BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's swimming and diving teams are slated to begin the 2019-20 season Saturday, Oct. 12 with a 1 p.m. start against Lewis University at Fort Natatorium.
The men's swimming and diving team returns sophomore
Mason McCauley (Deerfield, Ill.-Deerfield HS) who earned Rookie of the Meet honors at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championships. He won the 500 and 1650 freestyle, while also adding a second-place finish in the 200 butterfly at the league championship.
On the women's side, IWU returns a trio of NCAA qualifiers including sophomore
Ellen Gilbert (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbrook North HS), junior
Lucy Saucedo (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville HS), and sophomore
Megan Wong (Gurnee, Ill.-Warren Township HS). Gilbert competed in the 100 and 200 butterfly as well as the 1650 freestyle at last year's NCAA Championships.
Additionally, the 800 relay team consisting of Gilbert, Saucedo, Wong, and former Titan
Lisa Cheng (Vernon Hills, Ill.-Vernon Hills HS) posted a time of 7:39.33 for a 17th-place finish in the NCAA Championships, one spot ahead of their qualifying spot of 18th nationally.
In last season's meeting against the Flyers, Cheng won the 50 and 100 freestyle to lead the Titans in a tight loss to NCAA Division II competitor Lewis.
Scout Sanders (Granite Bay, Calif.-Granite Bay HS) and
Ellen Gilbert also turned in a strong performance, as each posted a top-three finish. Sanders claimed second in the 100 breaststroke and Gilbert added a third-place finish in the 200 butterfly.
For the men,
Nick Partipilo (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect HS) placed third in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:29.58, while
Will Garcia (Mundelein, Ill.-Mundelein HS) grabbed third in the 500 freestyle (5:04.54) to lead the Titans.
To stay up-to-date with all things Illinois Wesleyan swimming and diving be sure to follow @IWUSports on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Results will be posted to IWUSports.com following the conclusion of each competition.
