Hogan Captures 100-Yard Freestyle as MAC Championships Conclude

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CARBONDALE, IL – The University at Buffalo's Matt Hogan successfully defended his 100-yard freestyle title on Saturday night as the 2013 Mid-American Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championships concluded at the Dr. Edward J. Shea Natatorium on the campus of Southern Illinois University.

Hogan helped the Bulls to a first- and fourth-place finish in the event. Hogan won the race in 44.17 earning an NCAA B qualifying time while Mike Dugan finished fourth in 44.74. The Bulls also scored consolation points as Antonio Lanzi was 12th in 45.69, Ryan Smrekar was 13th in 45.78 and Tommy Steele was 15th in 46.14.

The Bulls closed the meet with their fourth relay win as the 400-yard freestyle relay squad of Cory Zorsch, Dugan, Smrekar and Hogan took the race in 2:57.41.

Eric Culver finished second in the 200-yard butterfly in 1:48.51 to lower the school record he had set in the preliminary round earlier in the day. Culver broke Scott Woster's 2009 mark (1:49.29) with a 1:48.72 clocking in the heats. He brought the record down two-tenths of a second in the final.

Matt Schwippert also earned a third-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke as he finished in 1:44.48 also earning a B cut. Travis Bohn was seventh in 1:49.21. Eric Forrester picked up a point for the squad with his 16th-place finish in 1:53.92.

Sophomore John Nord had a sixth-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:00.05, just .05 seconds off the school record. Josh Meints, the school record holder in the event, finished eighth on Saturday in 2:03.08.

The Bulls also picked up three placers in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Colin McAllister finished sixth in 15:40.98 with Bill Caffee taking 10th in 15:56.31 and Billy Patrum placing 11th in 16:08.11.

"I am very proud of the team," said head coach Andy Bashor. "We put it out there every session but just came up short on the last day. I want to thank the seniors and what they have meant to the swimming and diving program."

Dugan, Hogan and Schwippert were named to the All-MAC First Team. Meints, Patrum, Zorsch and Culver picked up second-team honors.

The Bulls finished third with a total score of 698.5 points. Eastern Michigan (772) edged out Missouri State (766) for the team title.

Final team scores: Eastern Michigan 772, Missouri State 766, Buffalo 698.5, Miami (OH) 419.5, Southern Illinois 391, Ball State 186, Evansville 162.