Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University men's and women's swimming teams will host St. Andrews University for Senior Day Friday. The first event at the Wingate Natatorium is slated for 5 p.m. The Bulldog family will recognize 11 senior student-athletes during the meet's first break (free HD video).
 
"Friday will revolve around the energy the seniors bring to the table," Wingate head coach Kirk Sanocki says. "We don't have many swimming competitions on our campus…this is where the student-athletes spend the majority of their time. We are glad the campus community will have an opportunity to celebrate the seniors' accomplishments during this meet."
 
Sanocki believes the Bulldogs have much to celebrate. "Our upperclassmen have a sense they are protecting the history and tradition of excellence in our program," Sanocki says. "At the same time, they believe they are taking the program to new heights. They don't want to alter the positive aspects of the program…both inside and outside the pool."
 
In his 13th year as Wingate head women's coach and his ninth year with the Bulldog men, Sanocki knows there is much work to be done between now and the Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship meet Feb. 12-15 in Charlotte. "Our biggest challenge…putting everything together with every team member," Sanocki says.
 
"We've had excellent showings this season from a good portion of our team," Sanocki says. "For us to win championships, we must have the entire team move in the same direction. We can't have an off day…the competition is too good."
 
"We have the ability to do great things this year," Sanocki says. "Right now, our focus is St. Andrews. Our next focus is the BMC meet. We must all be in the moment."
 
Wingate senior Marko Blazevski (Skopje, Macedonia) won two events at the University of South Carolina last weekend. Sophomore teammate Dylon Johnson (Fletcher, N.C.) also earned a gold medal at USC. For the Bulldog women, senior Katie Pheil (Ocala, Fla.) and freshmen Jessika Weiss (Macon, Ga.) and Sofia Petrenko (Arkhangelsk, Russia) won one event each.
 
WU women's swimming seniors
Alex Andrechuk                    
Caitlin Budnik           
Charlotte Cornet
Valerie Dembny         
Amanda Gilbert
Katie Pheil
Eduarda Zucco
 
WU men's swimming seniors
Marko Blazevski        
Tim Kniffler   
Will Meagher
Reed Miller    
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 8th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past seven years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000's with 59 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 59 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 68 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.