Southern Illinoise University Athletics
SIU Swim Teams to Clash with SW Missouri
03/14/2001 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
January 26, 2001
Southwest Missouri State invades the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Student Recreation Center Pool Friday for a pre-conference championship showdown starting at 4 p.m..
The Salukis will be trying to make a point against the Bears who come in just three weeks before SIU hosts its seventh consecutive MVC conference championship. SIU had won every conference title since the MVC started recognizing swimming during the 1994-95 season until SMS edged SIU for the crown last season.
The men are currently ranked third in the nation in the CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Majors poll while SMS is ranked sixth. Matt Munz of the Salukis is ranked in the Top-30 in three events including the 200 backstroke where he is 29th, the 100 butterfly (T--26th) and the 200 IM (29th). For SMS Michael Baima comes in ranked 25th in the 100 fly with Eric Bintner ranked 30th in the 1650 free. In addition, the Saluki 400 freestyle relay team is ranked 22nd in the nation with the 400 medley relay team ranked 25th.
The Salukis dominate the conference leading in 8 of the 14 individual events, 2 of the 4 diving events and all five relays. Munz leads in three of the events, the 100 back, the 200 back and the 200 IM. Chris Papachrysanthou leads in two events the 50 and 100 free while Joe Tidwell is tops in the 100 breaststroke, Corne Prozesky in the 200 breaststroke and Derek Helvey in the 400 IM. Jake Sinclair leads both the one-meter and three-meter diving events for six dives.
The Saluki women, on the other hand, won its fourth consecutive title last season and its fifth in six tries, so swimming well against a conference foe so close to the championships is vital.
Freshman Leane Pienaar is having a banner first season for the Salukis sitting on top of the MVC in three events. The South African native leads the conference in the 500 freestyle (5:06.80), the 1000 freestyle (10:24.34) and the 1650 freestyle (17:43.67). She also ranks third overall in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:08.26, fourth in the 400 IM (4:37.65) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:11.70).
Reigning conference champion Brooke Radostits has been as dominating this season as she has in the past leading the conference in the 100 backstroke (58.27) and the 200 back (2:04.78). Dana Morrell also leads the Valley in the 400 IM while newcomer Karina Belache has made an impact ranking second behind teammate Beth Ann Erickson in the 100 butterfly by only .01 seconds at 58.27.
