Wingate University Athletics

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University swimming teams return eight All-Americans for the 2011-12 season. In 2011, the Wingate men won their fourth consecutive Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship, while the Bulldog women finished a close second at the same event. At the 2011 NCAA championships, the Wingate earned a school record fifth-place finish, while the Bulldog women were 17th.

For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs won two national championships at the season-ending NCAA meet: Marko Blazevski in the 400 Individual Medley and Iaroslav Denysenko in the 500 Freestyle. “Over the last four years, we knew we had the individuals…with the ability to win NCAA races,” Wingate head coach Kirk Sanocki says.
 
“Our sport puts much emphasis on putting things together on the right day,” Sanocki says. “Entering this season, our expectations have not changed. We want to win the BMC championship and finish strong at the NCAA meet.”
 
The next step for the Bulldogs is winning relays at the NCAA meet. “By winning relays at the NCAA meet, a program shows its depth,” Sanocki says. “We want to qualify more people for the NCAA event.” In 2011, Wingate tied a school record with 19 student-athletes who qualified for the NCAA meet. The Bulldog men sent 10 swimmers, while the Wingate women qualified eight swimmers and one diver.
 
Sophomores Blazevski and Denysenko lead a talented group of returning student-athletes on the men’s team. Denysenko was an All-American in five events. Blazevski received All-American distinction in three events, as did classmate Liubomyr Lemeshko. Juniors Rory Julyan and Spencer Waganaar are also returning All-Americans, along with sophomore Tim Kniffler.
 
Blazevski competed in the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships July 16-31 in Shanghai, China, representing Macedonia. He has his sights set on the 2012 London Olympics. “Marko worked extremely hard the entire summer,” Sanocki says. “His experiences at the World Championships and the World University Games are a feather in his cap.”
 
Senior Lee Sousa and junior Cole Dutton earned honorable mention All-American honors in 2011. Seniors Danny Palmiotto and Santino Viselli will serve as team captains.       Freshmen David Collum, James Goodin, Chris Morris and Max Normand have shown early-season potential. The Bulldogs’ depth will be very important as the season progresses.

For the Wingate women, sophomore diver Lindsey Taylor made a big splash in her first collegiate season. At the NCAA event, she finished third in the one-meter diving finals and fourth in the three-meter competition. Junior Paige Schmidt was an All-American in the 1000 Freestyle and the 1650 Freestyle.
 
“Lindsey is as good as anyone in the country,” Sanocki says. “She is the highest (NCAA) returner in her specialty. Paige is one of the mainstays of our program. She is healthy and injury-free. We expect her to have a banner year in the 500, 1000 and 1650 Freestyle events.”
 
Junior Elly Speer and sophomores Alexandra Andrechuk, Valerie Dembny and Amanda Gilbert joined Schmidt and Taylor at the 2011 NCAA meet. “We look for Elly to score in her primary events at the 2012 NCAA meet,” Sanocki says. “Valerie is our most versatile swimmer. Amanda has a tremendous gift in the sprints. We believe Alex and Cameron Washburn are ready to elevate their games (to contribute at the NCAA meet).”
 
Schmidt and senior Malin Kersmark will serve as team captains for the Wingate women. They will provide great leadership for a talented freshman class. Following early workouts, freshmen Jasmine Arzadon, Katie Hammar, Luisa Santiesteban, Amy Saunders and Eduarda Zucco will look to add depth to a strong Bulldog team. “We feel our women’s freshman class has a great opportunity to make an impact,” Sanocki says.
 
Wingate’s schedule begins with a huge six-team meet at the Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center this weekend. The annual Fall Frenzy is Nov. 18-20 at the same location. The Bulldogs conclude the fall semester with the annual SCAD Invitational Dec. 1-3.

In late December, Wingate will make its annual journey to Florida for training trip. The Florida pilgrimage will conclude with the Winter College Invitational on Jan. 4. Wingate will host BMC foe Lenoir-Rhyne for Senior Day on Jan. 21. The next Saturday (Jan. 28), the Bulldogs will visit NCAA Division I opponent UNC Wilmington. Wingate hosts the BMC meet Feb. 15-18 in Charlotte.
 
WINGATE SPORTS WEEKLY

The Wingate University Bulldog Club sponsors Wingate Sports Weekly each Wednesday at Hill Top Bistro in Monroe (602 E. Roosevelt Blvd.). The Dutch treat lunch begins at 12 noon. The gatherings will give Bulldog fans an opportunity to interact with Wingate coaches and student-athletes. Wingate Sports Weekly replaces Wake Up with Wingate for the 2011-12 academic year.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a comprehensive university with more than 2,500 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. The university offers 34 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.

Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past five years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 39 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 48 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.