April 15, 2009
RICHMOND, Va. -- Freshman Arni Arnason (Msfellsbaer, Iceland) headlines the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) awards being named the CAA's Swimmer and Rookie of the Year. Arnason, who was the first Monarch to participate at the NCAA Championships in the Division I era, earned seven All-CAA honors along senior Johan Lundberg (Fjaras, Sweden). Also earning all-conference honors were senior Chad Gangwer (Va. Beach, Va.) and Kristian Ramkvist (Bjarred, Sweden), and a total of five relay teams.
Arnason is Old Dominion's first CAA Swimmer of the Year selection and is the first in conference history to receive Swimmer of the Year and Rookie Swimmer of the Year accolades in the same season. The freshman was the CAA champion in the 50 free (19.85), the 100 breast (53.48) and the 200 breast (1:58.37). He set school records in all three events, broke the meet record in the 100 and 200 breast, and set a new CAA mark in the 100 breast. Arnason went to compete in all three events at the NCAA Swimming Championship, where he placed 21st in the 200 breast, 25th in the 100 breast and 42nd in the 50 free.
Lundberg earned All-CAA honors in both the 100 and 200 breast, as well as the 200 individual medley and as a member of the four of the relay teams (200, 400 free; 200, 400 medley). The two-time CAA champion in the 200 IM, Lundberg bested the previous Monarch top time of 1:51.77. He finish third in both the 100 breast (55.53) and 200 breast (2:02.51). With his seven All-CAA nods this season,Lundberg brings his total to 13 all-conference honors. He won all-league honors in the 200 and 400 medley relays in 2007 and picked up all-conference awards in the 200 breast, 200 IM, and the 200 and 400 medley relays last season.
Ramkvist joined Lundberg in the 200 IM finals placing third in the event en-route to All-CAA honors. Ramkvist's performance in the event with a time of 1:51.29 gave him the second best time in Monarch history.
Arnason, Lundberg, and Gangwer joined sophomore Steven Loccisano (Fredericksburg, Va.) in earning all-conference honors in the 200 and 400 free relays. In the 200 free, the Monarch group took third with an ODU record time of 1:21.21, while the in the 400 free team placed second in another Monarch record setting time by clocking in with a time of 3:00.47,
Loccisano and Gangwer teamed with sophomore Mikael Ramkvist (Bjarred, Sweden), brother of All-CAA performer Kristian in the 200 IM, and sophomore Kris Hagg (Skovde, Sweden) for All-CAA distinction in the 800 free relay. The squad, which finished second at CAA's, posted an ODU record setting time of 6:40.28.
Ramkvist, Arnason, Lundberg, and Gangwer also brought home All-CAA honors in the 200 and 400 medley relays. Both medley squads swam their way to second place times and new Monarch benchmarks. The 200 medley relay saw the Monarchs capture a time of 1:31.37, with the 400 medley relay having Old Dominion record a new best of 3:17.75.
The Old Dominion men's swimming and diving team finished the 2008-09 season with a 10-1 overall mark and finished second at the CAA Championships.
50-Freestyle: Arni Arnason, Old Dominion
200-Freestyle: Chad Gangwer, Old Dominion
100-Breaststroke: Arni Arnason, Old Dominion; Johan Lundberg, Old Dominion
200-Breaststroke: Arni Arnason, Old Dominion; Johan Lundberg, Old Dominion
200-Individual Medley: Johan Lundberg, Old Dominion; Kristian Ramkvist, Old Dominion
200-Freestyle Relay: Old Dominion (Arni Arnason, Steven Loccisano, Johan Lundberg, Chad Gangwer)
400-Freestyle Relay: Old Dominion (Arni Arnason, Chad Gangwer, Johan Lundberg, Steven Loccisano)
800-Freestyle Relay: Old Dominion (Steven Loccisano, Mikael Ramkvist, Kristoffer Hagg, Chad Gangwer)
200-Medley Relay: Old Dominion (Mikael Ramkvist, Arni Arnason, Johan Lundberg, Steven Loccisano)
400-Medley Relay: Old Dominion (Mikael Ramkvist, Arni Arnason, Johan Lundberg, Chad Gangwer)