By Journal Sports Staff

HOLLAND — The Northern Michigan University men’s swimming and diving team edged out Wayne State for a runner-up team finish at the GLIAC Championships held for four days downstate that ended Monday.

The Wildcats scored 617 1/2 points in this seven-team meet, beating out the Warriors’ 594 1/2 that was good for third.

Grand Valley State was a runaway winner with 915 points, while St. Cloud State was fourth with 499 1/2, followed by Saginaw Valley State with 407, Davenport 281 1/2 and Augustana 224.

NMU had two individual winners at the meet, one on each of the first two days.

On Friday, Leo Nolles won the 50-yard freestyle in 19.62 seconds, then on Saturday, Daniel Lopez-Aponte was champion in the 400 individual medley in 3:53.88.

Both set team records, while Lopez-Aponte’s was also an NCAA Division II national meet “B” cut qualifying time, along with two seconds faster than his qualifying time.

The Wildcats are scheduled to take part in a Last Chance Meet on Saturday before select team members will get to advance to the nationals in Geneva, Ohio from March 12-16.

Here is a roundup of other top finishes by the Northern men at the GLIACs:

FRIDAY

Joining Nolles in the 50 free, teammate William LaCount was second in 19.94 seconds, while Nolles and LaCount also joined the 200 free relay that finished second and set a team record of 1:19.39 along with Jef Leroux and Gabriel Fulconi.

The 200 medley relay team of Thibault Auger, Wyatt Dickman, Ryan Lund and Nolles was also second in 1:27.26, while Tobie Stiles was third in one-meter diving with 423.10 points.

SATURDAY

In the 200 free, Leroux was seventh in 1:38.46, Dickman 10th, Alessandro Rosatelli tied for 12th and Fulconi 14th as all had “B” cut times.

Nolles was seventh in the 100 butterfly for another “B” cut, while the 400 medley relay of Auger, Dickman, Lund and Nolles was third in 3:14.29, yet another “B” cut.

SUNDAY

Freshman Alex Oestreich was third in the three-meter diving with 428.70 points, while Tobie Stiles was fourth with 423.25.

Fourth-place finishes were turned in by James Werwie in the 200 fly in 1:49.38 and by Dickman in the 100 breaststroke in 54.08, both “B” cuts. Teammate Andrew Tease was 11th in the 100 breast to also get a “B” cut.

Also in fourth was NMU’s 800 free relay of Leroux, Rosatelli, Fulconi and Dickman in 6:44.13.

Fulconi was fifth in the 500 free in 4:29.88 for another “B” cut, while Auger was sixth in the 100 backstroke in 48.82.

MONDAY

LaCount added a third place in the 100 free in 43.95, while Leroux was right after in 44.46 for fourth as both were “B” qualifying cut times.

Dickman was third in the 200 breast in 1:19.01, another “B” cut, while Erikas Kapocius was seventh in the 200 back.

The Wildcats’ 400 free relay team of LaCount, Leroux, Rosatelli and Fulconi was fourth in 3:00.28.

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