APPLETON, Wis. -- Hayley Vatch won a pair of events and Kurt Kirner was named Women's Coach of the Year to highlight Lawrence University's performances at the Midwest Conference Championships this past weekend.
Vatch, a sophomore from Elmhurst, Ill., won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:18.57 and the former star at York High School won the 1,650 freestyle in 18:20.38. Vatch also grabbed third in the 200 freestyle in 2:02.58.
Led by Vatch's efforts, Lawrence finished second in the team standings. The Lawrence men finished fourth.
Lawrence's strong effort helped Kirner win Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. Now in his 16th season with the Vikings, Kirner was named Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and the third time in his career. He won Men's Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 1996.
Freshman Julia Ziege (Madison, Wis./LaFollette) pulled in a trio of second-place finishes. She took second in the 100 backstroke (1:02.35), 200 backstroke (2:15.24), and 500 freestyle (5:19.18). Ziege also swam on three second-place relay teams, the 400 freestyle relay, 800 freestyle relay, and 400 medley relay.
Diver Marissa Vallette (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) took second in the 3-meter diving with a score of 330.95 and was third on the 1-meter board with a score of 359.00.
On the men's side, sophomore Taylor Brengel (Milwaukee, Wis./Marquette) led the Vikings by placing second in the 100 backstroke in 56.04 seconds. Diver Steve Schnorr (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) picked up a pair of third-place finishes. He was third on the 3-meter board with a score of 269.25 and third on the 1-meter board with a score of 295.65.