ELSAH, ILL – After what was a successful day on Friday for the Asbury University swim teams, Saturday was an even better performance at the Liberal Arts Championship concluding the 2021-2022 season.

“What a final ending to this season,” said AU Swim Coach Alex Keyser. “We finished tonight with 6 wins out of the 12 events. I can’t say enough about this weekend. Everyone stepped up and swam lights out all weekend. Tons of season best times, lifetime best swims, and the energy and excitement from the team carried throughout the week.”

Keyser had high praise for those Asbury athletes who raced and paced in the fast lane.

“Our miles were awesome, Caleb, Ian and Nick going 1-2-3 in the 200 Breaststroke was so fun to watch, Lillie and Alivia taking 2-3 in the 200 Breaststroke, Alex and Elijah going 1-2 in the 100 Freestyle, Alex and Tommy going 1-2 in the 200 Butterfly. We just swam so well,” he said. “I’m so unbelievably proud of this group. The women getting a 3-peat in conference titles and the men winning the first since 2009 means so much to this group and they earned it. It was a really fun season and I’m so proud of them.”

Meet Notes:
• Amber Schulte won the 1650 Freestyle, setting a new school record (17:27.44), new pool record and is the first women’s swimmer to achieve an NCAA Division III B cut time in program history as an NCAA member school. She also set the 1000 Freestyle school record (10:31.28) with her split in the mile.
• Seniors Alex Wu & Caleb Reams won their final individual events of their Asbury careers, as Wu won the 100 Freestyle (46.70) and 200 Butterfly (1:51.69) & Reams won the 200 Breaststroke (2:07.37).
• Both men’s & women’s relays finished the meet with victories. The women’s team of Amber Schulte, Tanner Robards, Alivia Williams and Maria Poll won with a winning time of 3:39.74. Amber shattered the school record in the 100 Freestyle (51.72) leading off the relay. The record was previously held by former AU swimmer and current assistant swim coach Leah (Haeuber) Metcalfe.
• Elijah O’Connor, Ian Wang, Tommy Johnson and Alex Wu capped off the weekend with a victory, winning the 400 Freestyle Relay with a time of 3:09.12.

Women’s Final Standings
1. Asbury – 618
2. Univ. of Minnesota Morris – 573.5
3. Illinois Institute of Tech – 521
4. Principia College – 299
5. Williams Baptist Univ. – 289.5
6. Mills College Cyclones – 242
7. College of St. Mary – 126

Men’s Final Standings
1. Asbury – 839
2. Illinois Institute of Tech – 762
3. Williams Baptist Univ. – 513
4. Principia College – 221

Asbury University Athletics contributed this story to the Jessamine Journal.