Northern Michigan University women's diver Kalina Ceglinski practices a diver during a meet previously held at the Wildcats' PEIF pool in Marquette. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — Junior women’s diver Kalina Ceglinski made the biggest headlines on the nationally ranked men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams at Northern Michigan University during their big road trip a week ago.

Competing on back-to-back days in the Lower Peninsula at conference foes Saginaw Valley State and Grand Valley State, Ceglinski swept to victory in all four women’s diving events held at those Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools.

For that performance, she was named the GLIAC Female Diver of the Week.

The Elmhurst, Illinois, native started out at the NMU meet in University Center on Oct. 24 against two other nationally ranked teams, SVSU and former GLIAC member Findlay, winning the one-meter diving by more than 30 points with 264.85 points and the three-meter by not quite 20 points with 253.95.

Then the Northern women, joining their male counterparts on the bus trip west to Allendale the next day, went up against another national power, Grand Valley. In that meet, Ceglinski won the one-meter by just over 10 points with 264.30 points, then added a narrow victory in the three-meter by about 1 3/4 points with 250.73.

“Kalina has had a strong start to the season, and has been a great team leader for our younger women’s team,” Wildcats diving coach Christopher Kelly said in an NMU Sports Information news release about the accomplishment. “We are excited to get back to practice and keep our momentum going into the mid-season meets.”

The 2024 First-Team All-American in the three-meter and Second-Team All-American in the one-meter has won all eight events she has competed in this season, dating back to the Upper Peninsula Showdown to start the season in early October.

She joined a Northern male and female swimmer as GLIAC athlete of the week this young season. Jef Leroux was named GLIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week and Anika Wright the GLIAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week three weeks earlier.

In the meets last weekend, the Northern men and women had similar team results.

The No. 8 NMU men won close decisions in separately scored duals against No. 10 SVSU, 125-118, and over No. 20 Findlay, 120-112.

The Wildcat men were then overwhelmed by No. 4 GVSU, 178-63.

Then the No. 10 Northern women also tasted success the first day, beating No. 14 Findlay 139-98 and No. 17 SVSU 132-108, then fell to No. 4 GVSU, 138-104.

Here are wrapups on each of those meets, starting with the women:

NMU women win 2 of 3

On Oct. 24 at University Center, the Wildcats had 19 podium finishes, highlighted by a Ceglinski-led sweep in both diving events and freshman teammate Emma Casas winning the 100-yard backstroke.

After Ceglinski, freshman Grace Daly was second in one-meter and third in three-meter, while fellow freshman Lillian Marx switched those spots, third in one-meter and second in three-meter.

Casas won her event by just over a half second in 56.52 seconds, beating out freshman teammate Evangeline Pierce in 57.06.

Among the Northern runners-up were Wright in the 1,000 freestyle in 10:14.27 and 500 free in 5:00.73, junior Annika Geyer in the 200 free in 1:54.41, and senior Evie DeCarlo in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.31.

Then on Oct. 25 in Allendale, NMU had 13 podium placements, including five wins and nine runner-up finishes.

Ceglinski had stiffer competition in the diving on this day as the Lakers finished 2-3-4 behind her in one-meter and 2-3-4-5-6 in three-meter.

DeCarlo added a win in the 200 individual medley in 2:07.21, a victory of barely a half-second, and Wright taking the 500 free in 5:07.91, about a 2 1/2-second win over teammate Carlotta Santi, who clocked 5:10.55.

Northern also won the 200 free relay in 1:37.55 with Abby Keen, Joanne Arbic, Phini Schneider and Vicky Burda.

A whole bunch of runner-up finishes included the 400 medley relay quartet in 3:51.81 with Casas, DeCarlo, Sophia Moore and Wright.

Other second-place finishes were turned in by Wright in the 1,000 free in 10:34.31, Santi in the 200 free in 1:56.48, Laura Stockinger in the 50 free in 24.53 and 100 free in 53.10, Annika Geyer in the 200 butterfly in 2:11.48, Pierce in the 200 back in 2:04.44, and Julia Zimpel in the 200 breast in 2:22.74.

NMU men double up

On Oct. 24 at University Center, NMU had 16 podium finishes, including a win by senior Andrew Tease in the 100 breast in 55.78.

Senior Leo Nolles and Will LaCount went 1-2 in the 50 free, Nolles winning in 20.00 and La Count close behind in 20.49.

Among their runner-up finishes, both Northern relays finished in second place. The leadoff 200 medley relay finished in 1:30.17 with Matteo Ballardin, Tease, LaCount and Daniel Khmara, while the end-of-meet 400 free relay clocked 3:00.60 with LaCount, Bazil Massotte, Gabriel Fulconi and Khmara.

Other runners-up were Timothee Garin in the 1,000 free in 9:21.12 and 500 free in 4:31.66, Fulconi in the 200 IM in 1:51.20, junior Diego Carrillo in one-meter diving with 264.8 points, and freshman Travis Thornton in three-meter diving with 251.55.

Then on Oct. 25 at Allendale, the Wildcats found 11 podium finishes, including wins by Ballardin in the 200 IM in 1:49.38, a win of 12-hundredths of a second, and in the 200 fly in 1:49.54, a nearly two-second victory.

Northern had a runner-up in the 200 free relay in 1:23.28 with LaCount, Khmara, Massotte and Fulconi.

Individual event second places were turned in by Garin in the 1,000 free in 9:26.07, Fulconi in the 200 free in 1:40.00, Carrillo in the one-meter diving with 285.38 points and Ballardin in the 200 breast in 2:01.14.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the meets and award. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.