Viking men finish 5-2 in dual meets and third at CCIW Championships; highest conference finish since 2000-01; Jared Ekberg breaks a pair of school records
 
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – During the 2017-18 season, Coach Dan Lloyd's Augustana men's swimming squad won five of seven dual meets and posted its highest CCIW finish in 17 seasons. The Vikings took third at the conference meet in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin on February 15-17. Jared Ekberg (Rockford Christian HS, Rockford, Ill.) broke school records in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke and was named the team's MVP for the third consecutive year.
 
Augustana won eight of 11 events on October 27 to open the 2017-18 season with a 131.5-71.5 dual meet win over St. Ambrose at the Davenport Central High School Pool. The Vikings had six different swimmers win individual events and swept the top three spots in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. The next day, Lloyd's crew won every event in cruising to decisive wins over Knox and Millikin at the Carver Center Pool. The Vikings downed the Prairie Fire 170-21 and defeated the Big Blue 164-25.
 
Augustana won 10 of 11 events and blasted Monmouth 154-48 on November 17 before competing at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational the next day. Ekberg won the 100 backstroke to spearhead the Vikings' effort which resulted in a second-place finish in the five-team event.
 
On December 1-2, Augustana finished fifth of five teams at the highly competitive Wheaton Invitational. Ekberg won the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly on December 9, as the Vikings suffered one of their two dual-meet setbacks, 150.5 to 107.5 at Carthage. Ekberg's performance earned him CCIW Swimmer of the Week honors.
 
The team's first competition of the new year took place at the Grinnell Invitational on January 19-20. Ekberg won the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 50 freestyle, helping the Vikings placed third out of seven in the team standings. The junior was again named the conference Swimmer of the Week.
 
Augustana's final dual meets of the season took place on February 3 at Wheaton. In the final competition before the CCIW Championships, the Vikings defeated North Central 186-54, but lost to host Wheaton by a narrow 129-123 margin. Sophomore Adam Smith (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) took the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley and Ekberg captured the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Sophomore Souhail Rhafari (Rabat, Morocco) won the 200 breaststroke and classmate Connor Bullard (Rockford Auburn HS, Loves Park, Ill.) led a one-two-three sweep in the 500 freestyle.
 
Ekberg broke his own school record in the 100 backstroke twice on the first two days of the CCIW Championships. He swam a :49.88 on the lead leg of the 400 medley relay Thursday and a second-place :49.72 in the 100 backstroke finals on Friday. On day three, he took down the 100-yard freestyle mark with a :46.06 on the opening leg of the Vikings' third-place 4x100 free relay. Junior Bryan Haage (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) joined Ekberg as an all-conference honoree, placing third in the 200 freestyle with a 1:43.70. Augustana (498 points) finished third in the team standings behind Carthage (1052.5) and Wheaton (863.5).
 
 
2018 CCIW Swimming & Diving Championship
February 10-11, 2018—Bloomington, Ill. (Diving)
February 15-17, 2018—Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (Swimming)
 
Team Results:  1. Carthage 1052.5; 2. Wheaton 863.5; 3. AUGUSTANA 498; 4. Illinois Wesleyan 343.5; 5. Carroll 205; 6. North Central 172; 7. Millikin 121.5
 
