Swimming To New Depths In 2008-09
SWIMMING TO NEW DEPTHS IN 2008-09
CHICOPEE, MA, Oct. 31, 2008 - Though the 2008-09 Elms College men and women's swimming teams appear different on the surface, both have something very much in common - overall depth.
For the first time in the 11-year history of the programs, both teams boast 16-athlete rosters and that fifth-year head coach Bill Tyler optimistic about both the present...and future.
"Our men have versatility and should be a good dual-meet team," Coach Tyler noted. "For our women to be successful, we have to get help from the bottom up, meaning third and fourth place swimmers will need to step up".
MEN'S TEAM
Senior captain Jason DiMauro (New Hartford, CT), junior Mike Starke (Chicopee, MA), and sophomores Joe King (Springfield, MA) and Nick Whitman (Florence, MA) all return after record-setting years last season.
All four qualified for the New England Swimming & Diving Association (NEISDA) and teamed up to set a new school-record in the 800-yard freestyle relay (8:12:53) at the championship.
Individually, Whitman, Starke and King also established new school marks at the NEISDA Championships.
Whitman clocked new butterfly records in both the 100-yard (58:81) and 200-yard (2:17.29) events, Starke set a new 100-yard individual medley (1:01.93) record and King established his new record in the 200-yard backstroke (2:22.69).
The Blazers also boast a talented freshmen class, as Zach LeBarron (Bennington, VT) (freestyle), Tyler Filiault (North Adams, MA) (butterfly/individual medley), Nick Provost (Three Rivers, MA) (freestyle/butterfly), Garrett Brune (Lakeville, MA) (breaststroke, individual medley), Mike Desmond (Nashua, NH) (freestyle, butterfly), Neil Carney (West Haven, CT) (freestyle, backstroke), Albert Reome (Chicopee, MA) (diving) and Adam Tonnesen (Norwich, CT) (freestyle) should all contend for NEISDA-qualifying times this season.
"Zach has more raw sprinting talent than any male swimmer I've coached here in my five years at Elms College," Coach Tyler said. "Garrett should break all of our breaststroke records and Provost is a solid mid-distance swimmer who could be a key relay member for us."
WOMEN'S TEAM
Although the women return no school-record holders from last season, 10 of the 16 swimmers on this year's roster are either freshmen or sophomores and Coach Tyler is quick to note his enthusiasm about the program.
"With such a young team we are building to the future, but I'm looking at our record board and only a handful of those school records are safe this season," Coach Tyler explained.
Sophomore Theresa Pitassi (Naugatuck, CT) (freestyle) and freshmen Ashley Arbo (Rocky Hill, CT) (freestyle, backstroke), Aimee LeBlanc (Dalton, MA) (butterfly, individual medley) and Katie Roberts (Torrington, CT) (freestyle, breaststroke) should all qualify for the season-ending NEISDA Championship.
"Aimee will be the best butterflyer I've had here and Ashley will challenge for our sprint freestyle records," Coach Tyler predicted.
Junior diver Lindsay Koladicz (Wethersfield, CT) could provide crucial points in diving at the GNAC and NEISDA Championships, while junior captain Stephanie Soriano (Cheshire, MA) (butterfly, individual medley) will provide key leadership to a young squad.
"Steph's a true team swimmer and will get us points by swimming in events that others won't," Coach Tyler said.
KEY MEETS
Following three straight road meets to start the season, both teams host St. Joseph's (ME) in their home openers on Sunday, November 16. The women host Smith two days later before both teams return to home action the following Saturday against Colby-Sawyer.
The men then have a long layover before returning to competition on January 10 at Mount St. Mary's (NY), while the women will swim in the GNAC Championships at Simmons on December 5-6. The meet, which used to be a one-day event, will now be hosted over two days for the first time.
From January 10 - February 4, the women compete in seven dual meets, while the men hit the pool five times in dual meet competition before both gear up for both the season-ending NEISDA Championships in late February.
WRAP-UP
Despite the overall youth (14 of the combined 32 swimmers are freshmen); it appears both programs appear poised to build a new era of success this season.
During the past five years, Coach Tyler has continued to build both programs and the results are evident, as the two teams have combined to set and reset more than 200 new school records.
Coach Tyler, however, is quick to note the role assistant coach Corey Soutra has played in recent successes.
"Corey brings a ton of knowledge and experience to our programs," he explained. "We have such an easy give-and-take relationship and our swimmers love her.
"She does so much for all of our athletes and has really developed into my right-hand person on-deck during practices and meets."