2002-03 Women’s Swimming Season Outlook – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swim & Dive
The 2002-03 Ohio State women’s swimming and diving team is an even mix of experienced swimmers and newcomers, which includes nine freshmen.
“We have a stronger team this year,” Jeanne Fleck, women’s swimming head coach, said. The entire team’s attitude has changed; everyone trains really hard and wants to help our team move up in the Big Ten Conference. Some of the women stayed here and trained this summer or trained in their hometowns and are getting stronger for the season.”
“We are looking forward to competition. We are swimming against teams that we have never competed against before. This will definitely prepare us to be competitive at the Big Ten championships.”
Fleck is expecting to see a definite difference between last year’s team and this year’s squad.
“The team this year will be different we will be more aggressive and we plan to have a great year,” Fleck said.
Last season, the Buckeyes finished with an overall record of 5-8-1 and 0-5-1 in the Big Ten.
“We need to improve on our record if we want to contend for a conference title,” the fourth-year head coach said. “Last year at the Big Ten meet, 90 percent of our points were scored by freshmen and sophomores. This year we are ready to compete on any level.”
Freestyle
With nine letterwinners returning, the Ohio State women’s swimming team will once again be young, though several of the upperclassmen will be counted on for their experience and also in leadership roles.
Returning for the Buckeyes is sophomore Kylie Lancken, who arrived from Sydney, Australia in the middle of last season and immediately gave the Buckeyes a boost in the freestyle and relay events. She posted top times in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49.80) and was a member of Ohio State’s top four relay squads. At the Big Ten championships, Lancken scored in the Top 10 in the 200-yard medley relay, the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay.
“Lancken has great potential and power to score and go to the NCAA championship,” Fleck said of last year’s newcomer of the year.
Stephanie Raezar, who was voted the most improved swimmer on the team a year ago, had a team-high five top times. She had team bests in the 500 free (4:53.25), the 1,000 free (10:17.89) and the 1,650 free (16:48.43), while finishing in the Top 16 in all three events. In addition, she also topped the team in both individual medleys. She swam 2:08.91 in the 200 IM and finished the 400 IM in 4:22.91.
Katie Severson will contribute to the Buckeyes in the sprint events. Severson has top times in the 50 free (23.7) and in the 100 free (51.53). Severson stepped up for the Buckeyes last season, competing in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Severson also was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team.
Nicole Hamilton is a team captain, who brings energy and motivation to the team. Hamilton, who was named Academic All-Big Ten, will also provide depth in the sprint freestyle events.
Freshman Nicole Maglich is the team’s top freestyler coming in with a chance of scoring in three events at Big Ten championships in the 500, 200 and 1,650 freestyle events.
“Maglich will be a big person for us, we will look to her to back us up in all three events,” Fleck said.
Amanda Treleaven, a top returnee in the backstroke, is expected to contribute for the Buckeyes in the freestyle relays this year. She is a member of the 800-yard freestyle relay that owns the pool record and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2002.
Ashley Barnes, Kim Bojko, Lindsay Goodson, Abigail Grantstein, Katie Kolles, Kristina Lipkis, Ashley Routson, Rachel Helfrich and Kearstin Hetrick are all experienced swimmers who will back up the Buckeyes in the freestyle events.
Freshmen Erin Greene, Lindsey Smith, Morgan O’Connor, Kim Reinhardt, and Meghan Mahoney are all expected to contribute in the freestyle events.
Butterfly
The top freshman will be Deanna Strunk in the 200-yard butterfly. Strunk, a high school All-American has a top high school time of 2:10.50 in the 200-fly. The Buckeyes will also rely on senior Stacy Lowry, an Academic All-Big Ten selection last year, as a backup in the butterfly. She is one of the team captains and top 200 flyers with a top time of 2:09.17.
Freshman Erin Greene should also be a top flyer in the 100 fly. She has a high school best time of 58.3 in the event. Freshman Natalie Bojko will compete in the 100 and 200 fly. She has a high school best time of 1:00.4 in the 100 fly. Kylie Lancken will also provide backing in the butterfly event in addition to competing in the freestyle and backstroke events.
Backstroke
Amada Treleaven has provided the Buckeyes with speed and agility in the 50-yard backstroke. Treleaven owns the school record in the 100 back (56.22) and had the top times of the team last year in both the 100 (56.39) and 200 back (2:02.53).
Sophomore Katie Kolles will back up Treleaven in the 100 and 200 back. At the Big Ten championships last season, Kolles contributed in the 400-yard freestyle relay that placed ninth with a score of 3:28.02.
Kristina Lipskis, a returnee for the Buckeyes, stepped to the forefront last year helping the Buckeyes earn points at the Big Ten championships. This year, Lipskis provides the team with added experience with hopes of moving up in the Big Ten. Freshman Deanna Strunk, who has great speed, will participate in the 200 back.
Breaststroke
Freshman Marianne Sharp and sophomore Megan Hasselschwert will contribute in the breaststroke and relay events. Stephanie Raezar will contribute by backing up the breaststroke events throughout the season.
Individual Medley
Stephanie Raezer is the top returnee in this event with a NCAA qualifying time in the 400-yard individual medley and is tops in the 200 IM. Backing her up will be freshman Deanna Strunk she will give the Buckeyes the energy they need to compete in the IM’s.
Stacy Lowry helped carry the Buckeyes last year and will aid them even more this year to secure the conference title. Amanda Treleaven, a dominant backstroker, also will compete in the IM’s. She will be lending her experience as a role player in the IM events, but could help the Buckeyes in the dual meets.
The Divers
Natalia Diea will provide the Buckeyes with competitive experience on the team. She is a top returnee who redshirted last season after finishing sixth in platform diving at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in 2001, which garnered First Team All-American honors. She was also a Big Ten Champion and earned All-Big Ten mention.
Jillian Cicione placed in the Top 5 during regular season and is expected to have an even better season. Melanie Johnson will provide the Buckeyes with the depth needed that will help the Buckeyes compete for the Big Ten title.
The freshman class also includes one diver, Rachael Pichacz, who was an East Coast national qualifier and conference champion.
The Schedule
The 2002-03 schedules give the young Buckeyes a chance to gain experience especially for the freshman class.
The Buckeyes will have the home advantage in eight of twelve meets during this fall.
“We start the season with teams that we normally do not compete against,” Fleck said.
The Buckeyes have non-conference meets with Miami (Ohio), which is the top team in the Mid-American Conference, and Ohio University, which is another top team in the MAC. The Buckeyes will also compete against traditionally strong teams in the Big Ten like Indiana and Northwestern.
Ohio State will play host to non-conference meets with Utah, Louisville, Bowling Green, Cleveland State, West Virginia and Akron.
“We need the experience if we are going to move up in the big ten conference. Our well-rounded schedule can help us do that,” Fleck said.
