The Last Ditch Meet Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, was a final chance for many swimmers to cut times and try to qualify for NCAA Nationals.

Even though the Eastern men’s team did not make the cuts, they were able to break some program records.

Eastern head coach Matt Bos said the 200-free relay team, composed of freshmen Colin McGill, John Wilson, Ken Tiltges and sophomore Tyler Hsieh, broke the school record for the relay.

“We re-broke the men’s 200-free relay record,” Bos said. “We went two-tenths faster, which is nice.”

Bos said the 200-free relay team is a half-second away from making the national cut, but he thinks they are getting close.

“The relays were getting close,” Bos said. “Our relay is about 80th in the country. We are about a half-second off where we need to be right now. We are working our way down there.”

The coach also said some times improved from the Summit League Championship meet.

Tiltges and freshman Joe Ciliak each broke the men’s 100-yard breaststroke record in the same meet. Ciliak had a 57.27 mark in the 100, with Titles going after him with a 57.24 cut.

Previously, sophomore Matt O’Hagan held the record, swimming 57.37 in this year’s Summit League Championship.

Bos said sophomore Rich Waszack swam the 100-yard butterfly, an event he did not compete in the conference meet.

“His time was the fourth best time in school history,” Bos said. “This is an event he really didn’t do well here, but he jumped in. For next year, it helps me to have the possibility to switch some of his events to see if he could score a little higher to get some points.”

Overall this season, the men’s team had seven records that were re-written.

Bos said there are many junior and senior-led relay squads while his relay teams have three freshmen, with a sophomore or junior leading them.

“We feel like we made a lot of gains this year and we are going to keep getting better and better because our guys are so young,” Bos said. “As they keep maturing and getting better, we are getting put into a good spot.”

Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7944 or rtbajek@eiu.edu.