The Wildcat Swim teams emerged victorious against University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Nov. 11 with the men taking a score of 177-120 and the women taking a score of 188-90.

The men’s team won the 200-yard medley relay with a pool record time of 1:33.66. The team was composed of junior Renars Bundzis, junior Arnoldo Herrera, senior Dan Szuba and sophomore Lajos Budai.

Bundzis said he was happy to break the pool record at the PEIF, but mentioned that it was more rewarding to break records at other colleges and have an NMU name on their boards as he had done last week for the 200-yard backstroke.

The women’s team also saw much success as they have yet to be defeated this year, and even achieved first place in every single event that day.  Sophomore Rachel Helm won the 100-yard freestyle at a time of 52.04 which earned her an NCAA B-cut and won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 57.29.

“We performed better than we thought we would,” Helm said.  “Fifty-two is what I was hoping to swim later on in the season and I’m happy to be making that time so early.”

Helm said motivation from last season and pressure the team gives itself is to thank for what has given both the men and women’s swim teams such a successful season so far.

“They’ve done a great job supporting each other and staying healthy,” Coach Heidi Voigt said.

Voigt said that the coaches are looking to challenge the team every day and then give them a deserved rest during Thanksgiving break to let the swimmers heal their muscles and prepare for their return.  She said the success of the NMU swim teams can be attributed to the swimmers training smarter than last year and always looking to improve.  The Wildcats will be looking to continue that success on Nov. 30 against Calvin College in Grand Rapids.