Jan. 30, 2015 ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland swimming and diving team concludes its regular season of competition Saturday, Jan. 31 when the Golden Grizzlies travel to Cleveland to take on Cleveland State and Xavier in a double dual at Busbey Natatorium.
Live results will be available at the start of the meet on the Meet Mobile app.
Oakland Notes: The Golden Grizzlies split last week's action against Big Ten and instate foe Michigan State Jan. 24, with the men pulling off the victory while the women dropped their dual against the Spartans. On the day, Jorden Merrilees was a three-time individual winner while the women got two wins apiece from Takara Martin and Nikki Flynn.
In the most recent top times report released by the Horizon League Jan. 19, the Golden Grizzlies are the lone team on the women's team to have a top 10 swimmer time-wise in all 14 individual events. In fact, Oakland has a top five swimmer in every event, with seven Horizon League best times:
• Nikki Flynn, 100 free, 50.60 (12/5/14)
• Kyra Rietveld, 100 back, 55.27 (12/6/14)
• Kyra Rietveld, 200 back, 2:01.22 (12/5/14)
• Takara Martin, 100 breast, 1:02.46 (12/5/14) - NCAA "B"
• Patricia Aschan, 200 fly, 2:03.12 (12/5/14)
• Patricia Aschan, 200 IM, 2:04.51 (12/6/14)
• Patricia Aschan, 400 IM, 4:22.57 (12/6/14)
For the women's 100 free, Holly Morren trails her teammate by a slim 0.01 seconds to rank second in the Horizon League. Rietveld and Aschan (2:01.84) are 1-2, respectively, in the league in the 200 back. In the 200 breast, Rachel Waite (2:19.12), Martin (2:19.20) and Melissa VanderMeulen (2:19.25) are second, third, and fourth, respectively in the league.
The Golden Grizzlies have proven depth in the 200 fly, where six of the Horizon League's top 12 times are by Oakland swimmers this season.
Men's Team Stats
| Women's Team Stats | Horizon League Top Times
On the men's side, Oakland also has at least one swimmer in the top five in every individual event compared to their Horizon League competitors. Only Wright State joins Oakland in having a swimmer in the top 10 in each category. The Golden Grizzlies boast the top times in six individual events:
• Tuomas Kiviluoma, 100 free, 44.77 (12/5/14)
• Jorden Merrilees, 200 free, 1:37.96 (12/5/14) - NCAA "B"
• Jorden Merrilees, 500 free, 4:19.68 (12/4/14) - NCAA "B"
• Jorden Merrilees, 200 back, 1:44.08 (12/6/14) - NCAA "B"
• Mitch Alters, 200 fly, 1:49.06 (12/5/14)
• Jorden Merrilees, 400 IM, 3:48.81 (12/5/14) - NCAA "B"
Of note, in the men's 100 back and 200 back, the Golden Grizzlies have times that are NCAA "B" marks, but rank second in the conference: Aleksander Danielewski in the 100 back (48.43) and 200 back (1:45.17). In seven team meets this season for the men, Oakland is unbeaten in the 100 and 200 backstroke.
In the 200 free, Oakland boasts three of the league's top four times: Merrilees, Kiviluoma (3rd, 1:39.81) and Jacob Pearson (4th, 1:41.04).
Coming Up: Oakland will prepare to defend their conference championship titles at the 2015 Horizon League Championship Feb. 25-28 hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
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