OTTAWA - After opening their new home at the Western Student Recreation Centre earlier this year the Western Mustangs swim team headed on the road to Ottawa for the Stratten Divisional to open the team’s season. Both the women’s and men’s team dominated the point rankings, with both teams finishing first overall by considerable margins, while nine Western swimmers qualified for the CIS Championships taking place in February.
               
The women’s team was impressive, finishing with 1218.5 points, nearly doubling Ottawa who finished behind the Mustangs in second place with 613.5 points. Final point totals for the rest of the field included Waterloo in third with 501 points, followed by Brock with 427 points, Queen’s with 403 points and Trent with 86 points.

The men’s team also took first by a wide margin with 1048 points, ahead of second place Waterloo whose men’s team finished with 697 points. The field rounded out with Ottawa finishing third with 611 points, followed by Queen’s with 329 points, Brock with 167 points and Trent with 61 points.
                  
The Mustangs had various multiple multi-event winners, however with no one individual standing out, as many swimmers were swimming secondary events. Mustangs Head coach Paul Midgely felt that the strong results were a positive way to begin the season, but cautioned that more accurate readings on the team’s prospects could be made after the next two major meets of the season.    

With this meet brings nine swimmers posted times fast enough to qualify them for CIS Championships taking place this February in Calgary, another positive note to begin the season.
                 
The Mustangs swim team has a busy schedule over the next few weeks, competing in the University Challenge, Canada Cup and the Nothers Invitational next weekend before a home meet against the University of Toronto at the WSRC the following weekend on Saturday, December 1 at 2:00 p.m.