Ohio State Synchronized Swimming Hosts Keuka and Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The synchronized swimming team hosts and competes in its first meet of the season this Saturday at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Traveling to Ohio State for the tri-meet are Keuka and the University of Michigan. The meet will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the solo routines. Duet and trio competition will follow.
The Buckeyes swept all three routines in 2007 to win the OSU Tri-Meet versus Keuka and Walsh with 97 points.
2008 Outlook
Twenty-five. That is the magic number for the Ohio State synchronized swimming team and this number has been spoken of several times during the last two seasons in the Buckeye locker room. It also is the number of national championships Ohio State will have won if they can capture the 2008 U.S. Collegiate Synchronized Swimming Championships title in March.
Buckeye synchronized swimming already has proved its worth to OSU athletics and the synchronized swimming community with its 24 crowns in the 31-year history of collegiate nationals, but there is an unspoken aura of supreme accomplishment when a team has won a program’s 25th title and this 2008 squad hopes to carve a niche for itself in not just the Buckeye synchronized swimming record book, but also in a sport that is rising as one of the top collegiate sports in the nation.
“There is no doubt about it, our dream goal is to win our 25th national championship at home,” Linda Lichter-Witter, head coach of the Buckeyes, said.
It is a victory at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion March 26-29 that will make it all the sweeter for Lichter-Witter, who is entering her 13th season directing the Scarlet and Gray. The Buckeyes have not hosted Collegiate Nationals since winning their first of five consecutive titles in 2000. During that 2000 season, Ohio State hosted the national championships at the Peppe Aquatic Center in Larkins Hall, Ohio State’s home pool from 1977-2004. Now, the Buckeyes have the opportunity to show off their new digs, the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, one of the premier aquatic venues in the nation. The building hosted the 2007 U.S. Synchronized Swimming Senior National Team Trials in December 2006.
“We are excited to have the hometown advantage,” Lichter-Witter said. “We just can’t wait to show off our facility.”
However, Ohio State knows it will not be an easy task recapturing a title that has eluded them for three consecutive years. After claiming their 24th national championship in 2004, the Buckeyes have watched rival Stanford take home the coveted prized in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Nonetheless, it is a challenge Ohio State is looking forward to overcoming and with the home crowd behind them, Ohio State’s chances for No. 25 look promising.
MIX IN SOME SCARLET
Any coach will speak of chemistry being one of the most important intangibles a team can possess. For the Ohio State Scarlet team, it is this unspoken bond that convinces Lichter-Witter only good things can come from this squad that will lead the way at Collegiate Nationals.
“I absolutely love the chemistry of this team,” Lichter-Witter said. “They bring to the table the little things you need to maintain an incredible amount of enthusiasm. They are just creative people and very solid overall.”
Returning to their posts on the Scarlet squad are Michelle Benzie, Jayme DeLancy, Carmen Moraes, Barbara Nesbitt, Leah Pinette, Hannah Shively and Caitlin Stewart. Newcomers, Michelle Theriault and Deborah Shim also are essential additions to the Scarlet team roster.
ADD IN SOME GRAY
There is nothing like competing for the here and now and that is where the Gray team enters the winning equation. Lichter-Witter predicts it is this squad that will push the Buckeyes over the top throughout the regular season and at Collegiate Nationals. Led by the senior leadership of Julia Broadfoot, Erin DeMarco and Brooke Paul, there is no question this team can and will get the job done. The trio of seniors is joined by fellow upperclassman Kendra Sollars and a large group of sophomores and freshmen in Kaitlin Bolt, Diana Care, Liz Derr, Rita Gillan, Asia Luke, Jackie Mundy, Emilie Siemer, Hilary Deason, Monica Finnigan, Liana Litsky and Tayler Stachowicz.
TRY TO ADD SOMETHING NEW
After breaking in 12 freshmen last season, the Buckeyes welcome five newcomers for 2008, notably U.S. National Team II members Deborah Shim and Michelle Theriault. Shim and Theriault hail from Lichter-Witter’s recruiting oasis, the state of California. Shim is a native of Walnut Creek Calif., the same hometown of Buckeye and U.S. Olympic Team member Becky Kim. Theriault comes from North Hills, Calif.
Joining Shim and Theriault are classmates Hilary Deason from Rohnert Park, Calif., Monica Finnigan from Cincinnati, Ohio, Liana Litsky, a local product from Columbus and Tayler Stachowicz from Brecksville, Ohio.
“Although this was not a big recruiting year, we certainly are building a foundation of a great program,” Lichter-Witter said. With the addition of Deborah Shim and Michelle Theriault, we definitely added a needed amount of strength.”
2008 SCHEDULE
The Buckeyes begin the 2008 season with back-to-back home meets. Ohio State plays host to Keuka and Michigan for the OSU Tri-Meet on Jan. 19 and prepare to honor former teammate Jessica Beck on Feb. 2 at her memorial meet.
Throughout February, Ohio State will travel to Virginia to compete against Richmond and William and Mary and New York to test their routines vs. Keuka and Canisius.
Before heading to the U.S. National Championships April 30 through May 4, the Buckeyes will once again be competing in familiar waters as Ohio State is set to host the 2008 U.S. Collegiate Championships March 26-29.
BEIJING BOUND
The Buckeyes will be missing a key contributor, not only this weekend, but for the remainder of the 2008 season. Soon-to-be senior Becky Kim, who competed for Ohio State in 2005 and 2006, has traded in her Scarlet and Gray for the Red, White and Blue. Kim is currently training with the U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Team in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Kim will once again compete for Ohio State when she returns for her senior season in 2008-09.
UP NEXT
Ohio State will host the second annual Jessica Beck Memorial Meet at 2 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.
