Release Courtesy of Matt Higgins – MIAC Assistant Executive Director
The Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team started the 2014-15 season with a great performance in a narrow loss to UW-Eau Claire 148-139. Though the Gusties came up a little short, senior Zac Solis (Centennial, Colo./Smoky Hill) starred in his season debut. Solis totaled four first-place finishes – three in individual events and one relay – in his impressive opening act. For his performance, the MIAC sports information directors honored Solis Tuesday with the first MIAC Men’s Swimming and Diving Athlete-of-the-Week award of the 2014-15 season.
Solis not only showed off his talent, but also his versatility, as he won individual races of three different distances with two different strokes. He was victorious in the 500-freestyle (4:59.73), the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:24.31) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:02.14). He also helped the Gusties’ 400-yard freestyle relay team swim to victory with a time of 3:17.89. Solis’ 500-free and 200-back times rank first in the MIAC this season.
Solis and the Gusties will continue their season this weekend, as they make their home debut with a dual against NCAA Division II foe St. Cloud State. The dual will start in St. Peter, Minn., Saturday at 1 p.m. They’ll also be in action the following Friday (Nov. 14) with a dual at defending MIAC champion St. Olaf.