Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 29
Jones Natatorium
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Miami
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Men's Swimming and Diving Primed For Miami
1/28/2011 10:59:37 AM | M. Swim & Dive
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — This Saturday, Jan. 28, the Eastern Michigan University men's swimming and diving squad is set to square off with the Miami RedHawks for a Mid-American Conference dual-meet matchup. The Eagles will honor seven seniors who will compete in their final meet for the Green and White at Jones Natatorium on EMU's campus. The meet is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
BATTLE OF THE BIRDS: The rivalry continues this Saturday when the Eagles meet the RedHawks for the 42nd time in program history. Their very first meeting dates back to the 1964-65 season, where EMU fell to Miami, 24-66. Since then, the Green and White have had much different luck as they lead the all-time series, 31-10. EMU has been victorious in its past 14 matchups, with its last loss occuring in the 1995-96 season when the RedHawks edged the Eagles, 114-127. However, EMU would later redeem themselves in that same season when they took home the Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Championship. Under Head Coach Peter Linn, the Eagles have posted a 20-2 record against the RedHawks and will look to keep that winning tradition alive this weekend at Jones Natatorium.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: Miami will head into this Saturday bearing a 3-3-1 record with a 1-1 mark in Mid-American Conference Action. The RedHawks are coming off of a 165-113 win over the University of Cincinnati on Jan. 14 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were led by Chris Gunnels, who won the 100 back and 100 freestyle events, and was part of both winning relays that evening. On Jan. 19, he was named MAC Swimmer of the Week for his efforts. Diver James Beres leads the MAC in both the one and three meter dives with his conference best marks of 388.30 and 423.45. In the freestyle events, Gunnel holds the third best times in the 100 and 200 free, while Alex Reinhardt recorded the fastest 500 free time of 4:36.17.
FIRST IN CLASS: Senior Justin Griggs (Cheltenham, Australia-Australian Catholic University) was named the Mid-American Conference Male Scholar Athlete of the Week on Jan 28. The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week honor is presented to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during the week's competition. Griggs, a perfect 4.0 psychology major, recently helped EMU win its 58th consecutive Mid-American Conference dual-meet against Buffalo this past Saturday, Jan. 22. Griggs was the top finisher in the 50 freestyle after finishing the distance in just 21.04 seconds. He later helped the Green and White with a 50.30, first place performance in the 100 butterfly. Griggs also holds top-three times in the conference for the 100 fly (3rd-49.56), 100 back (3rd-50.13), and 100 free (1st-45.29).
PULLING RANK: There are 16 members from the men's squad who have posted top-five marks in the Mid-American Conference this season, with nine performances representing the best in the MAC. Leading the way is Jacob Hanson (Bloomington, Ind.-Normal Community), who currently holds the top time in four events: the 100 and 200 backstroke events (49.30 and 1:46.34) and the 200 and 400 Individual Medleys (1:51.87 and 3:57.24). Justin Griggs is the current holder of the best 100 free time (45.29), while Troy Esentan (North Little Rock, Ark.-Central) has recored two top times in both the 100 breaststroke (57.27) and 200 breaststroke (2:00.45). Matt Zavislak 's (Commerce Twp., Mich. -Walled Lake Northern) 46.99 time in the 100 butterly is not only a conference best, but a NCAA conideration mark as well. In the 200 fly, Owen Grey (Allen, Texas-Allen) sits in front of the pack with his time of 1:51.30 in the event.
