And the NMU men got in on the fun, too, as graduate student Ondrej Zach won the GLIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week for the first time this season.

Billings led the No. 10 nationally ranked and undefeated Wildcat women to three individual wins and a relay win in a team victory over Grand Valley State on Friday, then had two individual victories and a relay triumph in an NMU win on Saturday at Saginaw Valley State.

At GVSU in Allendale, Billings, a native of Fairbanks, Alaska, won the 200-yard backstroke in 2 minutes, 2.0 seconds, the 100 back in 56.84 seconds and the 200 individual medley in 2:08.75. She also swam in the winning 400 butterfly relay, which clocked 3:52.53.

Then vs. SVSU at University Center, she took the 400 IM in 4:34.10, 100 back in 56.42 and swam with the 200 medley relay winners in 1:46.66.

Ondrej Zach

Zach, meanwhile, won his first GLIAC weekly award since November 2019, even though it’s the men’s third weekly honor of the young season as these Wildcats are ranked No. 12 in NCAA Division II.

The native of Rudolfov, Czech Republic, swam the 1,000 freestyle in 9:10.93 at GVSU on Friday, setting a GVSU pool record and also swimming the best time in the country this season in NCAA Division

II. He also won the 500 free in 4:32.95 at that meet.

Against No. 20 SVSU, which Northern won 137-104, Zach won the 1,650 free in 15:21.35 and the 500 free in 4:32.96.

Coming off these big performances, both Wildcat teams host Wayne State at 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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