FORT MYERS, Fla. - Annually, the University of North Dakota swimming and diving teams travel south during the winter break to train in a warmer climate. This season the Fighting Sioux have traveled to Fort Myers, Fla. While there, the teams not only have the opportunity to train outdoors, but also to compete against teams not normally found on the schedule.

The Fighting Sioux men opened the New Year with a dominating sweep over the Howard Bison winning all 10 events.

"The swimmers had fun and swam well," said UND head coach Steve Parsons. "Our main focus right now is training.

"The competition was a nice break from the work and it is always great to swim against new competition and this meet gave our athletes a chance to swim some off events."

The 200 medley relay team of Daniel Jacobson (Fr., Ramsey, Minn.), Wesley Schultz (Fr., Tehachapi, Calif.), Joey Rasmus (Fr., Fargo, N.D.), and Elliot Wilcox (Fr., Hastings, Minn.) took first with a time of 1:44.80 and the 200 free relay team of Zak Gosney (So., Bainbridge Island, Wash.), Bryce Klasen (So., Park Rapids, Minn.), Mike Kocsis (Fr., Grand Forks, N.D.), and Rasmus finished first with a time of 1:40.18.

Jacobson also nabbed a pair of individual titles winning both the 50 free (23.33) and the 50 back (27.44). Kocsis won the 500 free with a time of 5:30.04 and Schultz took first in the 50 breast (29.62).

Swimming exhibition, freshman Adam Gannon (Plymouth, Minn.) registered UND's top time in the 500 free with a mark of 4:53.33. He also picked up a first-place finish in the 50 fly with a time of 24.56

Freshman Davis Flickinger (Moorhead, Minn.) won the 200 free (1:51.03) and junior Preston Wahl (Bismarck, N.D.) took first in the 100 IM (56.69).

"Now we have to get back to work and focus on the big picture," said Parsons. "For us to swim fast in February, we have to get in more training."

The Fighting Sioux will wrap up competition in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 6 when they take on Shippensburg.

- Go Sioux -