CBU Out to Early Lead

St. Peter's, MO , March 5th, 2009

California Baptist did not win an individual swimming event on day two of the NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships, but its depth helped both its men's and women's squads lead in the team standings.

California Baptist had seven women and six men in the finals of the three individual events that were swam during the day. Those numbers helped the women's team finish the day with 209 points, and the men's squad had 262 points. Savannah College of Art & Design was second on the women's side with 194 points, and Fresno Pacific was runner-up on the men's side with 146 points.

California Baptist did win three events in the men's 1m dive and both men's relays. Ben Wahlman completed a sweep of the men's diving events after collecting 444.55 points in today's competition, winning by just 0.15 points. He finished his career with three 1m diving national championships and seven total national titles. The two relays both set meet records, with the men's 200 medley relay finishing in a time of 1:30.54, and the men's 800 free relay setting a new standard of 6:43.52.

The other meet record was set by Simon Fraser's Vicky Sui in the 50 free preliminaries when she swam a time of 23.22. Sui was involved in the most exciting finals race of the night when she and Fresno Pacific's Cheyenne Coffman split the 50 free national title after both touched the wall with a time of 23.27.

Other individual winners during the day were: Savannah College of Art & Design's Stephanie McNicol (Women's 500 free), Cumberlands' Jorge Ospina (Men's 500 free), Fresno Pacific's Stacy Carter (Women's 200 IM), Simon Fraser's David Hibberd (Men's 200 IM), and Savannah College of Art & Design's Danny Recordon (Men's 50 free).

Relay champions on the women's side were Simon Fraser's 800 free relay and Savannah College of Art & Design's 200 medley relay.

The 2009 NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships will continue on Friday at the St. Peters Rec-Plex in St. Peters, Mo.

Women's Team Standings
1. Cal Baptist 209
2. SCAD 194
3. Simon Fraser 137.5
4. Fresno Pacific 122.5
5. Cumberlands 81

Men's Team Standings
1. Cal Baptist 262
2. Fresno Pacific 146
3. SCAD 141
4. Lindenwood 130
5. Concordia 115