The Gusties are looking for their fifth straight MIAC title and 20th overall.
Scott Hagemeyer, Matt Stewart and Ben Hanson have each posted MIAC best times this season.
The Gusties have also posted the top time in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay this season.
The four-time reigning Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team will begin defense of its title Thursday morning at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. The meet continues through Saturday, Feb. 18 with preliminaries beginning at 10:30 am and finals beginning at 6:30 pm each day.
The Gustavus men’s swimming team enters the 2006 MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships with the hope of claiming its fifth consecutive title. The Gusties will be led by junior sprinter Scott Hagemeyer and sophomore distance specialist Ben Hanson. Hagemeyer won three individual events last year including the 50 free, the 100 free, and the 100 back, while Hanson won the 200 free, the 500 free, and the 1650 free. Hanson was named the 2005 MIAC Swimmer of the Meet.
Other all-conference performers returning for the Gusties include junior Brian Amundson (sprints), senior Jeff Pearson (back), and sophomore Connor Ziegler (back). Gustavus has also added some talented freshmen including Matt Stewart (sprints and butterfly), Billy Cuevas (individual medley), Dave Hawkinson (diving), Dave Pearson (individual medley), Clement Auyeung (sprints), and Tyler Wakefield (sprints).
Individually, the Gusties have three swimmers who have posted the season’s top time heading into the conference meet. Those individuals are Scott Hagemeyer (50 free, 100 free), Matt Stewart (200 free, 200 fly), and Ben Hanson (1000 free). The Gusties have also posted the top time in the 200 free relay (Hagemeyer, Auyeung, Wakefield, and Amundson) and the 400 free relay (Amundson, Dave Pearson, Hanson, and Hagemeyer).