Individual Champions and Augustana finishers
50 freestyle: 1. Jack O'Connor, Wheaton :20.83; 10. Souhail Rhafiri, AUGUSTANA :21.83; 11. Miguel Rodriguez, AUGUSTANA :21.87, 12. Luke Herron, AUGUSTANA :21.97
100 freestyle: 1. Chris Russo, Carthage :45.72; 6. Bryan Haage, AUGUSTANA :47.38; 11. Jeremy Wolf, AUGUSTANA :48.13; Miguel Rodriguez, AUGUSTANA :48.30; 14. Ben Peinsipp, AUGUSTANA :48.38; 16. Luke Herron, AUGUSTANA :48.84
200 freestyle: 1. Chris Russo, Carthage 1:41.49; 3. Bryan Haage, AUGUSTANA 1:43.70; 10. Jeremy Wolf, AUGUSTANA 1:45.98; 12.  Connor Bullard, AUGUSTANA 1:48.44; 13. Ben Peinsipp, AUGUSTANA 1:49.20; 14. Luke Herron, AUGUSTANA 1:49.51
500 freestyle: 1. Will Garcia, Illinois Wesleyan 4:39.41; 10. Adam Smith, AUGUSTANA 4:55.90; 11. Connor Bullard, AUGUSTANA 4:55.99
1650 freestyle: 1. Will Garcia, Illinois Wesleyan 16:22.24; 8. Connor Bullard, AUGUSTANA 17:13.45; 16. Chris Wilson 19:13.16
100 backstroke: 1. Chris Szymczak, Wheaton :49.57; 2. Jared Ekberg, AUGUSTANA :49.72; 6. Greg Roskowic, AUGUSTANA :53.17; 13. Charlie Young, AUGUSTANA :55.23; 16. Andrew Doerr-Pasanen, AUGUSTANA :58.45
200 backstroke: 1. Chris Szymczak, Wheaton 1:48.42; 3. Jared Ekberg, AUGUSTANA 1:52.50; 7. Charlie Young, AUGUSTANA 1:58.99; 9. Greg Roskowic 1:58.23; 12. Andrew Doerr-Pasanen, AUGUSTANA 2:07.06
100 breaststroke: 1. Jack Wallar, Carthage :56.13; 5. Brett Keefe, AUGUSTANA :58.49; 7. Souhail Rhafiri, AUGUSTANA 1:00.36; 15. Zach Ogden, AUGUSTANA 1:04.65; 16. Brandon Marcy, AUGUSTANA 1:08.07
200 breaststroke: 1. Jack Wallar, Carthage 2:03.14; 5. Brett Keefe, AUGUSTANA 2:10.37; 7. Souhail Rhafiri, AUGUSTANA 2:12.85; 16. Chad Populorum, AUGUSTANA 2:28.70
100 butterfly: 1. Will Rinne, Wheaton :49.00; 12. Brett Keefe, AUGUSTANA :53.84; 13. Anthony Santangelo, AUGUSTANA :55.42; 16. Chris Wilson, AUGUSTANA :58.74
200 butterfly:  1. Chris Dingfield, Wheaton 1:51.80; 10. Anthony Santangelo, AUGUSTANA 2:05.95; 11. Chris Wilson, AUGUSTANA 2:11.72
200 IM: 1. Will Rinne, Wheaton 1:50.27; 6. Jared Ekberg, AUGUSTANA 1:53.54; 7. Bryan Haage, AUGUSTANA 1:55.28
400 IM: 1. Cooper Hawkins, Carthage 4:00.17; 4. Adam Smith, AUGUSTANA 4:20.62; 13. Chad Populorum, AUGUSTANA 4:53.85
200 freestyle relay: 1. Wheaton 1:22.43; 3. AUGUSTANA (Bryan Haage, Luke Herron, Miguel Rodriguez, Jared Ekberg) 1:24.59
400 freestyle relay: 1. Wheaton 3:02.61; 3. AUGUSTANA (Jared Ekberg, Jeremy Wolf, Miguel Rdgriguez, Bryan Haage,) 3:06.82
800 freestyle relay: 1. Carthage 6:54.86; 3. AUGUSTANA (Jeremy Wolf, Adam Smith, Connor Bullard, Miguel Rodriguez) 7:10.19
200 medley relay: 1. Wheaton 1:31.32; 3. AUGUSTANA (Jared Ekberg, Brett Keefe, Bryan Haage, Luke Herron) 1:33.99
400 medley relay: 1. Carthage 3:20.44; 3. AUGUSTANA (Jared Ekberg, Brett Keefe, Bryan Haage, Jeremy Wolf) 3:27.42
One-meter diving: 1. Connor Pierson, Carthage 463.75
Three-meter diving: 1. Aaron San Juan, Carthage 481.90
 
2017-18 AUGUSTANA SUPERLATIVES
DUAL MEET RECORD: 5-2
COLLEGE CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS & WISCONSIN FINISH: 3rd with 498 points
SCHOOL RECORDS: 100 freestyle (:46.06) Jared Ekberg; 100 backstroke (:49.72) Jared Ekberg
CCIW ALL-CONFERENCE: Bryan Haage, Jared Ekberg.
CCIW SWIMMER OF THE WEEK: Jared Ekberg, 12/12/17; Jared Ekberg, 1/23/18
CCIW ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE: Andrew Doerr-Pasanen, Bryan Haage, Jacob Huffer, Quinn Landoch, John McDonaugh, Souhail Rhafiri, Anthony Santangelo
TEAM FINISHES IN INVITATIONALS: Illinois Wesleyan Invitational on 11/18/17—2nd of 5... Wheaton Invitational on 12/1-2/17—5th of 5... Grinnell Invitational on 1/19-20/18 – 3rd of 7
INVITATIONAL INDIVIDUAL & RELAY CHAMPIONS
Illinois Wesleyan Invitational on 11/18/17 – 100 backstroke (:53.58) Jared Ekberg
Grinnell Invitational on 1/19-20/18 – 50 freestyle (:22.02) Jared Ekberg; 100 backstroke (:52.67) Jared Ekberg; 200 backstroke (1:56.43) Jared Ekberg
 
ALL-TIME TOP 10 LISTS
Jared Ekberg: 100 freestyle (1st—:46.06); 100 backstroke (1st—:49.72) 
Bryan Haage: 50 freestyle (7th—:21.75); 200 freestyle (3rd—1:43.70)
Souhail Rhafiri: 50 freestyle (9th—:21.83); 100 breaststroke (7th—1:00.22); 200 breaststroke (5th—2:12.85)
Jeremy Wolf: 200 freestyle (9th—1:45.98)
Greg Roskowic: 100 backstroke (3rd—:53.17); 200 backstroke (6th—1:58.23)
Charlie Young: 100 backstroke (9th—:54.55); 200 backstroke (8th—1:58.99)
Brett Keefe: 100 breaststroke (4th—:58.49); 200 breaststroke (3rd—2:10.37)
Adam Smith: 400 IM (4th—4:20.62)
 
TEAM AWARDS:
MVP: Jared Ekberg
BEST RELAY PERFORMER: Jeremy Wolf
GOLDEN GLOVES: Bryan Haage
MOST IMPROVED: Jacob Huffer
HIGHEST GPA: John McDonaugh, Souhail Rhafiri, Anthony Santangelo