Synchronized Swimming Sets Sights on 25th National Title at 2007 U.S. Collegiate National Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
March 20, 2007
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – In its quest for a 25th national championship, the Ohio State synchronized swimming team will head to Norton, Mass., for the 2007 U.S. Collegiate National Championships Thursday-Saturday at Balfour Natatorium. Wheaton College will serve as the host school of the event.
Ohio State finished first with 105 points at the North Regional championships March 3 at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio, to qualify for the collegiate nationals. The Top 12 teams and routines from each of the four regional competitions advanced to the collegiate nationals.
2007 U.S. Collegiate National Championships
Thursday, March 22
7:50 a.m. – Solo Semifinal
10:50 a.m. – Duet Semifinal
3:50 p.m. – Trio Semifinal
Friday, March 23
7:35 a.m. – “D” Technical
9:35 a.m. – “C” Technical
11:10 a.m. – “B” Technical
12:55 p.m. – “A” Technical
3:20 p.m. – Team Semifinal
Saturday, March 24
9:30 a.m. – Trio Finals
10:50 a.m. – Duet Finals
1:15 p.m. – Solo Finals
3:45 p.m. – Team Finals
6 p.m. – Awards
HOW TO GET THERE
Ticket prices are $10 Thursday and Friday and $20 Saturday. An all-event pass is $30.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Buckeye Becky Kim, who is redshirting her senior year to compete for the U.S. Senior National team, helped the squad to a bronze medal at the 2007 FINA World Aquatic Championships held in Melbourne, Australia. Former OSU synchronized swimmer Kate Hooven (2005) also is a member of the U.S. roster.
LAST TIME OUT – 2007 NORTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Buckeyes scored a season-best 105 points to win their 16th North Regional championship March 3 at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio. Since Ohio State official records have been available beginning in 1987, the Buckeyes have finished first in the North Regional championships each year.
Ohio State also captured the Top 2 places in the team competition. The Scarlet team was first with a score of 96.667, while the Gray team followed in second place with a 93.333.
Barbara Nesbitt won the solo event with a mark of 94.667 and the tandem of Ellen Hacker and Caitlin Stewart was first in the duet, scoring a 94.000. In the trio competition, the OSU team of Hacker, Carmen Moraes and Stewart tallied a 94.000 for the top spot, while Nesbitt, Leah Pinette and Hannah Shively compiled a 93.333 for second.
2006 COLLEGIATE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Ellen Hacker, Becky Kim and Carmen Moraes were the 2006 U.S. Collegiate National Champions in the trio event. The group combined for a score of 93.667 to outdistance Stanford’s Samantha Duclos, Elizabeth-Anne Markman, Courtenay Stewart, who posted a mark of 93.500.
Then-freshman Kendra Sollars also was a national champion in the `B’ figures competition, tallying a score of 72.526.
As a team, the Buckeyes finished second (92) behind Stanford (96).
A TRIP BACK IN TIME
Ohio State has been a dominant force in collegiate synchronized swimming during the past 30 seasons. The Buckeyes have won 24 of the 30 championships since 1977, including a streak of 13-consecutive titles from 1985-1997. Most recently, the Scarlet and Gray won five-consecutive national crowns from 2000-2004.
TEAM BESTS
At the North Regional championships in Columbus, Ohio, March 3, the Scarlet team scored a season-best 96.667, bettering its score of 96.000 tallied vs. William & Mary Feb. 11. The total also bests the Scarlet team’s season high of 96.500 from a season ago.
Ohio State also notched a team-high 105 points at the North Regional championships, beating the 101 points tallied against William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., Feb. 11. It was the third time this season the Buckeyes cracked the century mark. The Scarlet and Gray scored 100 points when they met Keuka and Canisius in Keuka, N.Y., Feb. 17.
WELCOME HOME
When Ohio State travels to Norton, Mass., for the collegiate national championships, freshman Rita Gillan will be returning to her home state. Gillan is from Andover, Mass., and competed for the ANA YMCA club team.
SECOND TO NONE
The duo of Ellen Hacker and Caitlin Stewart has finished first in the duet each of the six times they have competed. Soloist Barbara Nesbitt has won with her routine five of the six times, while the OSU trio of Hacker, Carmen Moraes and Stewart has been victorious five of six times this season as well.
LAST CHANCE
Ellen Hacker is the lone senior on the Buckeye squad this year and after winning the collegiate national championship with Ohio State in 2004, she is seeking to end her OSU career on a high note with a second crown.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Soloist Barbara Nesbitt has posted a team-best 95.000. The team high in duet goes to the pair of Ellen Hacker and Caitlin Stewart, who has tallied a 91.833. In the trio competition, Hacker, Carmen Moraes and Stewart’s 93.500 has served as the team high. All three of those 2007 bests came at the Jessica Beck Memorial Meet in the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion Feb. 3. The Scarlet Team boasted a 96.667 at the North Regional championships March 3 to own the OSU season high in the team competition.
UP NEXT
Ohio State will compete at the U.S. Senior National championships April 26-29 in Indianapolis on the campus of IUPUI.
