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Memorable performance for Tritons

Mouton becomes first female national champion in program history; Plane named coach of year

Submitted photo: Magali Mouton was a three-time national champion for the Iowa Central women.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — It was a meet Magali Mouton will never forget as the Iowa Central swimmer claimed three national titles to lead a pair of Top-3 team finishes for the Tritons.

Mouton swept the three breaststroke events during the four-day event, becoming the first female national champion in Iowa Central history. The men placed second for the second time and the women were third for the fourth time.

Head coach Joe Plane was voted the men’s NJCAA national coach of the year.

All total, the Tritons broke nine school records including three on the final day from Mouton and Lily Wright in the 200 breaststroke, and Kyle McKenzie in the same event.

“With everything the kids went through this year — given all of the COVID restrictions in the classroom, in the pool and the weight room — just to have a national championship (event) was amazing,” Plane said. “We are all very happy to be able to travel to Florida and compete. The kids had worked so hard all season.

“We swam very well across the board; from the top to bottom, our athletes stepped up and competed very, very hard. I could not be prouder of what our team accomplished this year.”

Mouton went 2:23.98 in the prelims, only to be topped by Wright with a time of 2:23.53. McKenzie set the mark at 2:02.09.

McKenzie claimed third in the 200 breaststroke finals in 2:01.76 while Wright placed fourth in the finals of the 200 breaststroke in 2:25.02.

The men’s 400 free relay of Tjeerd Van Stein, Johnathon Turner, Gerard Ijspeert and McKenzie picked up silver in a time of 3:06.78 with the women’s 400 free relay placing third behind Mouton, Wright, Emily Small and Saige Knight. They had a time of 3:44.76.

Van Stein was third in the 200 backstroke (1:50.91) with Turner placing fourth in the 50 butterfly (22.76) and Giles fourth in the 200 breaststroke (2:04.24.

Andrew Iverson was sixth in the 1,650 free, Dylan Jones seventh in the 200 back and Ijspeert eighth in the 1,650 free.

Shannon Murphy collected a fourth in the 50 butterfly (27.14) with Penny Lawrence placing sixth in the 1,650 free, Haley Snawerdt eighth in the 1,650 free, Anna Ridnour eighth in the 200 breaststroke and Small eighth in the 200 back.

Indian River State swept both the men’s and women’s team titles.

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