After a strong start to the 2013 part of the season, the Lakers are making it known that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the 2013 GLIAC Championships.

The Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s swim and dive teams both defeated the University of Indianapolis at home on Saturday, as the men’s team walked away with a 188-112 victory and the women’s team won 177-123.

The men’s squad was led by freshman standout Gianni Ferrero, who broke pool records in both the 200 yard freestyle (1 minute, 38.90 seconds) and 400 IM (4:00.70). He also touched first in the 200 backstroke. The freshman said his success so far in 2013 is hard to put into words.

“I have no idea how I’ve been able to do it,” Ferrero said. “I was really pumped for today.”

Ferrero and junior teammates Aaron Marken, Michael Griffith and Erik Aekesson also placed first in the 200 medley relay, finishing with a time of 1:33.75.

GVSU sophomore Milan Medo also played a key role for the Lakers in the victory, with a trio of individual wins in the 100 breaststroke (57.55), 50 freestyle (21.25) and 100 freestyle (47.43). Medo, Griffith, Aakesson and sophomore Nathaniel Stoller also touched first in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:23.40.

Stoller broke a pool record when he finished first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 50.46, besting the previous mark by .09 seconds.

“Both teams are really coming together at the right time,” said GVSU head coach Andy Boyce. “We’ve been focused on the conference championships all year, and we’ll have to step up if we want to win them.”

GVSU junior Caitlyn Madsen led the way on the women’s side, placing first in three individual events. Madsen was the fastest in the 200 butterfly (2:09.25), 100 butterfly (58.64) and 400 IM (4:41.47). She and teammates sophomore Olivia Schultz, junior Danielle Vallier and sophomore Sarah Roeser also finished first in the 200 medley relay.

The relay team of Schultz, Roeser, freshman Hannah Knapp and sophomore Lauren Foor were the fastest in the 200 freestyle relay, finishing with a time of 1:39.21.

Schultz and Vallier also took home a pair of wins in individual events. Schultz notched first-place finishes in the 100 backstroke (1:00.49) and 200 backstroke (2:08.52), while Vallier touched first in both breaststroke events, finishing the 100 in 1:09.83 and the 200 in 2:28.67.

Roeser added a victory in the 100 freestyle, finishing the event with a time of 54.10.

On the diving board, Taylor Wiercinski set a freshman record in the 3-meter diving event with a score of 298.20.

“It was a great way to end the year for our seniors,” Madsen said.

It was the final meet in Allendale for seniors Jasmine Ramahi, Kyle Gebraad, Emir Ibrahimovich, Derek Mead and Joey Wingett.

The men’s squad was 6-2 in dual meets this season, and was a perfect 6-0 against Division II teams. Meanwhile, the women’s team was 7-3 in dual meets and 6-1 against Division II opponents. Boyce said the swimmers will get some rest before the upcoming GLIAC Championships, which will start on Feb. 6 in Canton, Ohio at 4 p.m.

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