched via streaming on ESPN+.
Gabrielle LePine continues to stand out as one of league’s leading athletes during her junior season. She is currently ranked first in both the league’s 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke events and is among league leaders for both the 200 breaststroke and 50 freestyle.
Kristina Wittmann has been recognized as Women’s Diver of the Week twice this season after sweeping diving events against MSOE and Green Bay.
Sam Lorenz has set several school records during his first season as a Panther. At IU Indy’s House of Champions Invitational, he set individual records for Milwaukee in three events—50 freestyle (19.68), 100 backstroke (45.75), and 200 backstroke (1:43.49)—and contributed to record-setting performances in three relays: the 200 medley relay (1:26.64),400 medley relay (3:12.51), and400 freestyle relay (2:57.20).
This season, Panther men have broken ten Klotsche Natatorium facility records:
– Sam Lorenz set new marks for boththe50freestyle(20.11)andthe200backstroke(1:49.75).
– Gunnar Seversen broke records inthe200freestyle(1:37.05),500freestyle(4:26.84),and1650freestyle(15:47.37).
– Caleb Carlisle established new standards inthe100butterfly(48.07),200butterfly(1:47.50),and100breaststroke(55.13).
– Relay teams featuring Lorenz,Piljevic,Carlisle,andHouse set records inthe200freestylerelay(1:22.08)andthe200medleyrelay(1:27.93).
At December’s U.S.OpenChampionshipsinAustin,Texas,Lorenz placed sixthintheA-finalofthe50backstrokewithatimeof25.29.LePine competedinthe50and100breaststrokes,andCarlisleracedinthe50breaststroke,50butterfly,and100butterflyevents.
The Milwaukee Panthers Men’s Swimming and Diving Team participates in NCAA Division I athletics within the Horizon League as part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s athletics program. Based in Milwaukee,Wisconsin,the team contributes to university athletic traditions while helping student-athletes balance academic responsibilities with competitive meets.It enhances UW-Milwaukee’s athletic legacy.
