The Vikings won the men's title with 793 points, and Grinnell College was second with 749. The roles were reversed on the women's side where Grinnell won its second consecutive title with 874 points. Lawrence was second with 645.
"It always feels good, and it feels better when you're not really predicted to have it happen," Lawrence coach Kurt Kirner said. "But you know and you believe. When it happens, it means you put together a great group of kids."
Lawrence sophomore Daniel Hurley won his third individual title of the three-day event on Sunday when he swam to victory in the 1,650-yard freestyle. His time of 16 minutes, 39.19 seconds set a new Boldt Natatorium record. Hurley, a native of Newfoundland, Canada, won the 500 freestyle in a pool record time of 4:43.37 on Saturday and swam to a conference record Friday in the 400 individual medley in 4:11.71, breaking his own record of 4:13.16.
Lawrence also captured the 400 freestyle relay on Sunday. The team of Chris Worman, Steve Wolfe, Tom Carroll, and Greg Woodford swam to victory in 3:14.89.
"I thought they could do it," Kirner said of his men's team winning the title. "It's just the type of people we have. We've brought in people from all over. We have people from the (Lawrence University Conservatory of Music), people who play other sports here. We put them in positions to play a role, and that's what they did."
On the women's side, Lawrence's Alyssa Bonine won the 100 freestyle in 55.38 on Sunday. Bonine also won the 100 butterfly in 1:00.39 on Saturday. Lawrence's other win came in the 200 freestyle relay where the team of Bonine, Amanda Forsberg, Lisa Nickel, and Alison Van Dyken swam to the victory in 1:43.04.
Lawrence won three other titles in the men's competition. Lawrence set another conference record when the team of Hurley, Worman, Wolfe, and Carroll won the 800 freestyle relay in 7:05.81. The team of Carroll, Wolfe, Worman, and Anthony Nickel won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:28.43. Nickel, a senior from Ashwaubenon, Wis., won the 50 freestyle in 22.03.
Junior Karie Schuenke and sophomore Randi Estes, both of Lake Forest College, were named Co-Swimmers of the Year in a vote by conference coaches. On the men's side, Lake Forest senior Robert Edgell won the honor. Beloit College's Gary Gildea and Carroll College's Jennifer Kools were named Co-Coaches of the Year.