Saturday, December 03, 2011

Valparaiso concluded its first three-day meet of the season on Saturday evening posting a sixth place finish at the Calvin Winter Invitational at the Venema Aquatic Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The Crusaders tallied a total of 142 points in the competition while Grand Valley State was crowned the champion with 1,183.5 points.

The Brown and Gold opened the final day with an 11^th place effort in the 200 medley relay.  The team of Austin Hunter (La Crescent, Minn./La Crescent H.S.), Trevor Trimpe (New Palestine, Ind./Connersville H.S.), Tate Wegehaupt (Tigard, Ore./Tigard H.S.), and Kyle Braun (McHenry, Ill./West H.S.) turned in a time of 1:39.68. 

Wegehaupt led Valpo individually in the 200 breaststroke with a 10^th place with a time of 2:10.03, the third best mark in school history.  He also had the team’s best finish in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:03.58.

Braun posted an 11 place finish in the 100 freestyle, touching the wall in 48.40 seconds.

Matt King (Clinton, Ill./Clinton H.S.) added a 15^th place mark in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.70. 

Trimpe won the bonus consolation final with a time of 4:59.50 in the 500 freestyle while Hunter won the same heat in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.14 seconds.

The Crusaders closed the competition with a time of 3:20.02 in the 400 freestyle relay with Wegehaupt, Hunter, Braun, and Kevin Fedde (Fort Collins, Colo./Heritage Christian H.S.) competing.

Valparaiso will return to the water next Saturday afternoon as the Crusaders travel to Green Bay, Wis. to face the Phoenix of Green Bay.  The first event begins at 2 p.m.