Buckeyes Complete Dual-Meet Season with Penn State, Kenyon – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swim & Dive
Jan. 17, 2007
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s swimming and diving team will complete its dual-meet season with two meets this weekend. The Buckeyes travel to College Station for competition with Big Ten rival Penn State, Friday at 4 p.m., before returning home for the seniors’ last dual meet in the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Sunday at noon, against Kenyon.
The meet with Penn State will premier in Swimming World’s Meet of the Week series. High school swimmers from the Columbus area are invited to cheer on the Buckeyes as they take on Kenyon. A ceremony honoring the seniors will be held prior to the noon start time on Sunday.
THE WEEKEND IN REVIEW
Ohio State defeated Marshall, 148-86, Jan. 12, but suffered a 132-168 loss to Northwestern, Jan. 13 at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The Buckeyes swam the fastest time in every event against the Thundering Herd, but elected to swim the final three events as exhibition. Six Buckeyes earned individual wins in the meet, with the divers sweeping both diving events. Stasia von Rahl earned her first collegiate win in her first time swimming the 1,000-yard freestyle this season.
Despite Chelsea Davis winning both the 1- and 3-meter springboard events for the third consecutive meet, the Wildcats still overtook the Buckeyes. Colleen Schweitzer swam the team’s fastest time of 2:19.99 in the 200-yard breaststroke to win the event. Griet Buelens also earned an individual victory in the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 2:02.43. Gulsah Gunenc took second in the event. Both women recorded NCAA `B’ times in the race. BIG TEN DIVER OF THE WEEK
Chelsea Davis earned Big Ten Diver of the Week the week of Jan. 8 for her performances against Ohio University when Davis went undefeated during the meet on both diving boards. Davis earned both the 1- and 3-meter diving titles with the respective scores of 292.12 and 329.70. Davis’ victory on the 1-meter was her third for the season. She has not scored lower than third place in a dual meet this year. This is Davis’ first career weekly award and the first for the Buckeyes this season. She is also Ohio State’s female Athlete of the Week.
A LOOK AT PENN STATE
Bill Dorenkott is in his ninth season as head swimming coach of the Lions. He also is serving his sixth year as the men’s head swimming coach. While at the helm of the Lions, Dorenkott has guided the women to two consecutive Big Ten championships, including last season’s title. Under his guidance, the women have not finished below third in the conference in the past five years. Penn State has recorded Top 20 finishes in the NCAA each of the last three years. The Lady Lions enter the meet with a 5-0 record, not having competed since Dec. 2 when they defeated West Chester, 152-83.
LAST DUAL WITH THE LIONS
The Lions and Buckeyes last met at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Jan. 27-28, 2006, in a double-dual meet with Indiana when Penn State defeated Ohio State, 195-151. Gulsah Gunenc earned an individual win in the 200-yard butterfly when she posted a NCAA `B’ provisional time of 2:00.64. Former Buckeye Nicole Maglich also recorded an individual win in the 500-yard freestyle. Ohio State has never swum Penn State at College Station.
A LOOK AT KENYON
Jim Steen is serving his 30th year as the head swimming coach of the Ladies. During his stint as coach, Steen has guided Kenyon to 18 of its 20 national titles. He has earned NCAA’s Division III Coach of the Year 13 times during his career.
Kenyon comes into the dual with a 5-2 record. The Ladies last competed against Oakland University, Jan. 13. Kenyon edged out the Golden Grizzles, 145-143. Kenyon will participate in three dual meets before taking on Ohio State on Sunday.
LAST TIME OUT WITH THE LADIES
The Buckeyes and Ladies last met Nov. 18, 2005 when Ohio State defeated Kenyon, 116-89. Buckeyes swam the fastest time in nine of the 11 events swum, recording three NCAA `B’ times. Griet Buelens picked up wins in the 1,000-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly, while Linda Lund earned victories in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. Stephanie Fennell also claimed an individual title in the 200-yard backstroke.
OHIO STATE INVITATIONAL RECAP
The Buckeyes finished second at the Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invitational, Dec. 1-3, at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The Buckeyes’ score of 779 was just 14 points behind first place South Carolina. Ohio State recorded four NCAA `B’ standards and two individual wins during the three-day competition.
Katie Bell earned her first collegiate win when she scored 299.05 points to overtake the competition on the 10-meter platform event. Griet Buelens also recorded a win for the Buckeyes, swimming a NCAA `B’ time of 4:50.20 in the 500-yard freestyle. Buelens clocked a second NCAA `B’ qualifying standard in the 100-yard butterfly (55.82). Gulsah Gunenc and Buelens finished second and third, respectively, in the 200-yard butterfly, both posting NCAA `B’ standards in the event.
MAKING THE CUT
Griet Buelens and Gulsah Gunenc already are one step closer to competing at the 2007 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minn. Both women recorded NCAA `B’ cuts in the 200-yard butterfly at Ohio State’s intrasquad meet. Buelens swam a time of 2:01.79 while Gunenc finished in 2:01.85. Gunenc further secured her spot at the championship meet when she lowered her time by two-tenths to post a winning time 2:01.65 in the dual-meet against Illinois.
Several swimmers already have recorded personal best times despite being in just the third week of competition. Freshman Haley Mitchell opened her collegiate career with a best time of 10:14.72 in the 1,000-yard freestyle at the Scarlet and Gray meet. Buelens claimed a win for the Buckeyes in the same event at Michigan when she stopped the clock in her best time of 10:04.55.
BIG TEN MEETS
Ohio State opened its season with a conference dual-meet win against Illinois, 157-143, Nov. 4. The Buckeyes took seven of the 14 events swum, as well as sweeping both the 1- and 3-meter diving events. Gulsah Gunenc claimed two wins in both butterfly events, while junior Griet Buelens placed second in two freestyle events and first in the 500-yard freestyle (4:56.65). The remaining three individual wins came from freshmen Haley Mithcell, Megan Alexander and Jill Lockhart. Chelsea Davis and Julie Broms were each responsible for wins in diving.
Ohio State fell 138-99 No. 10 Michigan in Ann Arbor, Friday Nov. 10. The Buckeyes won three events, sweeping the first three places on the 3-meter springboard. Julie Broms picked up her second win for the season in the event. Griet Buelens also recorded a win for the team when she swam a lifetime best time of 10:04.55 in the 1,000-yard freestyle.
The Buckeyes bounced back from their loss to overtake Michigan State, 153-90, Saturday winning 11 of the 13 events. Diver Julie Broms extended her undefeated record on the 3-meter to 3-0 for the year. Swimmers Annie Rennebohm and Farriss Blaskovits each claimed their first collegiate Big Ten win. Gulsah Gunenc, Griet Buelens and Elaine Chan were responsible for the team’s remaining individual wins.
COACH Jeanne Fleck
Head women’s swimming coach Jeanne Fleck is in her eighth 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.
Last season, Fleck coached the first swimmer since 1995 to All-American status. During her tenure at Ohio State she has geared the Buckeyes to 11 school records. The Buckeyes had the highest grade point average in the Big Ten Conference in 2004 and was ranked ninth in the country during fall quarter of 2003. In six seasons, Fleck has had 48 Academic All-Big Ten selections and 89 OSU Scholar-Athletes.
ABOUT COACH PANZANO
Vince Panzano is in his 28th 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
Ohio State ends its conference competition in Minneapolis, Minn. with the Big Ten championships Feb. 7-10. Swimmers and divers who qualify will return to Mineapolis for the NCAA championships Mar. 16-18.
### GO BUCKS! ###
