Synchronized Swimming Team Hosts The OSU College Association Meet – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
Feb. 9, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio— The OSU College Association Meet will be held Saturday in the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center located in Larkins Hall. Competing at the meet will be Penn State, Mary Washington College, Iowa, Michigan, Walsh University, and Miami (O.). The compulsory round will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the routine events will begin at noon.
Last Time For OSU
The Buckeyes took their first road trip with the `A’ team traveling to Alabama-Birmingham and the `B’ team at Walsh. Swimming before the largest crowd this season with 500 in attendance at UAB’s new aquatic center made for an exciting meet.
” It was amazing having that kind of crowd support,” said head coach, Linda Lichter-Witter.
Both the `A’ squad and the `B’ squad took home first-place honors. The `A’ team beat Alabama-Birmingham by a score of 96-92. The `B’ team won decidedly with a score of 101, defeating Walsh (89.5), Illinois (52), and Michigan (80.5).
All-America twins, Isabela and Carolina Moraes (So., St. Paulo, Brazil), were unable to compete with the `A’ team at Alabama-Birmingham due to a family matter.
“We didn’t have Isabela or Carolina but because of the depth of our team we were able to replace them and still come in first place,” Lichter-Witter said.
Isabela and Carolina will continue their winning streak on Saturday. The team looks forward to their return.
Ahead Of The Rest
The `A’ Team competed in their first team routine event of the season last Saturday and received first place. Victoria Bowen, (Fr., Plano, TX), nabbed first place for the `A’ team in the solo event. Beth Kreimer, (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) and Heather Moore (Tonowanda, N.Y.) took first in the duet event. Tarin Forbes, (Sr., Carrieri, Costa, Rica), Kreimer and Moore won first in the trio event as well.
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 150-3 overall and 48-3 as a Buckeye. With her leadership, the Buckeyes have won two national championships and 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.
Take Two Against Alabama-Birmingham
The Ohio State – UAB meet was actually a re-match as the Buckeyes bettered Alabama-Birmingham in a season-opening tri-meet Jan. 22.
OSU beat Alabama-Birmingham 102-46 the first meeting. The re-match on their turf was tougher but the Buckeyes again prevailed with a score of 96-92.
Frosh Bowen Continues to Excel
Victoria Bowen, (Fr., Plano, Texas) continues to make an impressive debut in collegiate synchronized swimming. Bowen has claimed back-to-back first-place honors for the `A’ team in her first season of competition. Bowen received first place in the solo event at the OSU Tri-Meet on Jan. 22 and then went on for another impressive first place win in the UAB meet last weekend.
All-America Duet Returns To Action
All-America performers, twins Isabela and Carolina Moraes (So., St. Paulo, Brazil), will return to action this weekend, having missed the meet last weekend at Alabama-Birmingham for a family matter. In the home opener vs. UAB and Miami (O.) (Jan. 22) the two captured the duet event and joined Mary Hofer in claiming the trio event.
Buckeyes To Host National Championships
The Ohio State synchronized swimming team will host the USSSI Collegiate National Championship March 16-18 at the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center. The Buckeyes reigned as National Champions from 1990-97 and have been the National Runners-Up for the past two years.
