DJ
David Joerres
  • computer science
  • Class of 2018
  • New Berlin, Wisc.

New Berlin Native Joerres Earns Spot on UW-Whitewater Men's Swimming and Diving Roster

2017 Oct 20

David Joerres, a native of New Berlin, WI, and graduate of St. Thomas More High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's swimming and diving team during the 2017-18 season, which begins this Saturday at the All-Wisconsin Invitational at Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis.

Joerres, a junior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in computer science.

Both the men's and women's teams placed third at last year's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, the fifth consecutive top three finish for both teams. Michaela Matthys of the women's team qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships, where she competed in the 100-yard butterfly, the 100-yard breaststroke and the 50-yard freestyle.

Head coach Joel Rollings returns for his 12th season at the helm of both programs. He is a four-time WIAC Coach of the Year, sweeping men's and women's top coaching accolades in 2014-15, and has led the Warhawks to a combined 89 school record performances, 46 conference championships and 13 All-America honors.

Following this weekend's invitational, UW-Whitewater visits Illinois Tech on Oct. 28 for a tri-meet also including Beloit. After a dual meet at Carroll on Nov. 3, the Warhawks host UW-Oshkosh Nov. 10 for their first home and WIAC meet.

The teams continue conference action Nov. 18 at UW-Stevens Point, then heads to the A3 Carthage Classic Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in Kenosha.

UW-Whitewater will take its winter training trip to Coronado, Calif., where the teams will face Willamette (Ore.) for a dual meet. The Warhawks return to home competition Jan. 20 against Lake Forest (Ill.) and Lawrence before taking on UW-Eau Claire on Jan. 27 in their final home meet of the season.

The Warhawks visit UW-La Crosse Feb. 3 and head back to Schroeder Aquatic Center Feb. 15-17 for the WIAC Championships.

The NCAA Division III Championships will be held March 21-24 at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind.

Seniors David Joerres (New Berlin, Wis./St. Thomas More), Andrew Langenhahn (Appleton, Wis./East), Kevin Lotzer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove), Steven Missak (Naperville, Ill./North) and Sam Piette (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) lead the men's program.

Langenhahn finished among the top eight in both the 200-yard breaststroke (6th) and 100-yard breaststroke (8th) in 2017, while Joerres and Lotzer are each three-year members of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.

Missak is an eight-time conference placer, finishing among the top four in three relays and among the top eight in the 200-yard freestyle (T-6th) and the 1650-yard freestyle (8th). Piette broke through last season for fifth-place WIAC finishes in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events.

Peter Loftus (Janesville, Wis./Craig) headlines a strong junior class. Loftus finished among the top four in the WIAC in five events last season, including four relays, and is a three-time placer in individual medley events during his career. He was second team All-WIAC as a member of the runner-up 400-yard freestyle relay in 2016.

Thomas Stigler (Milwaukee, Wis./Muskego) garnered All-WIAC accolades in the 100-yard breaststroke in 2016 and is a six-time conference placer in his career, including four times in relay events.

Jonathan Jaworski (Waukesha, Wis./South) is a two-time WIAC placer in relay events during his career and is a member of the Warhawks' school record 200-yard freestyle relay team. Chandler Lewis (Cedarburg, Wis./Cedarburg) has placed among the top five six times during his career, including a third-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay, a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke and a fifth-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle a season ago.

Patrick Abrahams (Highland Park, Ill./Deerfield) also returns as a junior for the Warhawks. He was a CollegeSwimming WIAC Men's Swimmer of the Week honoree last season.

Sophomore Ben Breitenbucher (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) was part of the team's third-place 200-yard medley relay and the fourth-place 200-yard freestyle relay, while classmate Cody Heckendorf (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) finished sixth in the 400-yard individual medley.

Sophomore Michael Steplyk (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./LakeView Technology Academy) finished eighth in the 3-meter dive at last year's conference meet.

Cameron Gidlow (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley), Jarrett Malizio (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) and Chase Searcy (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast) also return to the sophomore class.