The University of Redlands swimming & diving teams concluded the 2015 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championships on Sunday, with each team finishing third in the final standings The Bulldog women collected 709 points over the four-day meet that was held at the Lillian Slade Aquatic Center in Whittier, while the men corralled 575 points to also take the bronze. Highlighting the final day, senior Jeff Depew (Naperville, IL) was named the SCIAC Male Athlete of the Year by the conference coaches after an impressive four-year career with the Bulldogs.
In addition, the top-three finishers in the event finals receive All-SCIAC honors.
Sunday's men's competition began with the 1650 Free, as multiple swimmers from Redlands garnered points for the team total. Senior David Sekula (LaGrange, IL) highlighted the group's showing with his fifth-place time of 16:32.69, while freshmen Nick Gambatese (Corvallis, OR)) and Henry Stuckenschmidt (Fresno, CA) finished in eighth (16:55.30) and ninth (16:55.48), respectively.
Sophomore Will Tyrrell (Portland, OR) fired off an NCAA B-cut time of 1:51.63 to nab second place in the 200 Back. Furthermore, freshman Corey Winter (Ripon, CA) took seventh with a time of 1:58.56, as Gambatese won the "B" final in 1:57.93 and sophomore Hunter Wilson (Mercer Island, WA) came in fourth at 1:59.54.
During the 100 Free, junior Nelson Glendinning (Philadelphia, PA) uncorked a sixth-place effort of 46.20, while senior Eric LoPrete (Beaverton, OR) took ninth with a time of 46.97.
Depew capped off a fine career by winning the 200 Fly with an NCAA B-cut time of 1:47.58. Sophomore Eric Bugna (Vancouver, WA) joined him among the finalists with his eighth-place showing of 1:55.90.
The men's meet wrapped up with the always exciting 400 Free Relay, as the Bulldog quartet of Tyrrell, Depew, LoPrete, and Glendinning harnessed a third-place time of 3:04.47 to also exceed the NCAA B standard.
For the women, Redlands gained a seventh-place finish from senior Summer Harp (San Bernardino, CA), who touched the wall in 17:57.11, during the day's opening 1650 Free.
Freshman Rachel Haney (Redmond, OR) nabbed the final spot on the podium by unleashing a third-place time of 2:06.86 in the 200 Back, which also reset the Bulldogs' school record that was established in 2011. Freshman Emily Mabrouk (Aurora, IL) quickly followed in fourth at 2:07.06. During the "B" final, freshman Danielle Miller (Hood River, OR) finished third with a time of 2:12.17.
Junior Lauren Robeznieks (Tigard, OR) and freshman Emily Waddell (Bellevue, WA) collected crucial points with their solid showings in the 100 Free "B" Final. Robeznieks took second (54.07), as Waddell came in fourth (54.22).
The same was true in the 200 Breast, with senior Haley Thiltgen (San Diego, CA) winning the "B" final in 2:28.61. Freshman Claire Stuhr (Portland, OR) added a third-place effort of 2:30.84.
Mabrouk highlighted the team's performance in the 200 Fly, as she grabbed the silver with an NCAA B-cut time of 2:07.68. Freshman Brigid Mackey (Bellevue, WA) earned more points for the Bulldogs, with her ninth-place time of 2:14.67.
The Bulldogs' 400 Free Relay of sophomore Ellie Jaques (Covina, CA), Harp, Waddell, and Robeznieks clocked a time of 3:34.10 for third place. In the "B" final, freshman Linnae Rodriguez (Hollister, CA), Thiltgen, senior Rachel Weinstein (Oak Harbor, WA), and sophomore Cassidy Cramton (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) put together a third-place time of 3:40.04.
With the conclusion of the regular season, the Bulldogs now await the announcement of their NCAA qualifiers, which will come out in the next 10 days.