Ohio State Returns Home for First Meet in McCorkle Pavilion – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swim & Dive
Nov. 9, 2005
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State women’s swimming and diving team returns from their win on the road to open its tenure in the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The Buckeyes will compete against two Big Ten schools in their home opener. Michigan and Purdue will join Ohio State Friday at 3 p.m.
All But One
Ohio State opened the 2005-06 season with a 171-124 win over the Bowling Green Falcons Nov. 3 in Cooper Pool. The Buckeyes won 15 of 16 events, including a double win in the diving well.
Nicole Maglich and Gulsah Gunenc each won three events during the meet. Maglich claimed the 500- and 1,000-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke events while Gunenc claimed her wins in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard individual medley.
Three Buckeyes, Griet Buelens, Rebekah Rychvalsky and Anesa Beard, each had double-wins during the meet, with Linda Lund claiming the 15th win in the 50-yard freestyle.
A New Home
Ohio State aquatics opened its new home: the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The building hosts the Mike Peppe Natatorium, a 50-meter world-class competition pool and the Ron O’Brien Diving Well. The new site also contains three additional pools, including practice pools for the team. Spectator seating, team locker rooms and new offices for the aquatic staff all compliment the main attractions. The facility is expected to draw in events on every level.
Home Pool Advantage
The new natatorium already has drawn in two championships for the 2005-06 season. Both the women’s 2006 Big Ten Championships and the 2006 NCAA Diving Regional Qualifying Championships will be held at the new home of Buckeye swimming and diving.
“The women can’t wait,” Jeanne Fleck said. “They’re so excited. The parents are excited. It’s going to be a blast. We swim really well at home, so it will be really exciting.”
The Big Ten championships, held Feb. 15-18, will be the first time the Ohio State women’s team has hosted the event. The diving qualifying championships will be held three weeks later, March 10-12, and will host both male and female divers from all over the region. The qualifying championships are the final step for divers to qualify for the NCAA championships.
Captains
Fleck has selected three swimmers to guide the team as captains. Senior Nicole Maglich, who won numerous events in dual-meets last season and competed at NCAA in three events, is expected to guide the team in the pool. Fellow senior Erin Greene has the honor of being named captain. Greene was voted most improved by the team last season and recorded times that were in the team’s Top 5 times of the season. Rounding out the trio is junior Stephanie Fennell. Fennell clocked the fastest time for the team in the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard individual medley.
Senior Leadership
Nicole Maglich and Erin Greene are joined by Morgan O’Connor and Natalie Bojko in representing the senior class. O’Connor set two personal-best times last season. Bojko also set her own personal-best times last season and was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
“They’re all really good friends which helps them to be good leaders,” Fleck said. “They’ve just done a great job. They have helped build this program with their attitudes and their work ethics.”
A Look At Michigan
The No. 14 Michigan Wolverines have opened their season with a 1-2 record. The two losses came from No. 9 California (167-128) and most recently No. 1 Georgia (170-122), while the only win came against Big Ten opponent Michigan State (158-128).
In the diving well, the Wolverines have dominated. Elyse Lee has won four individual events to start the season, including a double-board win over the No. 1 Bulldogs. Swimmer Susan Gilliam has won two individual races this season and set an NCAA “B” cut time in the three meets. In total, Michigan has set four NCAA “B” cut times.
Last Time vs. The Wolverines
The Buckeyes and the Wolverines last met each other in Ann Arbor on Nov. 14, 2004. The Wolverines defeated Ohio State 126-112. Griet Buelens and Rebekah Rychvalsky claimed the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard breaststroke, respectively, with Buelens time of 2:01.52 reaching NCAA `B’ qualifying measures.
Diver Julie Broms took both the 1- and 3-meter diving events. In the 3-meter competition, the Buckeyes swept the top three spots, with Broms in first, Anesa Beard taking second and Amber Simmons placing third.
A Look At Purdue
Purdue has earned its 3-0 record over Notre Dame, Northwestern and Michigan State in the opening weeks of the 2005-06 season. The team also placed first at the Indiana Intercollegiates.
Divers Carrie McCambridge and Amanda Miller have been strong on the boards this year. McCambridge has won four boards already this season, while Miller has won two. Miller has also set a varsity team and pool record in the 3-meter (339.60). Swimmer Erica Chandler has won six events so far this season, and of these wins has set two NCAA “B” cut times in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events.
Last Time vs. The Boilermakers
Purdue and Ohio State will meet for the first time in almost four years. The meet, also including Iowa, took place on Nov. 10, 2001 in West Lafayette, Ind. The Boilermakers won the meet 222-75, with the Buckeye diver Melanie Johnson recording the only individual win in the meet in the 3-meter dive.
The Schedule
The 2005-06 season will have many challenges. With the new pool come six home meets, including two double-dual meets. Four Big Ten opponents will be traveling to Columbus to receive a glimpse of the new surroundings before the conference championships. The team will travel twice during the season, opening the season on the road at Bowling Green and then heading to Minnesota toward the end of January. A preview event for the post-season championships will take place Dec. 2-4, when the Buckeyes host the Ohio State Invitational.
The postseason will begin at home with the Big Ten championships and the Regional Qualifying championships. Those who make the NCAA cut and are selected to attend the national meet will travel to Athens, Ga., March 16-18.
Coach Jeanne Fleck
Head women’s swimming coach Jeanne Fleck is in her seventh season at the helm of the Ohio State women’s swimming program. She has become accustomed to her teams displaying excellence in the water and in the classroom throughout her coaching career.
Fleck has geared the Buckeyes to one school record and two pool records while getting her student-athletes to set personal bests almost every week. The Buckeyes had the highest grade point average in the Big Ten conference and was ranked ninth in the country during fall quarter last year. In five seasons, Fleck has had 36 Academic All-Big Ten selections and 73 OSU Scholar-Athletes.
About Coach Panzano
Vince Panzano is in his 27th season as coach of the Ohio State men’s and women’s diving teams. Panzano, who was named the 2004 Big Ten Diving Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his career, has produced one world champion, one junior world champion, two Olympic medalists, 22 U.S. Diving champions, ten NCAA champions, 14 NCAA runners-up, 45 Big Ten champions and 68 NCAA All-Americans.
Up Next
The Buckeyes return to action in the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion Nov. 18th for a dual-meet against Kenyon. The meet is set to begin at 6 p.m.
