New Berlin Native Joerres Selected to 2015-16 UW-Whitewater Men's Swimming and Diving

2015 Oct 22

David Joerres, a New Berlin, WI, native and graduate of St. Thomas More High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's swimming and diving team during the 2015-16 season.

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

See below for a season preview of the 2015-16 Warhawks.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's swimming and diving team enters the 2015-16 season with high hopes after a thrilling performance at last season's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

The Warhawks finished the 2014-15 campaign with a 4-2 record in dual meets, six new school records and a third-place finish at the WIAC Championships. UW-Whitewater claimed six conference championships, including three individual titles by Josh Kanute, the WIAC Men's Swimmer of the Meet honoree.

Head coach Joel Rollings, who enters his 10th season at the helm of the men's and women's programs, was named WIAC Men's Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. He was also tabbed the conference's coach of the year on the women's side.

The Warhawks open the season this Saturday at the All-Wisconsin Invitational at Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer. The team opens its home slate one week later with a dual meet against Luther (Iowa) at the Williams Center.

UW-Whitewater begins its WIAC schedule on Nov. 13 at home against UW-Oshkosh. The five-team WIAC Championships are scheduled for Feb. 18-20 at Schroeder Aquatic Center, and the NCAA Division III Championships are set for March 16-19 in Greensboro, N.C.

In addition to capturing WIAC championships in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly, Kanute, a junior in 2015-16, was a member of the league-winning 800-yard freestyle relay team. He also set two championship meet records and was part of the runner-up 400-yard freestyle relay team.

Junior Alex Gidlow, a member of the conference champion and school record setting 800-yard freestyle relay team, joins Kanute in a leading role with the team. Gidlow finished eighth in the 50-yard freestyle and was a member of the third-place 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay teams.

Junior Spencer Twining is also a top returner. Twining was the league's runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke last season, and finished third in the 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay. He also set a school record in the 50-yard breaststroke.

Junior Dan Bielski finished fourth in both the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes at the WIAC Championships and was a member of the third-place 200-yard medley relay team.

Junior Sam Bowman and sophomore Steven Missak were also multiple-event conference placers a year ago. Bowman finished fifth in the 500-yard freestyle and seventh in the 200-yard freestyle, while Missak was third in the 200-yard freestyle relay and sixth in the 200-yard freestyle.

Junior Paul Hill was a member of the WIAC runner-up and school record setting 400-yard freestyle relay from last season. He also finished fifth in the 200-yard freestyle. Junior Alex Carroll returns following an eighth-place WIAC showing in the 200-yard breaststroke, and junior Andrew Staszak is coming off an eight-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle.

Other returners include junior Kyle Amundson, sophomores David Joerres, Andrew Langenhahn, Kevin Lotzer and Sam Piette. Amundson competed in the freestyle and breaststroke a season ago, while Joerres participated primarily in distance freestyle events. Langenhahn and Lotzer each swam several events in 2014-15, including the individual medley. Piette competed almost exclusively in freestyle races.

Senior Keefer Kuhl leads the Warhawks' group of divers. He finished third in both the 1- and 3-meter diving events at the 2015 WIAC Championships and placed in both events in each of his first three seasons.

Senior Riley Maher and sophomore James Gerlach also return. Gerlach placed eighth in the 3-meter dive and 10th in the 1-meter event, while sophomore Tony Benz returns to the program after a one-year hiatus.

Freshmen/Newcomers: Patrick Abrahams, Sam Amundson, Sam Douglass, Alex Goblish, Justin Harrington, Jonathan Jaworski, Chandler Lewis, Peter Loftus, Jarrett Malizio, Dallas O'Haver, Thomas Stigler.