The Valpo men's and women's swimming teams celebrated the nine members of their senior class prior to Friday evening's Senior Meet at the Valparaiso Aquatic Center, and once the competition started, the Beacon men earned a 157-137 victory over Wabash. The meet ended up being just a dual meet for the men and a time trial meet for the women as the other scheduled opponent was unable to travel to Valpo due to weather issues.
 
Celebrating the Seniors

• The four seniors on the men's side and the five seniors on the women's side were honored prior to Friday's first swim.
• Andrew Berzai (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) holds the program record in the 400 IM and ranks among the top-10 in program history in three other events. Berzai competed individually Friday in the 200 fly, the 200 breast and the 200 IM.
• Brendan Stangeland (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) holds four top-10 times in program history. Stangeland won the 100 breast on Friday and also competed individually in the 200 breast.
• Alex Koetter (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) holds a pair of top-10 times in program history. Koetter swam individually Friday in the 1000 free and the 200 breast.
• Santiago Gutierrez Morales (Ibague, Colombia) competed individually in the 100 back and the 200 back on Friday.
• Sara Strauss (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) boasts four top-10 times in program history. She led the pack in both the 100 breast and the 200 breast Friday.
• Haley Hume (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) holds a pair of top-10 times in program history. Hume touched the wall first in the 100 free Friday and also swam individually in the 50 free.
• Emma Schmidt (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley) ranks among the top-10 in program history in two events. Schmidt competed individually Friday in the 100 back and the 100 fly.
• Madi Boor (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) took to the pool for the 50 free and the 100 fly on Friday.
• Courtney Ledbetter (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland [Notre Dame College]) joined the program prior to this season for her final season of eligibility, and has set the program's 50 fly record and cracked the top-10 in one other event this year. Ledbetter won the 100 fly Friday and also swam the 50 free individually.

 
How It Happened

• The men bookended their win over Wabash with relay victories. The Beacons opened the meet with a winning time of 1:36.67 in the 200 medley, thanks to the quartet of Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy), Stangeland, Garrett Hoppman (Midland, Texas/Midland) and Anthony Martin (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett).
• Martin, Will Schenk (Tulsa, Okla./Holland Hal), Carson Parker (Silver Lake, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) and Tim Mai (St. Johns, Fla./Creekside) closed the meet with a time of 3:13.35 in the 400 free relay to claim that event.
• In between, the men claimed seven individual event wins, one of which was the aforementioned 100 breast victory by the senior Stangeland.
• Mai swept the fly events, taking the 200 fly with a time of 1:56.71 and the 100 fly with a time of 51.98.
• Oostman earned two victories as well, touching the wall first in the 100 back (52.59) and the 200 IM (1:58.89).
• Eli Liebmann (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) led a sweep of the top four finishes by the Beacons in the 200 breast as he came home in 2:14.22, while Parker earned the win in the 50 free with a time of 22.00.
• With the women swimming in a time trial meet, Strauss took top honors in two events, as did Ally Unruh (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap), who touched first in the 200 free and the 200 IM.
• Hume, Ledbetter, Kailyn Benoit (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton), Bri Keese (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) and Sophie Schoch (Medina, Ohio/Medina) led Valpo in one event apiece.

 
Next Up
Valpo returns to competition in two weeks, as the Beacons travel to Mishawaka, Ind. for a dual meet at Bethel Friday, Jan. 24.