Lincoln College Swimmer Wins Two National Title

Lincoln, IL - March 17, 2009 - Woodstock High School graduate and Lincoln College sophomore swimmer Brian Spittler earned the title of being a two time national champion. Spittler finished the NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships with a first place finish in the 100 yard butterfly and the 200 yard individual medley. Spittler, who served the Lynx as team co-captain, helped lead the men’s team to a second-place finish for Lincoln College.

Spittler left the competition with two individual championships, earning NJCAA All-American status in the 100 yard butterfly and the 200 yard individual medley. Spittler’s victory in the 100 yard butterfly was a come-from-behind encounter. Spittler said he knew he was second at the half-way mark to rival Indian River, but kicked into another gear to attempt to make up the difference. “I saw he (Indian River) was ahead of me but close, and decided to forget about breathing and just put my head down,” Splitter said. At the final turn, Spittler exploded off the wall and remained under water for almost half the pool, before surfacing and pushed hard to the finish. “I knew I had made up distance, but thought for sure I was second,” he said. “Then I saw the “1” next to my lane, and I went nuts,” said Spittler. The Lynx co-captain had out-touched his rival by .02 seconds – 48.29 to 48.31, lowering the school record he had set in the morning.

In the 200 yard IM (50 yards each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle), Spittler took the lead early, only to find himself ahead by only .05 seconds at the finish of the breaststroke leg. He and his Indian River competitor swam freestyle almost stroke for stroke, but Spittler held on, increasing his margin of victory to .17 seconds, finishing in a personal best and school record time of 1:49.12. Spittler, finished the fourth day of competition at the NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships with a fourth place finish in the 100 yard freestyle (45.09 seconds), setting a school record, and a third place finish as anchor of the Lincoln College 400 yard freestyle relay.

Spittler was part of a Men’s team that shattered nine team records, produced the highest point total ever in the NJCAA Championships for Lincoln College, and a teammate to 25 other Lincoln College male and female All-Americans. Spittler swam in four relays, three of which broke school records, and earned College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) All-American honors. He is the son of Joseph and Jayne Spittler of Woodstock