Ravens Claim Program-Best Third-Place Finish in HCAC Championships

The Anderson University men's swimming and diving team claimed a program-best third-place finish in the three-day Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Championships, which concluded on Saturday in Terre Haute.

Franklin College scored 721 points to lock up the HCAC title. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology finished within 16 points of Franklin with a team score of 705. Anderson came in third with 217 points, finishing ahead of Transylvania University (191), Hanover College (185) and Manchester University (17), which rounds out the team standings.

During the conference meet, the Anderson swimming and diving men and women's team combined for 63 personal records (PRs) and 21 school records.

"This has been a tremendous season for Anderson University Swimming & Diving!" Coach Tanner Barton said. "Our men and women achieved 63 career best times and 25 season best times.  Moreover, 21 program records were broken in the HCAC Championships.  These record-breaking performances epitomize how our program is continuing to move forward and garner conference recognition."

Noah Scheffer put together a 50-yard freestyle time of 21.85 seconds to earn sixth place in the prelims. The freshman from Lambertville, Mich. captured the highest individual finish in the conference meet in program history, securing third with a time of 21.52 seconds in the 50-freestyle finals. Both times bested his previous school record in the 50 freestyle. Scheffer garnered all-conference recognition with his third-place finish.

In the 100 butterfly, Scheffer raced to two times that improved his previous school record. Scheffer claimed third (51.52) in the 100-butterfly prelims and fourth (51.21) in the 100-butterfly finals.

During the 400-freestyle relay, Scheffer clocked a school-record time of 47.56 seconds in the 100 freestyle. Scheffer also provided a PR time of 5:15.34 in the 500 freestyle.

"Noah had an incredible HCAC Championship!  As a freshman, he secured all-conference honors by placing third in the 50 freestyle.  He also secured a top-four finish in the 100 butterfly by besting his record-breaking performance by 0.71 seconds."

Josh Ekberg raced to fifth (59.51) in the 100-breaststroke finals and fourth (59.99) in the 100-breaststroke prelims. The junior from Mahomet, Ill. took fifth (2:11.80) in the 200-breaststroke prelims and fifth (2:11.84) in the 200-breaststroke finals. Ekberg claimed eighth in the 200-individual-medley finals with a PR time of 2:02.83. He secured ninth (2:04.17) in the 200-individual-medley prelims.

During the 200-medley relay, Ekberg raced to a school-record time of 27.34 seconds in the 50 breaststroke.

"Josh was also a two-time Championship finalist by securing fifth-place finishes in both the 100 Breaststroke and the 200 Breaststroke.  Josh never podiumed individually prior to this championship.  This is exciting progress for Josh and there is much more that we can tap into as we look towards Josh's senior season."

Bryce Holt, Ekberg, Evan Kropf and Scheffer teamed up to claim third as well as all-conference recognition in three different relays. In the 200-freestyle relay, Holt, Ekberg, Kropf and Scheffer clocked a 200-freestyle relay of 1:28.91. Holt, Ekberg, Scheffer and Kropf produced a season-best time of 3:35.10. Kropf, Ekberg, Scheffer and Holt posted a time of 1:38.18 in the 200-medley relay.

Holt, Kropf, Kris Keller and Scheffer captured fourth (7:25.18) in the 800-freestyle relay.

Alex Cubellis, Wil Lashbrook, David Lange and Andrew Taflinger took ninth (1:33.17) in the 200-freestyle relay.

In the 400-medley relay, Cubellis, Lange, Keller and Taflinger placed ninth (3:47.64).

Cubellis, Keller, Lange and Taflinger secured ninth (1:41.50) in the 200-medley relay.

In the 800-freestyle relay, Taflinger, Lashbrook, Lange and Anthony Stultz earned ninth (8:07.49).

Cubellis, Keller, Lashbrook and Taflinger took 10th (3:25.30) in the 400-freestyle relay.

Keller recorded school records and three more PRs. The junior from Fishers placed 11th in the 1,650 freestyle, blasting the previous school record by 17.74 seconds.

Both of Keller's 200-butterfly times both previous school record. Keller captured sixth (2:03.51) in the 200-butterfly finals and sixth (2:05.45) in the 200-butterfly prelims.

Keller secured 11th in the 500-freestyle finals with a PR time of 5:08.55. He claimed 12th (5:14.19) in the 500-freestyle prelims. Keller posted PR times in the 100 butterfly (55.00) and the 50 freestyle (23.78).

Holt took seventh in the 100-backstroke prelims with a school-record time of 55.00 seconds. The junior from Osceola tied for seventh (56.22) in the 100-backstroke finals.

Holt earned seventh in the 200-backstroke prelims with a school-record time of 1:59.80. He finished 10th (2:05.92) in the 200-backstroke finals.

Cubellis claimed eighth in the 100-backstroke prelims with a PR time of 56.59 seconds. The freshman from Fort Wayne secured 10th (57.43) in the 100-backstroke finals. Cubellis locked up 11th in the 200-backstroke prelims with a PR time of 2:09.46. He took 11th (2:10.01) in the 200-breaststroke finals. Cubellis charged to a PR time of 23.07 seconds in the 50 freestyle.

Lange captured 11th in the 400-individual-medley finals with a PR time of 4:45.24. The freshman from Milaca, Minn. finished 11th (4:46.34) in the 400-individual-medley prelims. Lange also raced to PRs in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.05), 200 the breaststroke (2:26.14) and the 200 butterfly (2:16.97).

Taflinger took 11th in the 100-backstroke prelims with a PR time of 58.25 seconds. The senior from Terre Haute claimed 11th (59.85) in the 100-backstroke finals. Taflinger provided a season-best time of 23.33 seconds in the 50 freestyle.

Kropf charged to 11th (22.71) in the 50-freestyle finals and 11th (22.94) in the 50-freestyle prelims.

Lashbrook finished 12th in the 200-backstroke prelims with a PR time of 2:11.79. The junior from Anderson placed 12th (2:11.84) in the 200-backstroke finals. Lashbrook put together a season-best time of 1:57.25 in the 200 freestyle.

Austin Orr took 12th in the 400-individual-medley finals with a PR time of 5:13.44. The freshman from Thorntown earned 12th (5:32.79) in the 400-individual-medley prelims.

Stultz raced to PRs in the 100 freestyle (57.06), the 500 freestyle (5:43.20) and the 1,650 freestyle (20:15.32).

"In this sport, we often concern ourselves with final times and places.  Our record breaking performances and top-3 finishes speak volumes, but I am most impressed by how this team conducted itself throughout the championship.  Numerous officials approached me on the pool deck and praised our men and women for their encouragement, team spirit and sportsmanship.  As the head coach, this praise is more valuable than the number of records we've broken."

The Ravens plan to return 10 student-athletes for the 2020-21 season.

"Even though the men were battling sicknesses throughout the championship, they bested all five of the program relay records throughout the course of the 2019-2020 season.  At this year's championship they scored 217 points this year (compared to the 173.5 points they scored in 2019).  I am incredibly proud of the men for continuing to better themselves while also making strides in the HCAC."