Athletes of the Meet - Conferences

The overall performance of both the men's and women's teams make it virtually impossible to name a single athlete of the meet. The whole team deserves recognition for the success that we experienced this week. There were several athletes, though that deserve special recognition for their performances:

1. Grayson Campbell won the Liberty Conference diving title for the second consecutive year. His continued success in the diving event makes him a valuable addition to our team. And now that we know he can swim a fast 50 freestyle, he will be kept very busy next season!
2. Ian Russiello's wins in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle did not come easy. He narrowly edged out both of his opponents to take the top spot. His hard work during the season paid off as he held off two very formidable opponents.
3. Alex Ruleman had his best meet as a Warhawk this weekend. He earned a state cut in the 50 free and a region cut in the 100 free. His role on two state-qualifying relays were also significant.
4. Ryan Lucas earned his first trip to Regions with his 6th-place finish in the 200 IM. He posted personal best in the event as well as in the 100 breast. After being sick most of the past two weeks, Ryan came back strong this past weekend.
5. Alec Biles did not make it back to finals in the 100 breast. But his time in prelims was more than two seconds faster than where he was at just two weeks ago. His hard work all season certainly paid off with a great past two weeks.
6. Jack Galbraith continued his strong showing from the past week with region-cut times in the 100 back and 500 freestyle. Jack may only be a freshman but he's demonstrating an ability to swim with the "big boys" in the region. He will certainly be a force to be reckoned with over the next several seasons if this past weekend is any indication.
7. Laura Sullivan earned two state cuts in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Her times were right on her personal bests and she is definitely peaking at the right time. She will have an opportunity to break the team record in the 100 backstroke this coming weekend.
8. Madeline LaPorte had the best meet of her short career as a Warhawk. Her times in the 100 fly and 100 back are right on her personal bests. She also had a blazing fast split in both the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.
9. Calle Biles's first-ever attempt at the 200 freestyle was one of the best swims all week. While she did not earn a spot in the finals she did a really fantastic job. Her turns were exemplary and her willingness to try a new event was much appreciated.
10. Rachael Holp had a strong meet in both the 200 IM and 500 freestyle. Despite being only a freshman, Rachael earned a spot at states in both events. She looks to continue her strong season with an even better performance next weekend at Regions.
11. Mallory Dyson also had a strong meet in all four events she participated in. The best moments for her this weekend include a great final stroke in the prelims of the 100 back, which helped her edge out an opponent. She also finished in the top 6 in the 100 backstroke and was a member of two state-qualifying relays.