ESENTAN NAMED SWIMMER OF THE WEEK: Junior Troy Esentan was announced as the Mid-American Conference Men's Swimmer of the Week by the conference office on Jan. 26. This is the second such award for Esentan in his career and the third honor for an Eagle this season. Esentan had a record-setting weekend this past Saturday, Jan. 22, when the Green and White hosted the University at Buffalo for a MAC matchup here in Jones Natatorium. He helped the Eagles capture their 58th consecutive MAC dual-meet victory after picking up wins in both the 100 breaststroke and 500 freestyle. His time of 57.24 in the 100 breast marks the top time in the MAC as well as a personal best for Esentan. In the 500 free, he finished the distance in 4:36.76 for the second best conference mark as well as a team and personal season best time. Esentan also went on to take third in the 400 individual medley in 4:04.91 to post the seventh best performance for the MAC in that event.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — This Saturday, Jan. 28, the Eastern Michigan University men's swimming and diving squad is set to square off with the Miami RedHawks for a Mid-American Conference dual-meet matchup. The Eagles will honor seven seniors who will compete in their final meet for the Green and White at Jones Natatorium on EMU's campus. The meet is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
BATTLE OF THE BIRDS: The rivalry continues this Saturday when the Eagles meet the RedHawks for the 42nd time in program history. Their very first meeting dates back to the 1964-65 season, where EMU fell to Miami, 24-66. Since then, the Green and White have had much different luck as they lead the all-time series, 31-10. EMU has been victorious in its past 14 matchups, with its last loss occuring in the 1995-96 season when the RedHawks edged the Eagles, 114-127. However, EMU would later redeem themselves in that same season when they took home the Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Championship. Under Head Coach Peter Linn, the Eagles have posted a 20-2 record against the RedHawks and will look to keep that winning tradition alive this weekend at Jones Natatorium.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: Miami will head into this Saturday bearing a 3-3-1 record with a 1-1 mark in Mid-American Conference Action. The RedHawks are coming off of a 165-113 win over the University of Cincinnati on Jan. 14 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were led by Chris Gunnels, who won the 100 back and 100 freestyle events, and was part of both winning relays that evening. On Jan. 19, he was named MAC Swimmer of the Week for his efforts. Diver James Beres leads the MAC in both the one and three meter dives with his conference best marks of 388.30 and 423.45. In the freestyle events, Gunnel holds the third best times in the 100 and 200 free, while Alex Reinhardt recorded the fastest 500 free time of 4:36.17.
FIRST IN CLASS: Senior Justin Griggs (Cheltenham, Australia-Australian Catholic University) was named the Mid-American Conference Male Scholar Athlete of the Week on Jan 28. The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week honor is presented to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during the week's competition. Griggs, a perfect 4.0 psychology major, recently helped EMU win its 58th consecutive Mid-American Conference dual-meet against Buffalo this past Saturday, Jan. 22. Griggs was the top finisher in the 50 freestyle after finishing the distance in just 21.04 seconds. He later helped the Green and White with a 50.30, first place performance in the 100 butterfly. Griggs also holds top-three times in the conference for the 100 fly (3rd-49.56), 100 back (3rd-50.13), and 100 free (1st-45.29).
PULLING RANK: There are 16 members from the men's squad who have posted top-five marks in the Mid-American Conference this season, with nine performances representing the best in the MAC. Leading the way is Jacob Hanson (Bloomington, Ind.-Normal Community), who currently holds the top time in four events: the 100 and 200 backstroke events (49.30 and 1:46.34) and the 200 and 400 Individual Medleys (1:51.87 and 3:57.24). Justin Griggs is the current holder of the best 100 free time (45.29), while Troy Esentan (North Little Rock, Ark.-Central) has recored two top times in both the 100 breaststroke (57.27) and 200 breaststroke (2:00.45). Matt Zavislak 's (Commerce Twp., Mich. -Walled Lake Northern) 46.99 time in the 100 butterly is not only a conference best, but a NCAA conideration mark as well. In the 200 fly, Owen Grey (Allen, Texas-Allen) sits in front of the pack with his time of 1:51.30 in the event.
ESENTAN NAMED SWIMMER OF THE WEEK: Junior Troy Esentan was announced as the Mid-American Conference Men's Swimmer of the Week by the conference office on Jan. 26. This is the second such award for Esentan in his career and the third honor for an Eagle this season. Esentan had a record-setting weekend this past Saturday, Jan. 22, when the Green and White hosted the University at Buffalo for a MAC matchup here in Jones Natatorium. He helped the Eagles capture their 58th consecutive MAC dual-meet victory after picking up wins in both the 100 breaststroke and 500 freestyle. His time of 57.24 in the 100 breast marks the top time in the MAC as well as a personal best for Esentan. In the 500 free, he finished the distance in 4:36.76 for the second best conference mark as well as a team and personal season best time. Esentan also went on to take third in the 400 individual medley in 4:04.91 to post the seventh best performance for the MAC in that event.
Eastern Michigan Head Coach Peter Linn
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