Saint John's travels to Wisconsin-La Crosse for a dual meet this Saturday, Nov. 8. Diving competition begins at 9 a.m., followed by swimming events at 1:30 p.m. – Live Video

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's tied in a dual with St. Olaf this past Saturday (Nov. 1) at St. Catherine's Butler Center.  SJU won seven events and totaled 25 top-three performances for 147 points. The tie was the second in program history on record after a 150-150 draw at Carleton on Jan. 23, 2016.

Senior Brayden Slavik (Green Isle, Minn./Chaska) won all of his individual events and led one of two Johnnie relays to victory, while junior Cody Watts (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) swept the diving competition for the third consecutive week.  

Slavik won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:58.26 - nearly a minute faster than the second place Ole – and was first in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:57.77. The 400-yard freestyle relay, which featured Slavik in the fourth leg, won with a time of 3:14.09. Freshman Braydon Ohrtman (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), senior Carsten Reuter (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) and freshman Vince Schulze (Eden Prairie, Minn.) joined Slavik in the relay win.

Watts helped Saint John's to critical points in the diving competition that evened the score between the two teams. He posted a 427.35 on the 3-meter and a 421.60 on the 1-meter. The diving competition featured a podium full of Johnnies, as senior Tim Rotter (Blaine, Minn.) finished second on both boards with a 314.60 (3-meter) and a 359.75 (1-meter). Sophomore Nate Krotzer (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) was third on the 3-meter (235.10) and sophomore Henry Hilgendorf (Owatonna, Minn.) took third on the 1-meter (350.60). 

Ohrtman also won the 200-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 1:49.95 and was second in the 500-yard freestyle behind teammate junior Trevor Barton (Buffalo, Minn.) in first (5:05.72). Barton added another podium appearance in the 200-yard butterfly (2:16.04) 

Senior Clay Megaw (Monticello, Minn.) added two individual second-place finishes in the 100- (1:02.03) and 200-yard breaststrokes (2:20.93). He also contributed to the second place 200-yard medley relay (1:38.72) alongside Slavik, freshman David Lammers (Willmar, Minn.) and Schulze. Sophomore Jason Jones (Monticello, Minn.) was just behind Megaw in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 1:03.82. 

Reuter was second in the 100-yard freestyle (49.52) and third in the 50-yard of the same stroke (22.06), as well as the 100-yard butterfly (56.55). Freshman Lincoln Cochran (Helena, Mont./Capital) added SJU's final second place touch in the 200-yard individual medley (2:07.99). He was also third in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:22.08). 

Freshman Tanner Betts (Stacy, Minn./Chisago Lakes) swam a 12:03.30 for third in the 1,000-yard freestyle, senior Andrew Roggeman (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) was third in the 100-yard backstroke (58.82) and Schulze took third in the 100-yard freestyle (50.34).

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Slavik and Watts were named the MIAC Men's Swimming and Diving Athletes of the Week, respectively, on Tuesday (Nov. 4) for their performance against St. Olaf. The honor was the second of the season and eighth of Slavik's career, and the third so far this fall for Watts (fifth of his career).

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: Wisconsin-La Crosse opened its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) dual season with a 168-130 home loss to Wisconsin-Eau Claire last Saturday (Nov. 1). The Eagles won six individual events. Junior Aanav Patel took the 3-meter dive (203.55) and placed second in the 1-meter (199.70). Sophomore Ethan Pedersen was third in the 1-meter (181.30). 

Senior Jacob Ketterling and freshman Preston Nygaard each won two individual swimming events as Ketterling captured the 100- (54.24) and 200-yard (2:00.23) backstrokes. Nygaard won the 200-yard breaststroke (2:07.11) and 200-yard individual medley (2:00.68). Ketterling was also second in the 200 IM (2:01.88) and Nygaard was second in the 100 breaststroke (57.62).

Senior Jesse Hammes won the 50-yard freestyle (21.50) and claimed third in the 100-yard version (47.91).

Other top-three finishers included junior Tyler Hartmann, who was second in the 50 freestyle (21.78) and third in the 100 butterfly (53.86). Senior Jonah Elfers was second in the 100 butterfly (52.02), Senior Caleb Jondle was second in the 200 butterfly (2:02.43) and Nolan Sannito took second in the 1,000 freestyle (10:38.09).