Following a tremendous start to his collegiate career, Valpo men’s swimming freshman Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) was tabbed the Mid-American Conference Men’s Swimmer of the Week today.

The first weekly award of the season covered Valpo’s first three meets of the campaign, and it was a stellar start to the collegiate career of Oostman back on Oct. 1 at Southern Indiana. Oostman earned three individual victories, claiming top honors in the 100 breast, the 200 back and the 200 IM, before anchoring the Beacons’ winning 400 free relay to help Valpo claim the dual meet victory. Oostman’s time of 1:55.99 in the 200 back is tied for fifth-fastest in program history in the event.

In Valpo’s home-opening meet against Evansville on Oct. 14, Oostman again cracked the program’s record book, as he ranks fourth in program history in the 200 IM with a winning time of 1:55.42. The freshman also took second against the Purple Aces in the 100 back. In the Beacons’ most recent outing, a tri-meet against Eastern Illinois and Bellarmine last Saturday, Oostman paced Valpo in three events, including a second-place finish in the 200 back.

Oostman is the second Beacon swimmer to earn Swimmer of the Week accolades since Valpo joined the MAC, as Dominic May earned a weekly award this past January. Oostman and his teammates return to competition on Saturday afternoon with a dual meet at Green Bay.