Chuck Allison didn't have lofty goals when he joined the Ohio State University swimming and diving team two years ago.

As a relative newcomer to the sport, the Buckeye walk-on wasn't sure what was in store for him.

"I was a late bloomer," said Allison, a former Case High School standout. "When I entered high school, I played some other sports and I never trained year round for swimming."

Allison now trains all year and has emerged as competitive collegiate swimmer. This season, as a sophomore, he accomplished plenty.

Allison set an Ohio State record during a Jan. 31 quadrangular meet at Columbus, Ohio, winning the 100-yard butterfly in 47.21 seconds.

"I had been swimming fast in practice, but nothing indicated I would go as fast as I did," said Allison, who set the school record in front of his parents, Linda and Michael Cornwell of Franklin. "I had a pretty substantial drop, which isn't uncommon in swimming.

"But I don't think anyone, including myself, expected to have that big of a drop. My previous best time was 49.27. I dropped to 47.21."

Setting a school record would be the highlight of a season for most swimmers, but Allison had two other unforgettable moments.

The first came at the recent Big Ten Conference championships at West Lafayette, Ind., where Allison lowered his school record by going 47.18 in the preliminary round.

The second came in the same meet when he swam a leg on the Buckeyes' 400 medley relay. Ohio State was timed in a school-record 3:10.31. Allison's split was 46.33.

That time could earn Allison and his 400 medley teammates a spot in the NCAA Tournament, which is March 26-28 at College Station, Texas.

While Allis is looking forward to competing on a national level, he would also love to qualify in the 100 butterfly.

"I want to be at 46 (seconds) this year and, by the end of my career, be at 45," said Allison, a kinesiology major. "That time would be in the top eight, probably the top three at the NCAAs."

Basketball

With Jayce Apelgren (Waterford) leading the way, Lawrence University nearly upset Washington (Mo.) University in an NCAA Division III first-round tournament game Friday night at Elmhurst, Ill.

Apelgren had 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds in Lawrence's 67-65 loss. Lawrence, the Midwest Conference champion, is ranked 20th in the D3hoops.com poll, while Washington University is ranked No. 2

Guard Jamie DeMatthew (St. Catherine's) contributed two points and two assists in eight minutes off the bench for Lawrence (19-7).

Women's basketball

Tiffany Pugh (Waterford) sparked UW-Oshkosh to a 62-59 victory over UW-Superior in a recent Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game. Pugh, a sophomore guard, scored a game-high 17 points - far above her season average of 5.4.

Pugh, who was nominated for WIAC Athlete of the Week honors, has appeared in 22 of the Titans' 25 games this season. She has started four games.

* Mara Hagopian (Prairie School) started 16 games at guard this season for Lawrence University. Hagopian averaged 3.8 points and 29.6 minutes a game.

Swimming and diving

Bryan Dykstra (Horlick) had UW-Eau Claire's best finish in the recent Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships at the Walter Schroeder Aquatics Center in Brown Deer.

Dykstra, a senior, placed second with a score of 498.45 in the 3-meter diving competition.

Eau Claire junior Ken Ritt (Horlick) was fourth with a score of 393.55.

* UW-La Crosse freshman Trey Edgerle (Case) was nominated for WIAC Diver of the Week honors from Feb. 2-8 after winning the 3-meter competition in a dual meet with UW-Whitewater. Edgerle had a score of 222.15.

* UW-La Crosse junior Danielle Gray (Park) was recently chosen the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Swimming Athlete of the Week.

Gray won the 100-yard butterfly at 59.43 and 200-yard medley at 2:14.15 in La Crosse's 181-57 victory over UW-Whitewater.

Football

There are literally thousands of college students who pick up extra cash by officiating intramural sports.

There are few who earn the title of All-American, though.

That distinction has been bestowed on Marcus Staton (Burlington). Staton, a fourth-year bio-medical engineering student at the University of South Carolina, was one of 16 individuals given All-America referee status after he worked the American Collegiate Intramural Sports Flag Football national championships in New Orleans.

Staton worked 12 games in three days at the national tournament.

"To be recognized as one of the top 16 officials in the nation … it was truly amazing," Staton said.

Wrestling

UW-Whitewater finished third in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conferece championships.

Two former Racine County standouts - Tyler Dombeck and Matt Schuck - competed for the Warhawks this season.

Dombeck, a freshman from Park High, had a 6-6 record at 149 pounds, and Schuck, a junior from Catholic Central High, had a 7-8 record, also at 149 pounds.

Track and field

Carthage sophomore Prentis Wilbourne (Case) placed third in the triple jump at 44 feet, 8 inches at the recent Keck Invitational at Bloomington, Ill.

Women's gymnastics

Two former Racine County gymnasts - UW-La Crosse junior Erin Sommer (Horlick) and UW-Oshkosh freshman Jaslyn Essman (Burlington) - were recently nominated for Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference Athlete of the Week honors.

Sommer turned in a strong showing at the 28th annual Gershon/McLellan Invitational at La Crosse, placing third on the balance at 9.450 and finishing fourth in the floor exercise at 9.450.

Essman was a double winner in a dual meet against Gustavus Adolphus (Minn). College. Essman won the vault at 9.225 and the floor exercise at 9.15.