This Week's Ohio Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week
BEREA, OHIO -- Baldwin-Wallace College junior men's swim team captain Alex de la Pena (Sheffield Lake/ Elyria Catholic) is this week's Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Swimmer of the Week. It is the third time in the past two years that de la Pena has been so honored.
de la Pena earned his honor for his efforts in Yellow Jacket dual meet wins versus Oberlin College (131-106) and versus Ohio Athletic Conference rival Wilmington College (134-57). In the win versus Oberlin, de la Pena won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:03.88, was second in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:05.38 and swam on the winning 200-yard medley relay team. In the win versus Wilmington, de la Pena won the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.23 and the100-yard free in 49.99 seconds and swam again on the winning 200-yard medley relay team.
de la Pena is competing in his third season of swimming in 2005-2006. He has earned two varsity letters and is serving as a team captain in 2005-2006.
As a freshman in 2003-2004, de la Pena swam mainly the freestyle and individual medley events. At the 2003-2004 OAC Championships, he was All-OAC in the 500-yard free, 200-yard backstroke and the 400-yard individual medley. de la Pena also set a school record in the 400-yard IM.
As a sophomore in 2004-2005, de la Pena earned his second varsity letter and earned OAC Swimmer of the Week honors twice. At the 2004-2005 OAC Championship Meet, he earned All-OAC honors in the 200 free and 200 IM and set B-W school records in the 200 IM and 200 free. He also was part of the All-OAC 800-yard free relay team that broke a school record.
In addition to being an outstanding swimmer and team leader, de la Pena carries an outstanding 3.9 grade point average, was tabbed as an honorable mention Academic All-OAC At-Large Team member in 2004-2005 and is a member of the Dean's List and Alpha Lambda Honor Society. Also, de la Pena is a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and the B-W Sport Management Club, serves as a Resident Assistant and is amember of the B-W Sports Information Staff as a Student Assistant.
The Yellow Jacket swimmers and divers are back in action this Saturday, November 12 when they host nonleague rival Ohio Wesleyan University in the B-W Natatorium inside the Lou Higgins Center in Berea at 1:00 p.m.
FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Yellow Jacket Head Coach Mike Gallagher, please call him at 440-826-2387, FAX him at 440-826-2192 or e-mail him at mgallagh@bw.edu.
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