Men's Swimming and Diving to Make Big Splash in 2016-17

All-OAC performers Jacob Burk, Jon Levin and Tyler Thompson

Posted: Oct 21, 2016

BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's swimming and diving team is looking to make a big splash in 2016-17.

Sixth-year head coach Laura Wolff-Demaline returns 16 letterwinners (seven men and nine women), three All-Oho Athletic Conference performers, two OAC champions and one NCAA Division III All-American from last year squads that finished fifth and fourth, respectively, at the OAC Championships.

"This is a really exciting time for BW swimming and diving," stated Wolff-Demaline. "We are looking for big things this season as we return three All-OAC performers, an NCAA Division III All-American and with 18 newcomers we have added both talent and depth to our rosters."

"Our goals as a program are to have more student-athletes reach the podium at the OAC Championships and a continued presence at the NCAA Championship in March," continued Wolff-Demaline. "In addition, our student-athletes have taken it upon themselves to set academic goals of being named to the Academic All-OAC and College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCCAA) Scholar All-America teams. I am extremely proud of these student-athletes for the goals they have set and our staff looks forward to helping achieve those goals."

BW is led by a trio of All-OAC performers in seniors Jacob Burk (Bowling Green) and Jon Levin (Olmsted Falls) and junior Tyler Thompson (Broadview Heights/Brecksville Broadview Heights). Burk, who was the OAC Champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle and an All-OAC performer in the 400-yard individual medley, set school-records in the 400-yard IM and the 500-yard freestyle. Levin earned his first All-OAC diving honor with a third place finish in the one-meter competition. Thompson, who earned his first All-American honor with a ninth place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke. Thompson also set the BW and OAC-record in the 100-yard breaststroke, set the school-record in the 200-yard breaststroke and was the OAC Champion in the 100-yard breaststroke.

In addition to the trio, the Yellow Jackets return experience in senior Taylor Elgart (Shaker Heights) and sophomores Tyler Allison (Napoleon), John Beyer (Columbus/Centennial), Kevin Hartenstein (Hermitage, Pa. /Hickory), James Philbrick (Mundelein, Ill.)

Newcomers Matthew Bartek (Amherst/Marion Steele), Marcus Campbell (East Liverpool), Matt Mroczynski (Independence), Evan Rinaldi (Cleveland/Cleveland Heights), Matthew Roetter (Troy) and Greg Shaw (Colorado Springs, Col./Manitou Springs) all will look to make an immediate impact this winter.

BW opens the 2016-17 season on Saturday, October 22 with an OAC meet against Wilmington College in the Wilmington Natatorium at 3 p.m. The Yellow Jackets then swim a non-conference meet against Ohio Wesleyan University on Sunday, October 23 inside the Meek Aquatics and Recreation Center at 11 a.m. The first home meet of the season is on Saturday, November 5 when the team hosts an OAC meet against Manchester (Ind.) University in the BW Natatorium at 1 p.m.

The 2017 OAC Swimming and Diving Championship will be contested from February 16-18 inside the Ocasek Natatorium on the campus of the University of Akron.