Bateman fourth in 400 IM, Oles fourth as a team after NCAA's second day

Mike Ludwig
March 19, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS - Chris Bateman broke a 22-year old school record and was fourth in the 400 IM on Thursday night to help St. Olaf to a fourth place position through the second day at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Minnesota.

Bateman went in 3:55.98 in the finals after a 3:54.87 in the prelims, which broke a 22-year old school record of head coach Bob Hauck.

The team's 400 Medley Relay team (Adam Meyer, Nelson Westby, Eric Witzel, Jake Koch) also broke a school record with its 3:18.90, second place swim in the event's finals. The Oles were just .72 off Kenyon's winning time.

The Oles' 200 Free Relay -- of Koch, Westby, Nate Bentley and Meyer -- team was ninth, finishing first in the consolation finals in a school record 1:22.06.

Koch finished 12th in the 200 Free, going 1:40.15 in the consolation finals.

Luke Money swam in the 100 Fly and finished 27th overall after a 50.74 in the event's prelims.

The Oles' Ian Straehly competed in the 1-meter diving competition. His 361.45 in the prelims did not advance him to the finals.

Contact media relations specialist Mike Ludwig at (507) 786-3834 or ludwigm@stolaf.edu.