Swimming
& Diving Makes Splash in Florida
by Blake Rehberg
The
Oberlin swimming and diving team packed more intensity into Winter
Term than the average sleep-past-noon Obie. They started the month
with a week-long training trip in Florida, before coming back for
a meet against Case Western Reserve and Wooster on Saturday, Jan.
12. They followed with back-to-back meets against John Carroll University
and Kenyon on Jan. 18 and 19.
After returning from Florida and workouts of over 10,000 meters
a day, the Oberlin swimming and diving team traveled to Case Western
for a tri-meet the following day. Although the teams overall
performance was disappointing, there were some excellent individual
times, including some personal bests.
Sophomore Meagan Dunphy-Daly had her seventh consecutive personal
best in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:14.02. First-year Kim
Davis and senior Karen Grushka both gave excellent performances
with times very near their season bests. Senior Malaika Jeter returned
from a semester abroad in England and jumped right into the season
cranking out a time of 27.76 in the 50 free. Junior Todd Wedge provided
two season bests with times of 12:08 in the 1000 free and 5:45 in
the 500 free.
Weve had a lot of illness this year, Head Coach
Dick Michaels said. Its been tough.
Illness was particularly a problem for the meets against John Carroll
and Kenyon, reducing the Oberlin mens team to just seven swimmers.
Again the team performance was disappointing, but there were some
noteworthy individual races.
Wedge again achieved a season best by dropping another second from
his time for the 1000 free. Sophomore Chuck Treatman and first-year
David Kreiss-Tomkins both achieved season best times in the 100
back.
The next day, Treatman made season bests in the 100 and 200 backstroke.
Once again, Wedge achieved a season best in the 1000 free.
The women had a few more swimmers than the men did but were still
unable to come up with a win against John Carroll. However, they
did turn out some excellent individual performances. Senior Celeste
Mercer won all three events that she swam. Senior Becky Ducore turned
out a lifetime best of 1:14.09 in the 1000 free. Sophomore Adrienne
Zoller produced a lifetime best in the 100 breast with a time of
1:17.24. Sophomore Nikki Middaugh was also a triple winner, competing
in the breast leg of the medley, the 200 IM and the 100 breast.
Against Kenyon, the womens team came within just eight points
of winning the meet. Sophomore Lindsey Martin-McCormick had her
season best in the 1000m free completing it in just over 11:59.
Sophomore Nina Calderon had her lifetime best in the same event
with a time of 12:52.02. Senior Hannah Gotschall won the 200 back
with a time of 2:26.51, a season best for her.
The Oberlin swimming team goes into the North Coast Athletic Conference
championship next Wednesday with several individuals who could make
the National Division III Championship.
The Yeomen will be lead by sophomore Burt Betchart, who has a chance
to qualify for the NCAA championship in the 200 IM, 100 and 200
backstroke events. Last year, Betchart finished in the top six of
all three events at the NCACs.
First-year Ben Pierce could be a finalist in the 100, 200 and 500
free. Sophomore Joel Ketner has two chances for finals in the 100
and 200 breaststroke events. Senior captain Rahula Strohl will be
swimming on all five relay teams and has his best chance to make
the finals in the 100 butterfly.
The Oberlin womens swimming team will be lead into the NCAC
championships by Senior All-American Celeste Mercer, who holds eight
individual Oberlin varsity records. Celeste already has a B
cut for NCAAs in the 100 backstroke, but will be trying to improve
her time in her last NCAC championship meet.
Right now, I dont think her B cut is going to go to
nationals, Michaels said. Its a really slow B
cut.
Mercer was a two-time All-American in her sophomore year, but didnt
perform as well in her junior year.
This year, were trying to duplicate what happened her
sophomore year, Michaels said.
Middaugh, Gottschall and Ducore were all consolation finalists last
year, meaning that although they were not in the top eight, they
were in the second heat, and they stand to do well again. This is
quite an achievement in this conference, which is consistently one
of the best in the country.
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