RESULTS

JENISON, Mich. - The Wayne State University women's swimming and diving team successfully defended its conference title, winning for the fifth time in six years at the GLIAC Championships, which concluded Saturday evening.

Wayne State, which led for the duration of the meet, ended the four-day event with 868 points, finishing with a 132-point lead over second-place Grand Valley State (736). Ashland came in third (419) followed by Findlay (310).

WSU won both the men's and women's championships in the same year for the third time (2006, 2007). Sean Peters was named both men's and women's GLIAC Coach of the Year, and Kayla Scott garnered GLIAC Women's Freshman of the Year honors.

The Warriors came away with three individual championships and one relay title Saturday, bringing their total to 10 championships this week.

Catherine Leix, the 500 freestyle champion, won the 1650 free on Saturday. Ana Gonzalez Pena also won her second GLIAC title of 2011, as the 100 breaststroke champion won the 200 breaststroke as well.

Carly Sevald finished in first place in three-meter diving, and the 400 free relay of Carol Azambuja, Ashley Corriveau, Gonzalez Pena and Sara Franklin came in first place in the final event of the meet.

Wayne State collected 93 points in the 1650 freestyle and boasted the top four finishers, led by Leix (17:16.98). Alycen Wiacek came in second (17:27.04), Kelsey Dischler finished third (17:31.69) and Stephanie Ekleberry came in fourth (17:32.55). All three swimmers behind Leix improved their NCAA “B” qualifying times.

Heather Thomson came in seventh and earned a “B” cut (17:53.82), Michelle Adamic placed 10th (18:16.96) and Chelsea Lord placed 11th (18:26.25).

Gonzalez Pena and Scott, who earned a “B” cut, went one-two in the 200 breaststroke (2:16.60; 2:20.60).

Sevald (459.35) was among five Warrior divers who scored well Saturday night. Cassie Chetosky finished fourth (423.40), Paige Kortman took fifth (411.10), Emily Mitzelfeld finished eighth (369.30), and Meghan Jaworski placed 11th (341.50).

The 400 free relay (3:25.45) eclipsed the NCAA “A” standard and set a school record. In addition, Azambuja made a “B” cut and set a school record in the 100 free with her leadoff time of 51.12.

Other strong performances included that of Franklin in the 200 backstroke, as she finished second, made an “A” cut and broke her own school record (2:01.11). Azambuja earned a “B” cut and finished third (2:03.24), while Alex Malfroid came in 11th (2:09.60).

Corriveau came in fourth in the 100 free (52.02), and Christina Busquets Garcia placed 10th with a “B” cut (53.06). Agata Zalewska finished 12th in the 200 butterfly (2:14.69).

Several Warriors will compete in the NCAA Championships in March. Wayne State finished as the national runner-up for the second straight year in 2010.