Miami was expected simply to challenge Eastern Michigan for the men's Mid-American Conference swimming and diving championship this weekend, not dominate the meet. But dominate is exactly what the RedHawks did.

Miami took a 65-point lead over the Eagles last Thursday, which it boosted up to 100.5 points Friday. Eastern Michigan staged a comeback attempt Saturday, the meet's final day, but the RedHawks would not concede first place. They left with their second men's MAC Championship in three years. The final score was Miami 776.5 points, Eastern Michigan 763.

Toledo was third with 520.50 points, followed by Ohio with 495. Northern Illinois, Buffalo, Bowling Green and Ball State finished fifth through eighth, respectively.

"Miami really established themselves from day one," Ohio head coach Greg Werner said. "They had a big boost from the six divers they brought, which was twice as many as any other school had."

The RedHawks cleaned up in the post-meet awards department. Coaches Pete Lindsey and Todd Spohn were named MAC Coach of the Year and MAC Diving Coach of the Year, respectively. Kevin Northup won three individual events and swam on four relays for Miami, which led to his MAC Swimmer of the Year award. Brian Davis was first in both diving events to earn the Diver of the Year honor.

Northup was first in the 200 individual medley in one minute, 48.62 seconds; the 100 butterfly in 47.91 seconds, which was a Michael J. Jones Natatorium, MAC and MAC Championships record; and the 200 fly in 1:45.83, which was also a Jones Natatorium, MAC and MAC championships record. The 200 fly time also automatically qualified Northup to go to the NCAA Championships March 25 to March 27 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Davis scored 498.05 in the three-meter to make him an NCAA zone qualifier in that event. Davis also qualified in the one-meter, which he won Thursday.

Ohio was in third at the end of day two, though the Bobcats couldn't hold off Toledo on the meet's final day. Their performance in this year's championships was a vast improvement over last year's.

"(We are ) very excited, very upbeat about our performance," Werner said. "We were 145 points out of third last year. This year we were only 25 behind (Toledo). We really had to have some things happen and we certainly did."

Mentally, the Bobcats had a better year as well.

"The whole team's attitude was great," swimmer Vermund Vetnes said. "It was so much more fun this year, really being up there and fighting with Toledo. This year was so much better than last year."

Vetnes was one of Ohio's leading performers in the pool. He set an Ohio team record in the 100 free with a time of 45.33 seconds. He placed fourth in the event. Vetnes also anchored two relays that set school records, the 200 free relay (1:22.44) and the 400 free relay (3:01.03). Alberto Moraes, Joe Grigas and Devin Scanlon joined Vetnes on the third-place and second-place relay teams.

Pat Kennedy's second-place time in the 200 backstroke, 1:49.91, was another record for Ohio.

Vetnes and Doug Grebe, whose 3:58.57 performance in the 400 IM placed him fourth in the event and the time of 15:40.51 in the 1650 free secured third for him, were named to the All-MAC first team. Kennedy and Nick Melillo earned spots on the All-MAC second team.

Divers Kacy Culver and Brian Billips had strong performances in the three-meter event to follow up their second-place and fourth-place performances in Thursday's one-meter. Both were NCAA zone qualifiers with scores of 491.50 and 482.00, respectively, for second and third places.