2003-04 Women’s Swimming and Diving Season Outlook – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/31/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swim & Dive
With a wealth of experience from upper-classmen and the potential of both nationally and internationally ranked freshman, the Ohio State women’s swimming and diving team has high ambitions for the 2003-04 season.
“Our team has really taken a step forward this year,” Jeanne Fleck, head women’s swimming coach, said. “We’ve made some changes to the program to help the team achieve its goals.”
Benefiting from Fleck’s five years with the Buckeyes, the squad will be working with a new assistant and volunteer assistant coach this year.
“The coaching staff has changed, letting us analyze the program and change it up a bit.
“We’re making it so the student-athletes have to be a little more accountable for every practice and where they are,” Fleck said. “With the type of practices we have, the student-athletes will know every time they had a good practice.”
Fleck would like to see lifetime bests achieved at 90 percent this year, along with concentrating on getting wins during the Big Ten dual meet season. Last year, the Buckeyes finished with an overall dual meet record of 7-6 and a ninth place finish at the Big Ten championships.
“We are looking to move up in the Big Ten with a strong team and really work to our potential.”
FREESTYLE
With 19 letterwinners returning, Ohio State returns to the pool with all of its Big Ten point-scorers from last year.
Returning to the squad as one of the team captains is senior Stephanie Raezer, who was named most valuable swimmer last season. Raezer scored 12 first-place and 14 second-place finishes at dual meets last year, along with leading the team at the Big Ten championships, finishing 11th in the 1,650 freestyle and 14th in the 500 freestyle.
Seniors Katie Severson and Lindsay Goodson also are captains and are expected to lead and energize the team. Goodson was part of two records set in both the in both the 400- and 800-yard freestyle relays last year and was named most inspirational swimmer. Severson set five personal records.
Junior Kylie Lancken will lead the team in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyle this season, hoping to advance farther at the Big Tens after competing with an illnes last season at the event.
Prior to being redshirted, sophomore Nicole Maglich was the top distance swimmer on the team, along with setting a personal record last season in the 1,000 freestyle with a time of 10:12.01.
“Maglich was one of our outstanding swimmers in dual meets last year first quarter,” Fleck said. “She’s back and fully prepared to add in the freestyle events.”
Sophomore Meaghan Mahoney is returning after a medical red-shirt and sophomore Kim Reinhardt is returning after a mid-season injury last year. Both look to compliment Severson throughout the season in the freestyle.
The freestyle events also are backed up with seasoned talent, including juniors Ashley Barnes, Kearstin Hetrick, Katie Kolles, Ashley Routson, Kristina Lipskis and Abby Grantstein. Sophomore Morgan O’Connor and freshmen Liz Osterer and Erin Greene are also all expected to contribute in the freestyle events.
BREASTSTROKE
Australian freshman Rebekah Rychvalsky has converted times faster than some team records and as fast as NCAA qualifying times, Fleck said. Possibly one of the best freshmen ever brought to Ohio State for the breaststroke, Rychvalsky placed fifth at Australian Nationals and is returning to Australia in the spring for the Australian Olympic trials.
Raezer will add depth to the event after setting two season’s best times in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke last season, along with Osterer and freshmen Kristan Hopkins and Emily Rosendall backing her up.
BUTTERFLY
Finishing 12th in the 200-yard butterfly last year at the conference championships and posting 19 first-place finishes at dual meets, sophomore Deanna Strunk returns for her second year with the team. Strunk also was named the team’s rookie of the year.
Swapping between individual medley and butterfly, freshman Gulseh Gunenc holds the Turkish national record in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly and is a member of the 2004 Turkish Olympic National team.
“She’s our No. 1 flyer coming in and we expect her to earn some points at the Big Tens,” Fleck said.
Sophomore Erin Green and Lancken are also expected to contribute, along with incoming freshman Steph Fennell. Freshman Allison Bertke and Bojke will also participate in the event.
BACKSTROKE
Junior Katie Kolles will lead the relays in what will be her first year fully recovered from a back injury. Kolles won the 100-yard backstroke in the dual meet vs. Miami (Ohio) last season.
Fennell, a silver medallist in the 100-meter backstroke at the Eastern Canada Cup and a semi-finalist at the Canadian Summer nationals, will bring competitive experience to the event, with Strunk adding speed and Lancken backing them up.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Raezer finished 11th in the 400-yard individual medley at the Big Ten championships last season, with Strunk finishing 10th, both trying to add their experience in the IM’s. Both Raezer and Strunk are U.S. National qualifiers in the individual medley as well. Osterer, along with Gunenc, a national record holder in the 100 and 200-meter individual medley, and Bertke will also guide the event.
THE DIVERS
With his top diver taking home the NCAA platform diving championship for the first time in school history last year, head diving coach Vince Panzano looks to move into his 26th year at Ohio State building on that success.
Gone, however, is Natalia Diea, who claimed that national title for the Buckeyes. Sophomore Rachael Pichacz will lead the Buckeyes in the diving well as the only returning diver. Pichacz took 37th in the 1-meter and 35th in the 3-meter at the Big Tens last year, along with several high place finishes in at the dual meets.
Freshman Ashley Bourland comes in as a two-year state record holder and three-time state champion, along with freshman Anesa Beard, an all-conference, county, mid-state, sectional and regional champion. Freshman Julie Broms, a second-team All-American, and freshman Amber Simmons, a twice-ranked diver at the Winter Nationals, also will make up the squad.
“We recruited four outstanding freshmen with a lot of experience and anticipate them to come in and pick p where our three seniors left off,” Panzano said.
OLYMPIC PROSPECTS
The Buckeyes have several student-athletes preparing for the Olympic trials in the spring, along with all the swimmers who will be trying to reach qualifying standards during the year.
Gunenc has already qualified for the Turkish National Team. Both Australian swimmers Lancken and Rychvalsky will participate in the Australian Olympic trials in April, along with Canadian freshmen swimmers Fennell and Osterer in the Canadian Olympic trials in July.
“Strunk and Raezer have the opportunity to make the Olympic trial cut this season for the U.S. team,” Fleck said. “Its fun to have other things to look forward to during the season and maybe send a few athletes to the Olympics. We want to represent the country and the world.”
The Olympic games will be held in Athens, Greece, Aug. 13-29, 2004.
THE SCHEDULE
The 2003-04 schedule builds up in difficulty for the Buckeyes, allowing time to hone skills and prepare for the Big Ten and NCAA championships.
“We stepped it up a little bit this year,” Fleck said. “Michigan is in November, offering a good challenge early in the season. We will also participate in the Northwestern Invite and plan on taking a few athletes to the Auburn Invitational.
“The second half of the schedule is harder than the first, and we’re prepared to give it our best and really build it up throughout the season.”
