Luther Claims 4th Consecutive Iowa Conference Championship in Dominating Fashion
Feb. 2, 2008
Luther scored 495 points more than its nearest competitor en route to its fourth consecutive Iowa Conference championship. Coe College hosted the two-day meet Feb. 1-2. The Norse posted a team total of 854 points, followed by Loras College with 359 and third place Coe at 215.
During the two days of competition. the Norse set nine Iowa Conference meet records, two school records and claimed 15 individual titles and all five of the relay championships. All-conference honors are presented to individuals and relay teams that finish in the top two of an event. Combined, the Norse returned home with 49 all-conference honors.
Bryan Perrott, who was crowned IIAC champion in the 100 backstroke (53.80) and 200 backstroke (1:58.76), plus swam the lead legs of the 200 and 400 medley relays, and the second leg of the 400 freestyle relay, was named the IIAC Swimmer of the Year. Perrott's time in the 100 backstroke was a new meet record. He also earned all-conference honors with a second place finish in the 500 freestyle (4:56.85).
Alex Eganhouse shattered both the Iowa Conference and Luther school records in one-meter and three-meter diving. Eganhouse posted a point total of 526.55 (11 dives) in the three-meter competition, breaking his own record of 441.71 set in 2006. In one-meter diving, he tallied 501.35 points, destroying the old record of 475.95 also set in 2006. For his efforts, he was named the IIAC Diver of the Year.
Cameron Webb, Michael Pettengill, Andrew Bross and John Williams, all claimed two conference titles. Webb won the 400 IM (4:20.57) and set a new meet record in the 200 freestyle (1:44.01); Pettengill won both the 100 breaststroke (:59.00) and 200 breaststroke (2:13.20); Bross touched the wall first in the 100 fly (52.97) and 200 fly (2:00.00); and Williams captured titles in the 500 freestyle (4:55.14) and the 1,650 freestyle (17:19.95). He also earned all-conference honors with a second place finish in the 200 freestyle (1:50.82).
Also crowned Iowa Conference champions was Ben Skutnik in the 50 freestyle (22.21); Taylor Nelson in the 100 freestyle (48.33); and Alex Case in the 200 IM (2:03.31). Nelson and Case also placed second in the 50 freestyle (22.22) and 100 backstroke (57.08) respectively.
League championships and new meet records were posted in all five of the relay events. Nelson, Eric Crawford, Skutnik and Webb won the 200 freestyle (1:26.37); Perrott, Pettengill, Bross and Webb won the 400 medley (3:35.68); Perrott, Pettengill, Crawford and Skutnik won the 200 medley relay (1:37.74); Webb, Perrott, Nelson and Spencer Robbins placed first in the 400 freestyle relay (3:10.61); Webb, Perrott, Robbins and Williams won the 800 freestyle relay (7:10.00).
Second place finishes were posted by Brien Coffield in the 200 IM (2:03.41) and 200 backstroke (2:02.95); Crawford in the 100 freestyle (49.85); Robbins in the 400 IM (4:24.13), 100 fly (54.51) and 200 fly (2:01.17); Brad Foresman in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.57) and 200 breaststroke (2:26.16); Alan Thorson in three-meter diving (273.90); and Joe Coffield in the 1,650 freestyle (17:22.47).
The Norse will return to action Feb. 21-23 when they will travel to Pricipia College (OH) for the Liberal Arts Championships.
