Synchronized Swimming To Host The North Regional Championship On Saturday – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/29/2000 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
Feb. 29, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio— The Buckeyes are rounding out their 2000 season hosting the North Regionals this Saturday starting at 8:30a.m. in the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center at Larkins Hall. The teams competing in the championship are Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan State.The stakes are big as the winner of this meet will compete in the upcoming Collegiate Nationals the following weekend, March 16-18 to wrap up the season.
Last Time Out
While the `A’ team was off last weekend, the Buckeyes’ `B’ team competed at Minnesota Sunday and took first place by defeating Carleton College (2nd), Minnesota (3rd), Iowa, and Michigan.
The Buckeyes had a solid showing, capturing first place in every routine event and nabbing the top 10 places in the figure competition. Alisha Hendren received first place in figures with the score of 79.241.
Leilani Torres stood out to take first in the solo competition with the score of 85.533.
In the team event the Buckeyes outdistanced the competition posting first place with the score of 92.200 to second place Minnesota which scored 79.483. The Buckeyes’ team event competitors were Ann Marie Altman, Marietta Aruta, Anna Eng, Ellen Faulhaber, Alisha Hendren, Suzanna Hyatt, Andrea McGirr, and Sharon Mejia.
Luck Of The Irish
Tarin Forbes, Beth Kreimer, and Heather Moore are making big waves with their trio routine this season. Head Coach Linda Lichter-Witter proudly calls them the Irish trio for their awesome performance to a Gaelic Irish song. The trio could possibly be competing at North Regionals this weekend. Preparing For Collegiate Nationals
It is getting down to crunch time with the Collegiate National Championship just two weeks away (March 16-18) and this time on the Buckeyes’ turf at the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center at Larkins Hall.
For the last two years, the Buckeyes have been the National Runners-up in the Championship but were also the reigning National Champions from 1990-1997. Last season, they were edged by Stanford by a score of 92.2-91.3.
This year Wichter is optimistic that the team can regain the Championship title.
“We are going to be testing out some new combinations this weekend at North Regionals and if everything works we could possibly use them at the Collegiate National Competition,” Wichter said.
Head Coach Linda Lichter-Witter
Head Coach Lichter-Witter has nearly three decades of coaching experience. She is in her fifth year of coaching the OSU synchronized swimming team and maintains an outstanding record of 161-3 overall and 59-3 as a Buckeye. She is 14-0 this season so far.
Under Lichter-Witter, the Buckeyes have won two national championships already and have been national runners-up twice in the last four years. She has also earned four regional titles for the Scarlet &Gray.
Lichter-Witter has coached 26 All-Americans, one USSSI Collegiate Swimmer of the Year, Ana Cukic, and three Olympians.
Moraes Twins Prepare For Summer Games
All-America twins Carolina and Isabela Moraes will be competing in the 2000 Olympic summer games in Sydney, Australia. The twins will represent their native country of Brazil in the duet competition. Following Collegiate Nationals they will take the spring quarter off in order to prepare for and compete in the pre-Olympics held in Australia in April. Then on to the Olympics in late September.
The `A’ Team
Head Coach Lichter-Witter has a prospective `A’ team in mind for competition at Collegiate Nationals. The talented eight will include Mary Hofer, Kristin Price, Isabela and Carolina Moraes, Tarin Forbes, Alia Arbas, Beth Kreimer, and Heather Moore.
Lichter-Witter has high hopes that this team will deliver a first place finish at the Collegiate Nationals.
