Ohio State Plays Host To The U.S. Collegiate National Championships This Weekend – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
March 14, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio— It’s getting down to crunch time for the Ohio State synchronized swimming team with the Collegiate National Championships beginning Thursday in the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center Varsity Pool in Larkins Hall. The competition, which runs through Saturday, will feature 19 teams from around the country.%^$
%^$Teams participating include: Alabama, Alaska Southeast, California, Canisius College, Carleton College, College of William and Mary, Keuka College, Mary Washington Terrapins, Miami (O.), Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Richmond, Stanford, Walsh, and Wheaton.%^$
%^$Admission to the championships will be free Thursday and Friday. An admission fee of $5 will be charged for the finals round Saturday.%^$
%^$No Strangers To Success
%^$For the last two years, the Buckeyes have been the National Runners-up to Stanford. Over the last 23 years, however, Ohio State has claimed 19 titles, including 13 consecutive from 1985-1997.%^$
%^$Last Year At Collegiate Nationals
%^$This year head coach Linda Lichter-Witter is optimistic about her squad’s success in the national championship. The Buckeyes have mounted a 21-0 season so far and are focused on regaining the national title which has eluded them for the past two years.%^$
%^$Last year, Ohio State was edged by Stanford 92.2 to 91.3 but its young talent and veteran leadership could just be the combination its takes to come out victorious.%^$
%^$Brazilian Olympians Carolina and Isabela Moraes (So., Sao Paulo, Brazil) are the defending champions in the duet, and along with Mary Hofer (So., Spring Valley, Calif.), teamed up to capture the trio competition. Seniors Heather Moore (Tonawanda, N.Y.) and Tarin Forbes (Los Gatos, Calif.) will anchor this year’s “A” team.%^$
%^$The `A’ Team
%^$Head Coach Linda Lichter-Witter has a prospective `A’ team in mind for the competition this weekend. The talented eight will include Mary Hofer, Kristin Price, Isabela and Carolina Moraes, Tarin Forbes, Alia Arbas, Beth Kreimer, and Heather Moore.%^$
%^$Lichter-Witter has high hopes that this team will deliver a first-place finish at the Collegiate Nationals.%^$
%^$The routine is to Egyptian music
%^$”I think we can score a 10 with this one,” Lichter-Witter said.%^$
%^$The choreography for this routine is different than the typical choreography for OSU.%^$
%^$”It’s the new look for the new millennium,” assistant coach, Holly Vargo-Brown said.%^$
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%^$2000 U.S. Collegiate National Championships Schedule%^$Wednesday, March 15%^$9a.m.- 5p.m. Team practices%^$1p.m. Synchro Challenge%^$
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%^$Thursday, March 16%^$9a.m.- 11a.m. Solo semifinal%^$11:30a.m.- 3p.m. Duet semifinal%^$4p.m.- 6:30p.m. Trio semifinal%^$
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%^$Friday, March 17%^$9a.m.- 10-30a.m. “C” Figure competition%^$11a.m.- 1p.m. “B” Figure competition%^$1:30p.m.- 4-30p.m. “A” Figure competition%^$5:30p.m.- 7:45p.m. Team semifinal competition%^$
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%^$Saturday, March 18%^$10a.m.- 10:15a.m. Parade of Athletes%^$10:20a.m.-11:15a.m. Trio finals%^$11:20a.m.-12:15p.m. Duet finals%^$1p.m.-2p.m. Solo finals%^$2p.m.-3:15p.m. Team finals%^$3:30p.m.-4:30p.m. Awards ceremony%^$
%^$Alumni To Attend Collegiate Nationals
%^$Nearly 100 OSU synchronized swimming team alumnae will be attending the Collegiate National Championship next weekend including a special performance by U.S. National Team members, Becky Jastonek and Emily Marsh Thursday at 4 p.m. Alumnae who competed in the ’30s as the OSU Swan Club are also expected to attend.%^$
%^$Head Coach Linda Lichter-Witter
%^$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 168-3 overall and 66-3 as a Buckeye. She is 21-0 this season so far. She has also earned four regional titles for the Scarlet &Gray.%^$
%^$Under Lichter-Witter, the Buckeyes have won two national championships (1996-97) and finished as national runners-up for the last two years (1998-99).%^$
%^$Lichter-Witter has coached 26 All-Americans, one USSSI Collegiate Swimmer of the Year, Ana Cukic, and three Olympians.%^$
%^$U.S. National Qualifiers
%^$Ann Marie Altman, Anna Eng, Andrea McGirr, Alia Arbas, and Kristen Price all competed last weekend in St. Louis, Mo., in the North Zone competition which determines qualifying status for U.S. Nationals April 25-May 1 in Washington, D.C. The entire team will compete in the competition.%^$
%^$Moraes Twins Prepare For Summer Games
%^$All-America twins Carolina and Isabela Moraes (So., Sao, Paulo, Brazil) 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 Spring Quarter off in order to prepare for and compete in pre-Olympic competition in Australia in April.
