March 22, 2006

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Five swimmers will represent Northwestern at the 2006 NCAA Championships, competing in 16 events in hopes of topping last year's incredible eighth-place finish.

Senior Ben Dexter (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli), juniors Mike Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) and Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), sophomore Kyle Bubolz (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) and freshman Eric Nilsson (Weston, Mass./Weston) hope to reprise last year's meet, where Northwestern earned the most points-per-swimmer in the Championships.

The 'Cats are entered in four relays, including a first-place seed in the 400 medley relay. NU also is seeded fourth in the 200 free relay, fourth in the 200 medley relay and sixth in the 400 free relay.

Dexter will swim only in relays for Northwestern, while the other four Wildcats all will swim three individual events each.

Alexandrov, a 14-time All-American, is seeded third in the 200 breast, fifth in the 100 breast and 15th in the 200 IM. Alexandrov found the podium twice last season, taking silver in the 200 and bronze in the 100 breast events.

Grevers, a 14-time All-American, is seeded first in the 100 back, fifth in the 50 free and seventh in the 100 free. He is the defending NCAA champion in the 100 backstroke.

Bubolz, a five-time All-American, is seeded second in the 100 fly, 16th in the 100 free and 29th in the 50 free.

Nilsson is seeded 28th in the 500 free, 32nd in the 1650 free and 39th in the 200 free.

For more information on the 2006 NCAA Championships and for live results, link to ramblinwreck.com.