KL
Kevin Lotzer
  • marketing
  • Class of 2018
  • Arlington Heights, Ill.

Arlington Heights Native Lotzer Earns Spot on Warhawks' Swimming and Diving Roster

2014 Nov 7

Kevin Lotzer, a Buffalo Grove High School graduate and business (undeclared) major at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, begins the 2014-15 season as a member of the institution's men's swimming and diving team.

The Warhawks opened the season last Saturday with a dual match victory at Luther (Iowa). The team continues competition this weekend with an invitational at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

See below for a complete season preview on the team.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater swimming and diving teams head into the 2014-15 season looking to compete for Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and spots in the NCAA Division III Championships.

Joel Rollings enters his ninth season at the helm of both programs. Since he became head coach, neither program has finished below fourth at the WIAC Championships. Both teams placed third a season ago to match their highest-ever finish in the conference meet.

The Warhawks begin their home schedule on Nov. 15 against Lawrence.

The teams will visit Coronado Island, Calif., for a winter break training trip from Dec. 28-Jan. 8. UW-Whitewater will act as host for this year's WIAC Championships, which take place Feb. 19-21 at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis.

The Warhawk men set six new school records and finished 5-1 in dual meets, including a 2-1 mark in the conference, in 2013-14.

Senior Joe Devroy returns as one of the team's top swimmers and is a 10-time All-WIAC honoree. He finished as the conference champion in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke in 2014, and was a part of two league winning relays in 2012.

Devroy is the school record holder in both backstroke events, and is a member of all five school record relay teams. He registered a "B" time standard in the 200 backstroke a year ago.

Sophomore Josh Kanute is the reigning conference champion and recorded a "B" time standard in the 500-yard freestyle. He is also a member of the current school record holding relay team in the 800-yard freestyle relay.

Senior Ryan Stuart earned second team all-league accolades as a freshman in 2012 in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events. He is also a member of last year's 800-yard freestyle relay team that holds the school record in the race.

Sophomore Alex Gidlow also returns with his name in the school record book. Gidlow was a member of last year's pace-setting 800-yard freestyle relay team. Rollings expects another talented sophomore, Spencer Twining, to be a factor in the breaststroke and freestyle.

Freshmen Andrew Langenhahn, Steven Missak and Sam Piette also project to fill important roles for UW-Whitewater, Rollings said.

Devroy and fellow senior Jake Shackelford will serve as captains for the season.

Shackelford has competed in multiple events during his career, and was a conference meet participant in the 200-yard backstroke, 400-yard individual medley and 400-yard medley relay last season.

Juniors Keefer Kuhl and Riley Maher return as the team's divers in 2014-15. Kuhl placed in the top five in both the 1- and 3-meter dives at the WIAC Championships last season, while Maher was 11th and eighth, respectively, in the two events.