Charlotte, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore Slava Ohnov (Kiev, Ukraine) broke an 11-year-old school record in the 100 Freestyle, boosting the Bulldog men to five victories in six events against five-time defending national champion Queens University of Charlotte on the final night of the inaugural Winter Round Robin Invitational at the Levine Aquatic Center (complete individual results). Due to the unique format of this event, the team competition was not scored.
 
Ohnov swam a Levine Aquatic Center pool-record time of 43.37, breaking Mason Norman's WU school-record of 43.70 set at the 2009 NCAA national championship meet in Houston, Texas. Levine pool records include swims by Olympians, professionals and NCAA Division I student-athletes as well. Ohnov helped the Bulldogs pick up two victories Friday, as he swam the anchor leg on the 400 Freestyle Relay team. The quartet posted a gold-medal time of 2:58.39.
 
Ohnov's 100 Freestyle time was only 0.01 seconds away from an NCAA Division II "A" cut. Norman's previous record was the longest-standing mark still on the WU ledger. Ohnov helped the Bulldog 400 Freestyle Relay quartet post an NCAA "B" cut with a time of 2:58.39. The Wingate men had five individual "B" cuts Friday, in addition to the relay mark.
 
On the women's side, Wingate senior team captain Maike Hoener (Langlingen, Germany) won the 200 Breaststroke with her time of 2:16.84. The Bulldog women recorded nine individual NCAA "B" cuts Friday. The Navy Blue and Vegas Gold-clad swimmers matched their male counterparts with a "B" cut in the 400 Freestyle Relay, posting a silver-medal time of 3:24.16.
 
Meet Information
 
Inaugural Wingate Winter Round Robin Invitational (live video archives)
Levine Aquatic Center, Charlotte, N.C.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 16-18
 
What They Are Saying
 
Wingate alumnus and current Ohio University head coach Mason Norman ('10): "Congratulations to Slava on breaking the 100 Freestyle school record...an outstanding swim. I can honestly say that while I can remember every one of my swims from Wingate, what I believe Slava will remember the most will be the life-changing experiences and relationships he is going to have with his coaches and teammates. I know I do. It's another proud day for WU Swim. Congratulations, Slava…enjoy it!"
 
Wingate senior team captain Maike Hoener: "I am very happy that we have been able to make it this far in our season. With everything that is going on, this team hasn't settled for anything less than stepping up and swimming super-fast. Even though it was not a normal midseason meet setup with preliminaries and finals, we got the best out of our races and had a lot of lifetime and season-best times. Personally, I am satisfied with my races and cannot wait for the upcoming championship season!"
 
Wingate sophomore Slava Ohnov: "It was a busy week with many pleasant surprises. First of all, I would like to thank the coaches and Wingate University for the opportunity to compete at this difficult time. I would also like to note the teamwork that the team demonstrates every competition. Supporting and motivating each other is the key to improving both personal and team outcomes. Before my race, all I hear was our team cheering. I could feel support from my team. This is what helped me break the school record. I look forward to new competitions with my team. WU What? WU Swim!
 
Wingate Men Event-by-Event Highlights
 
1650 Freestyle
First-Jonas Soerensen (15:41.46) (D2 B cut)
Second-Daniel Mizera (16:00.70)
Third-Felix Grieb (16:13.23)
Fourth-Max Sundberg (16:23.82)
Fifth-Casey Mitchell (16:28.15)
 
200 Backstroke
Second-David Granados Doblas (1:47.00) (D2 B cut)
Fourth-Ian Leighninger (1:48.64) (D2 B cut)
 
100 Freestyle
First-Slava Ohnov (43.37) (D2 B cut, pool record)
Second-Marcel Snitko (45.55)
 
200 Breaststroke
First-Andrew Lockhart (2:03.93)
Third-Yann Van Den Bossche (2:04.79)
Fourth-Kalle Svensson (2:05.44)
 
200 Butterfly
First-Daniel Brisuda (1:49.92) (D2 B cut)
Second-Iran Almeida (1:50.89)
Third-Layton Anderson (1:52.75)
Fourth-Connor Wright (1:55.28)
Fifth-Ethan Hathcock (1:56.29)
 
400 Freestyle Relay
First-Wingate A (2:58.39) (Almeida, Bennett Broad, Snitko, Ohnov) (D2 B cut)
Third-Wingate B (3:04.51)
Fifth-Wingate C (3:05.56)
 
Wingate Women Event-by-Event Highlights
 
1650 Freestyle
Third-Kate Agger (16:51.58) (D2 B cut)
Fourth-Katherine Fronczak (17:32.37)
Fifth-Sydney Smith (17:49.26)
 
200 Backstroke
Second-Maddie Carson (2:03.07)
Third-Alexandra Livingstone (2:05.84)
Fourth-Caroline Howard (2:06.49)
 
100 Freestyle
Second-Sara Aringsmann (50.56) (D2 B cut)
 
NOTE: Anna Miram (51.95), Berkley Smith (52.10) and Amanda Wenhold (52.10) swam D2 B cuts in this event…
 
200 Breaststroke
First-Maike Hoener (2:16.84) (D2 B cut)
Second-Anne-Sofie Nissen (2:17.95) (D2 B cut)
Third-Lily Sanocki (2:18.19) (D2 B cut)
Fourth-Jayci Scheff (2:24.68)
Fifth-Jaimy Wenhold (2:24.93)
 
200 Butterfly
Third-Madison Moffitt (2:08.10)
Fourth-Martina Hana Kubalova (2:08.12)
Fifth-Amanda Cesario (2:09.01)
 
400 Freestyle Relay
Second-Wingate A (3:24.16) (Aringsmann, A. Wenhold, B. Smith, Miram) (D2 B cut)
Fourth-Wingate C (3:33.49)
Fifth-Wingate B (3:34.02)
 
Time Trials
100 Freestyle-Maike Hoener (51.73) (D2 B cut)
100 Backstroke-Katherine Fronczak (57.84)
200 Freestyle-Jayci Scheff (1:55.72)

On the Horizon
 
Wingate begins the spring portion of the 2020-21 schedule Friday, Jan. 15, when the Bulldog women host Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne and UNC Pembroke (5 p.m. start). The Wingate men compete the next day against Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory.
 
After a Senior Day home meet with Barton (Saturday, Jan. 23), the Bulldogs will enter championship season mode with the Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship meet, the Royal Open and the NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships.
 
The BMC championship meet is Feb. 18-21. The event has a new host venue, as the teams will compete in the Fort Mill (S.C.) YMCA at the Complex. Queens hosts the Royal Open Feb. 26-27 at the Levine Aquatic Center. This year's NCAA national championship meet will be held in Birmingham, Ala. at the Birmingham CrossPlex March 17-20.