2020-21 Swimming & Diving Schedule

La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's and men's swimming & diving teams are set to start its 2020-21 seasons Saturday, February 13 at UW-Oshkosh. The Eagles will compete in four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) duals this year. 

The WIAC Championships, originally scheduled to be hosted by UW-Stevens Point at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wisconsin, February 17-20, were canceled. The NCAA Division III Championships scheduled for March 17-20 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington were also canceled.  

Steve Mohs starts his second season as UWL women's and men's swimming & diving head coach in 2020-21. The Eagles' women's squad won its ninth straight WIAC Championship in 2019-20, earning six individual and three relay titles. Mohs was named the WIAC Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the league championships. The Eagles finished 4-1 in duals, including 4-0 in the WIAC. 

The men's team finished fourth at the 2019-20 WIAC Championships. UWL went 2-2-1 in duals, including 2-1-1 in the WIAC.  

"Overall the coaching staff is excited," says Mohs.  "It is of course a mixed feeling of excitement and reflection.  We are thrilled to give our seniors a chance to compete and leave their legacy on our program.  They have persevered throughout their career with coaching changes and COVID, but they are still here giving their best in the pool and in the classroom.  We are also excited for our first years as this will be their first opportunity to compete as an Eagle.  We have had an unorthodox and less than ideal practice schedule throughout the year, but we are looking forward to the next month."

UWL returns 20 letter winners on the women's side and 16 on the men's squad.  The Eagles' Sydney Vian was named the 2019-20 WIAC Diver of the Meet after capturing the one and three-meter titles at the league championships. She also won the WIAC title in the three-meter in 2018 while finishing third in the one-meter.  Vian placed fourth in the three-meter and eighth in the one-meter at the 2017 league championships. 
 

Ellie Szczupakiewicz returns after winning the 100 butterfly at the 2020 WIAC Championships and finishing third in the 200 butterfly and fourth in the 100 backstroke. Szczupakiewicz and Emily Boettger were on UWL's winning 800 freestyle relay a year ago. Boettger finished third in the 200 freestyle, fourth in the 100 freestyle and eighth in the 50 freestyle. She was also on the Eagles' second-place 200 freestyle relay and third-place 400 freestyle relay.  Szczupakiwicz said she has been competing since she was five or six and is looking forward to retiring with her senior classmates and can't help but feel proud that she made it this far.

"Emily Boettger is another standout senior who you never can count out," says Mohs.  "She is a top performer in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyle events and will be ready to go next weekend versus UW-Eau Claire."

UWL's Kaylie Svacina won the 200 I.M. at last year's conference championships as well as finishing second in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.  Sophia Benson finished fourth in the 200 backstroke and sixth in the 100 backstroke while Amanda Wciorka placed sixth in the 200 I.M. and seventh in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Wciorka was also on UWL's first-place 200 medley relay.  "One of our top returning point scorers from last season, Amanda will be a solid performer in the backstroke and IM events," says Mohs.  

The Eagles' Samantha Rod placed sixth in the 200 breaststroke while joining Benson and Kathleen Casella on the second-place 400 medley relay.

On the men's side, nine student-athletes placed in the top-16 at the 2020 WIAC Championships.  AJ Von Berge recorded three top-13 individual finishes, placing 11th in the 50 freestyle, 12th in the 100 freestyle and 13th in the 100 butterfly.  He was on four relays finishing the top-four.  UWL placed third in the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relay and fourth in the 400 freestyle and 400 medley relay.  "It will be good to have a different team to compete against and to get a feel for racing again," says Von Berge.

"I'm looking forward to my first competition in over a year," says Ben Stelter.

Andrew Groth was on the third-place 800 freestyle relay last season while individually placing ninth in the 200 freestyle and 11th in the 200 butterfly. 
 

UWL's Nicholas Litterer was fifth in the 50 freestyle while Andrew Perrin placed sixth in the 1,650 freestyle and 12th in the 400 I.M.  "Nick Litterer could be a dark horse performer," says Mohs.  "He hasn't been in the water more than a couple weeks but races sprint freestyle events so look out."  Jacob Brehmer had three top-12 finishes at the 2020 WIAC Championships, including 11th in the 200 backstroke and 400 I.M. and 12th in the 200 I.M.  "Jacob Brehmer is a steady contributor in almost every event," says Mohs.  "His specialty is backstroke and IM but can flex to distance freestyle or the breaststroke events."

The Eagles' Matthew Geils was 12th in the 100 backstroke and 13th in the 200 backstroke at the 2020 league championships while Owen Montheard finished 15th in the 100 breaststroke and 16th in the 200 breaststroke.  Colin Brady was 15th in the 200 breaststroke.  "It is exciting to be back in the pool," says Brady.

Cameron Pumilia finished 10th in the one-meter diving competition at last year's conference championships.  

"We have become a very supportive and encouraging team," says Mohs.  "The group of swimmers we have this year are super hard workers and will stop at nothing to help out a fellow teammate.  Our men's team definitely has strength in the 100 and 200 breaststroke lead by Adam Baryenbruch, Ben Schaffer, and first year Will Quackenbush.  Our women are of course still very strong in diving with 2020 Diver of the Year, Sydney Vian.  We have a lot of holes to fill in our line-up from some key loses over the off season, but our freshman class is hungry to compete."

Mohs says Baryenbruch is one of team's most race ready swimmers.  "Adam swam in a club meet in December and swam a time in the 100 breaststroke that was faster than our current school record," says Mohs.  "He went 56.10 at Walter Schroeder YMCA right before Christmas.  He has looked good in the water and is ready to go!"  Mohs refers to Quackenbush as a thoroughbred racer.  "He has a lot of promise in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyle events, but also will contribute to an already stacked breaststroke group."

Mohs says the returners have been through a lot over the past three years. "They have adapted and risen to every challenge," adds Mohs.

UWL's staff is excited about the newcomers. "Claire Vandenhouten has been a solid performer in practice so far this winter in our distance freestyle events," says Mohs.  "I think she will have some great swims in the next month."  He adds Ming Ong will be solid in the butterfly and backstroke events, but definitely has great freestyle potential. Mohs also mentioned Emily Rundahl, a top-eight performer from the WIAC Championships last season while at UW-Whitewater. He believes she will help contribute greatly in the mid-distance freestyle events and the 200 backstroke.