Wabash placed second in the Palm Beach County Collegiate Invitational Swimming Meet held in Jupiter, Florida, on January 6. Wabash, the only NCAA III team in the competition, scored 400 points placing second to University of South Dakota with 655, and ahead of three NCAA I teams and a NCAA II team. Lafayette University was third with 213.5 followed by Colgate University 175, Indiana University/PA 168, and Rider University 158.5.
The Little Giants captured two events, placed second in three, and broke two Wabash meter records in the twelve event competition held in 50 meter long course North Palm Beach County Aquatic Center.
Sophomore Brett Findley (Bargersville, IN/Franklin Community) was the top scorer for the Little Giants with 49 points, capturing the 200 meter butterfly(2:19.05), placing third in 200 meter individual medley (2:26.25), and sixth in the 100 butterfly.
Nick Collins (Michigantown, IN/Clinton Central)(43 points) was second in the 200 meter freestyle (2:09.08), fourth in the 200 IM, and eighth in the 200 butterfly. Freshman Zach Sundstrom (Indianapolis, IN/North Central)(41 points) placed fourth in the 200 meter back (2:26.45 - a Wabash record) and sixth in both the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.
Freshmen Colin Fahey (Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard) and Brad Williams (Columbus, IN/Columbus North) each scored 35 points. Fahey won the 100 breaststroke (1:13.08-record) and placed fourth in the 50 free (25.55). Williams was sixth in the 400 freestyle (4:38.69) and eighth in both the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
James Cloud (Ladoga, IN/Southmont) (34 points) placed second in both the 200 breaststroke (2:42.52) and 100 breaststroke (1:13.86). Jon-Myckle Price (Logansport, IN/Logansport) (29 points) placed fifth in the 200 breaststroke and fourth in the 100 breaststroke. Ben Hewitt (Greenwood, IN/Center Grove) (28 points) placed fourth in the 200 breast and sixth in the 100 breaststroke.
Brandon Peacock (Crawfordsville, IN/Crawfordsville) was third in the 100 meter butterfly (1:02.47) and Bernie Manker (Grand Rapids, MI/Northview) placed seventh in the 50 freestyle.
The Wabash 200 medley relay with Sundstrom, Fahey, Findley, and Steve Birrer (Indianapolis, IN/Brownsburg)placed fourth.
Findley placed highest of 18 Little Giants in the Boca Raton, Florida, Ocean Mile race that took place on December 29. Findley placed sixth among 147 collegiate men with a time of 18:51 shattering the previous Wabash record for the course by one minute and 29 seconds. Three other Little Giants also broke the record. Hewitt swam the course in 19:38, Williams 19:57 and Manker 15th 20:10.
Eighteen Little Giants successfully completed the rigorous event— Ben Vidic (Elkhart, IN/Elkhart Central), Dean Fox (Aurora, IN/South Dearborn), Nick Bourff (Knox, IN/Knox), Jeremy West (Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence North), <Andrew Roy (Noblesville, IN/Noblesville), Karl Grimmer (Griffith, IN/Griffith), Price, Collins, Peacock, Cloud, Birrer, Sundstrom, Fahey, and alum Hugh Vandivier ’91.
Wabash swimmers will travel to the University of Indianapolis Invitational Friday and Saturday while the divers will host the Third Annual January Diving Classic in the Wabash Class of 1950 Natatorium.