Swim teams begin season with high hopes

Saturday, the men's swim team placed fifth while the women's swim team placed seventh at the NCAC relays at Kenyon College to begin their 1997-98 campaign.

Both teams began the season with increased numbers and only three swimmers lost to graduation. Both teams now have 18 swimmers, including a number of first-years.

The Yeowomen have three new divers giving them a total of four and six new first-year swimmers. The stronger numbers indicate stronger teams than previous years, which will hopefully lead to better results.

The teams were not particularly pleased with their times and results from the relays. "We pretty much didn't do well there," Head Coach Dick Michaels said. "Our best swimmers were drowning at the meet."

According to co-captain senior Josh Davis, "Swimmers worry when they start doing well during the season. [The poor relay results] are definitely a sign that we've been training hard."

The men's team picked up seven new first-years, three of National-qualifying caliber, and lost only one swimmer, last year's captain Eric Nordstrom.

The increase in overall team speed has prompted Michaels to extend practices by 15 minutes everyday, tailoring this year's practices to his team's ability. This amounts to about 1000 extra yards (40 laps) each practice, according to junior Julie Chor.

Because of swimmers' desires to improve, the team also does more dry-land training: pushups, leg lifts and sit-ups.

"The quality of this men's team is better than we have had in a real long time," Michaels said. "This team is better overall than the'95 men's team that took 14th at Division III NCAA championships."

The team returns five All-Conference swimmers from last year: seniors Eric Grasha and Rob Pinson, sophomore Paul Pitcher and juniors Jeremy Steinhauer and Matt Soellner.

First-years John Limouze and Sean Davis already swam National Qualifying times in high school.

Four Yeomen swimmers might advance to Nationals this season. In addition to Limouze and Davis, junior Matt Soellner previously has qualifying times. Other National hopefuls include first-year Ivan DeJesus and co-captain senior Clayton Woodson.

The men's team will be more competive with the addition of their first diver since the '94-'95 season, first-year Aaron Hillyear.

The results at the NCAC relays indicated a team who is worn out from tough workouts. Individually, the swimmer who had put in the least amount of yardage during workouts performed the best at the NCAC Relays last Saturday.

That swimmer was Steinhauer, who swam a 5:10.45 500-yard freestyle in the three-man 1500 yard relay, the fastest Oberlin 500-yard freestyle on the day. He owned the second-fastest 100-yard individual medley split in the 400-IM relay for a Yeoman and sprinted the second fastest 50-yard at 23.75.

Steinhauer performed well at the meet, precisely because he had not been in the pool for two of the last three weeks. Three weeks ago he cut and bruised his heel on a flip turn during practice, giving him the rest he needed to be fresh for this meet.

Soellner has been a swimmer on a mission all season. He sprinted the fastest 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.89. Soellner also owned the fast 100-yard IM split at 58.35 and the fastest 50-yard breaststroke split at 28.75.

Other top performers were Sean Davis with a 5:10.86 500-yard freestyle split, Grasha was the fastest 50-yard backstroker with a time of 26.39 and Woodson swam a 23.66 50-yard fly earning Yeomen first-place honors for the swim.

After the meet the teams ended the day the way they always end their days after the swim team has a meet, with a meal at the All You Can Eat Buffet at the Ponderosa Bar and Grill.

The Yeowomen have high expectations for this season. In addition to 12 returning swimmers, the women have six first-years on the team, and four divers including senior Hannah Borthwick.

Both captains, senior Beth Lowe and junior Clara Stemwedel, look especially improved. Lowe set a personal best at the NCAC Relays with a sub 28 second 50-yard freestyle sprint. Stemwedel has been making intervals in practice that she has never done before including sub six minute 500-yard freestyle splits.

The team is also looking to sophomore Andrea Lindborg for key performances this season.

Michaels expects good things from the six first-years, but the team is still unable to attract National-Caliber women because the women's team has never had the success of the men's team in the past.

Competing in the toughest Division III swimming conference in the country, with Kenyon College and Denison University vying for Conference and NCAA supremacy in both men's and women's swimming, the team goes into meets knowing full well that they will get creamed.

"We are proud of it," Josh Davis said. "We are not swimming in any little pond, we are swimming in the biggest little pond that you can get in Division III."

Saturday, the Yeomen and Yeowomen travel to Denison in their first dual-meet of the season. Denison placed second at the NCAA championships last year and should present a challenge.

"We go to Denison to get our doors blown off," Michaels said.

Raise your right hand: Two Yeowomen practice their backstroke and try not to swallow too much of Carr Pool's chlorinated water.(photo by John Matney)
Flip-turn: During practice a Yeoman prepares to change directions as quickly as possible, momentarily letting his feet get out of the water. (photo by John Matnety)