Ohio State Synchronized Swimming Seeks 25th National Championship – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
March 21, 2005
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Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State synchronized swimming team (21-0) will compete in the 2005 Collegiate National Championships beginning Thursday at the O’Connell Aquatic Center in Gainesville, Fla. The Buckeyes, who have claimed the national championship in each of the past five years, are seeking the program’s 25th title in the 29-year history of the event. Semi-final competition is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Finals for the solo, duet, trio and team events are slated for Saturday.
A LOOK AT THE COMPETITION
More than 275 student-athletes from 25 colleges and universities from NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA schools, will be competiting at the 2005 Collegiate National Championships. Stanford is expected to be the Buckeyes’ biggest challenge once again this year. The Cardinal boasts seven national team members, including Katie Norris, a member of the 2004 Olympic Training Squad. Norris will be looking to defend the solo title she won a year ago. Alabama-Birmingham and host Florida also will look to improve on their finishes from last year.
NOTING THE COLLEGIATE NATIONALS
Ohio State has won 24 titles in 28 years of the Collegiate National Championships. The Buckeyes claimed the first four titles from 1977-1980 before Arizona captured its first of two titles in 1981. Ohio State won the competition in 1982 and 1983. Arizona the earned its second first-place finish in 1984.
The Buckeyes won 13 consecutive titles from 1985 to 1997 before rival Stanford claimed back-to-back wins in 1998 and 1999. Ohio State reclaimed the title in 2000 in their home facility and have kept the trophy for the past five years.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Buckeyes qualified for the Collegiate National Championships after a win March 5 at the North Regional Championships. The meet, held in the Varisty Pool at Larkins Hall, marked the final event in the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center for the Buckeyes, who remain undefeated on the season with a record of 21-0.
The Buckeyes won the North Regional Championships with a total of 104 points, while Minnesota took second (74) and Carleton College finished third (70.5). Numerous Ohio State performances in four routine events qualified for the 2005 Collegiate National Championships.
Juniors Chelsea Luker and Carly Grimshaw teamed up to win the duet event with a score of 93.800. The freshman pair of Michelle Benzie and Julia Broadfoot finished second in duet with a mark of 81.500.
Luker, Grimshaw and senior Lauren Marsh earned first-place honors in the trio event, recording a score of 93.100. Teammates Becky Kim, Ellen Hacker and Lindsay Newbill finished second in trio with a mark of 93.100.
Swimming for the first-place Ohio State `A’ team was Heather Burdick, Hacker, Ashley Rule, Marsh, Newbill, Lauren Byrom, Luker and Grimshaw. The Buckeyes earned a season-high score of 97.800.
The Ohio State `B’ team also qualified for collegiate nationals with a second-place finish (95.100). Swimming for the Buckeyes was Jessica Beck, Stacey Coffman, Leslie Edgerton, Megan Mikulecky, Leayn Pinette, Leah Pinette, Stephanie Raftery and Erin Schmidt.
In addition, Kim qualified for collegiate nationals after recording a mark of 94.700 while competing as an honor swimmer. Kim and Newbill also qualified for nationals in the duet event with a 95.100 while swimming as honors. Freshman sisters Leayn Pinette and Leah Pinnette also earned a bid to nationals in the duet, posting a score of 89.100 while also competing as honors.
The event also marked the final home competition for seniors Marjorie Ardito, Burdick, Coffman, Mary Elliott, Bethany Galla, Valerie Jolibois, Marsh and Newbill.
THE FUTURE IS NEAR
The Ohio State University currently is in the process of building a new aquatics center, the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion, that will be equipped to play host to the most premier swimming and diving and synchronized swimming events in the United States. Scheduled for completion in early 2005, the McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion will house the Mike Peppe Natatorium, which will feature a 50-meter world-class competition pool; the Ron O’Brien Diving Well; and a spectator seating area. The pavilion also will house four coaching offices, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a training room and meeting and conference rooms.
The center will be comprised of five pools, including a 10-lane, 50-meter by 25-meter competition pool that will be 10-feet deep throughout. The facility will feature 1,400 permanent spectator seats, 700 on each side, with the ability to add temporary seating. The decks will be 20-feet wide, 15-feet at the ends and 20-feet between the lap pool and the diving well. The 25-meter by 18-meter diving well will be 20-feet deep, with a 3- centerline tower and a 3- and 1-meter spring board capability on all four walls. In addition to diving competition, the diving well will be used for warm-up and warm-down sessions by competing swimmers. The aquatic center also will house a 25-yard recreational lap pool, a 25-yard class pool and a leisure pool equipped with water slides and currents. When construction is complete, Ohio State plans on playing host to the USA national championships, the Big Ten championships and other high-tier national and local events.
A LOOK BACK
Ohio State claimed first-place honors at the 2004 Collegiate National Championships March 27 in Ann Arbor, Mich. It marked the fifth-consecutive crown for the Buckeyes and 24th title in the 28-year history of the event.
The Buckeyes captured first-place finishes in the duet, trio and team events. The then-freshman pair of Becky Kim and Kate Hooven earned their first collegiate titles with a win in duet, posting a score of 95.667. Carly Grimshaw and Chelsea Luker finished third in the event with a mark of 92.833.
Hooven, Kim and then-junior Lindsay Newbill won the trio event with a score of 95.667 while Grimshaw, Luker and Lauren Marsh took home third with a mark of 93.833.
The Buckeyes also finished in the top spot of the team competition. The `A’ team garnered first place with a score of 98.167. The `B’ team also had a nice showing, earning a respectable fourth-place finish with a mark of 95.167.
FOR MORE INFO
A complete schedule, as well as reults, photos and further information regarding the 2005 Collegiate National Championships can be found online at www.usasynchro.org.
UP NEXT
The Buckeyes will close the season April 28-30 at the United States Senior National Championships in Portland, Ore.
