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Bulls Complete Most-Successful MAC Championships in School History

Final results

Zach Ruske

BUFFALO, NY – A fourth-place finish and a record point total since joining the league are just two of the proud accomplishments the University at Buffalo can take with them as the Bulls completed the 2007 Mid-American Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championship at Alumni Arena Natatorium on Saturday night.

The Bulls compiled 378 points to eclipse the 269 point total that they scored in the 2005 championships and finished fourth for the first time in the MAC meet since joining the conference in 1998. Eastern Michigan won its 26th league title by scoring 1,008.5 points to easily outdistance the rest of the field. Miami finished in second at 801.5, followed by Ohio (584.5), UB and Ball State (349.5).

Michael McDowell

Two Bulls earned second-team All-MAC recognitions Saturday night. Freshman Michael McDowell (Rush, NY/Rush-Henrietta) placed second on the three-meter diving board with a total of 312.80 points, gaining a nod to the all-league team. McDowell set the UB and Alumni Arena Natatorium records with his total score of 338.80 for six dives. Miami's Chris Heaton won his second consecutive three-meter crown and his second diving title of the 2007 meet with a total of 329.45 points on Saturday night. Heaton was selected as the league's Diver of the Year for the second straight season.

The Bulls placed two championship finalists in the 200-yard backstroke. Sophomore Zach Ruske (Superior, CO/Monarch) scored a fourth-place finish in 1:51.59 after posting a lifetime-best time of 1:51.45 in Saturday's preliminary heats. Ruske earned second-team All-MAC for his efforts. Freshman Andrew Tamchyna (Newmarket, Ontario/Newmarket) placed fifth in the race in 1:52.61.

UB freshman Scott Woster (North Pole, AK/North Pole) also scored championship points as he finished sixth in the 200-yard butterfly in a lifetime-best 1:53.67. Woster reached the finals after swimming another lifetime-best (1:53.87) in his preliminary race. In all UB scored four lifetime-bests on Saturday night and totaled 24 for the three-day meet.

Miami's Paul Ricard and Eastern Michigan's Dan Wohl became MAC champions for the third time in three days with individual victories on Saturday night. Ricard set a UB pool record in capturing the 1,650-yard freestyle in 15:11.56 while Wohl won the 200-yard butterfly in 1:48.57. Ricard had won the 200- and 500-yard freestyles earlier in the meet and Wohl swept the 200- and 400-yard individual medleys. Ricard earned his second consecutive MAC Swimmer of the Year Award on Saturday.

Eastern Michigan swimmers won four other events on Saturday night. Jeff Montague won the 200-yard backstroke in 1:48.80. Derick Roe took the 100-yard freestyle in 44.94. Donald Ellison won the 200-yard breastroke in 2:03.78 and Roe, Preston Revere, Michael Rowland and Wohl combined to win the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:00.68.

Peter Linn of Eastern Michigan was named the league's Coach of the Year for the sixth time and first since 2002 while Miami's Travis Myers was named Diving Coach of the Year. Wohl was named the Senior Swimmer of the Year, an award voted on by the senior swimmers at the five MAC schools. A complete list of All-MAC honorees is listed below.

Team scores: Eastern Michigan 1008.5, Miami 801.5, Ohio 584.5, Buffalo 378, Ball State 349.5.

Saturday's champions

1650 Freestyle: Paul Ricard (Miami) 15:11.56

200 Backstroke: Jeff Montague (Eastern Michigan) 1:48.80

100 Freestyle: Derick Roe (Eastern Michigan) 44.94

200 Breaststroke: Donald Ellison (Eastern Michigan) 2:03.78

200 Butterfly: Dan Wohl (Eastern Michigan) 1:48.57

3-Meter Diving: Chris Heaton (Miami) 329.45

400 Freestyle Relay: Eastern Michigan (Derick Roe, Preston Revere, Michael Rowland, Dan Wohl) 3:00.68

First-team All-MAC

Paul Ricard (Miami)

Dan Wohl (Eastern Michigan)

Preston Revere (Eastern Michigan)

Donald Ellison (Eastern Michigan)

Nick DuPuis (Miami)

Jason Piercey (Eastern Michigan)

Derek Roe (Eastern Michigan)

Jeff Montague (Eastern Michigan)

Andy Amyot (Miami)

Griffin Marshall (Miami)

Luke Herlehy (Ohio)

Steven Bowling (Eastern Michigan)

Michael Rowland (Eastern Michigan)

Bobby Pampush (Ohio)

Chris Heaton (Miami)

Second-team All-MAC

Dave Brown (Miami)

Adam Wohl (Eastern Michigan)

Zach Ruske (Buffalo)

Ryan Fulkerson (Eastern Michigan)

Ryan McHugh (Miami)

Steven Hill (Eastern Michigan)

Daniel Kish (Eastern Michigan)

Matthew Grubb (Miami)

Andy Gantzer (Eastern Michigan)

Blake Norman (Miami)

Kyle Hembree (Ball State)

Mark Kurtzer (Eastern Michigan)

Michael McDowell (Buffalo)

Tyler Post (Ohio)

Jason Reutter (Ohio)

Andrzej Olesinski (Eastern Michigan)

Swimmer of the Year: Paul Ricard (Miami)

Diver of the Year: Chris Heaton (Miami)

Swim Coach of the Year: Peter Linn (EMU)

Diving Coach of the Year: Travis Myers (Miami)

Senior Swimmer of the Year: Dan Wohl (Eastern Michigan)