IUPUI’s Kuester, Laird Sweep Swimmer of the Week Awards
IUPUI’s Kuester, Laird Sweep Swimmer of the Week Awards
ELMHURST, Ill. – IUPUI's Lennart Kuester and Lexi Laird were named The Summit League's Swimmers of the Week for their performances Nov. 18-24.
MEN'S SWIMMER OF THE WEEK
Lennart Kuester, IUPUI
So. // Hanover, Germany
Kuester captures his first career Swimmer of the Week honor after posting a trio of top-three individual finishes, including two school records. The sophomore touched the wall first in the 200 free with a league-best and school-record time of 1:38.18, ranking 10th all-time in Summit League history. The Hanover, Germany, native finished runner-up in the 100 free (45.38), but recorded a faster school-record time of 45.22 in prelims, the second-fastest league time this season. He also took third in the 50 free clocking a league-best 20.88. Kuester was a member of the second-place 400 free relay squad that set a school record with a time of 3:00.82, ranking first in the league.
Also nominated: Colin Krysl, South Dakota; Chris Neaveill, Western Illinois.
Previous honorees: Oct. 14 – Alex McLain, South Dakota State; Oct. 21 – Ray Bornman, Denver; Oct. 28 – Dylan Bunch, Denver; Nov. 4 – Chris Neaveill, Western Illinois; Nov. 11 – Alex McLain, South Dakota State; Nov. 18 – Jacob Knowles, South Dakota.
WOMEN'S SWIMMER OF THE WEEK
Lexi Laird, IUPUI
Sr. // Kokomo, Ind.
Laird garners her third career Swimmer of the Week award and first this season. The senior recorded three individual top-two finishes, including an NCAA B Cut time, a school record and a meet record en route to the Jaguars first-place team finish at the House of Champions meet. She was also a member of four top-two relay squads for IUPUI. The Kokomo, Ind., native swept the backstroke events, winning the 100 back with an NCAA B Cut time of 54.88, while clocking a meet-record time of 2:01.17 in the 200 back. Both of her backstroke times rank second in the league. She also took second-place in the 50 free with a league-best time of 23.46. Laird was a member of the winning 400 and 200 medley relay teams and helped the 200 free relay squad finish second in a school-record time of 1:34.02.
Also nominated: Morgan Stepp, Omaha; Sam Schutt, South Dakota; Sarah Rosenhauer, Western Illinois.
Previous honorees: Oct. 14 – Sam Schutt, South Dakota; Oct. 21 – Amanda Sanders, Denver/Sam Schutt, South Dakota; Oct. 28 – Samantha Corea, Denver; Nov. 4 – Emily Campbell, South Dakota State; Nov. 11 – Sam Schutt, South Dakota; Nov. 18 – Sam Schutt, South Dakota.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
In its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 120,000 at nine institutions, including four located in top 60 U.S. metro populations and two land-grant universities. Member institutions include: Denver (University of Denver), Fort Wayne (Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), North Dakota State University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), Oral Roberts University, the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced eight NCAA Champions along with over 65 All-Americans, 60 Academic All-America selections and numerous former student-athletes competing at the highest professional level. For more information about the league and to "See The Summit", visit www.thesummitleague.org, follow on Twitter @thesummitleague, download The Summit League's Front Row app, and watch the weekly "Inside The Summit League" show at www.thesummitleague.org/itsl.
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