’08-09 Rewind: Synchronized Swimming – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
By the end of the 2009 season, there was no doubt, the synchronized swimming team was the best team in the nation. Not only did the Buckeyes claim their 25th U.S. Collegiate National Championships title, but they made history by also winning the U.S. Senior National Championships five weeks later.
After watching rival Stanford win the high point title at collegiate nationals for four-consecutive seasons, the Buckeyes were able to dethrone the Cardinal by winning three of four routines in the finals.
However, claiming to be the best collegiately was not enough for the Scarlet and Gray, they wanted to be the best among all synchronized swimming teams – club or collegiate. So the Buckeyes set their sights on the U.S. Senior National Championships and stole the show as they became the first team not from the West Coast to capture the championship.
It was a year in which head coach Linda Lichter-Witter and the Buckeyes achieved all their goals.
“This has always been a personal dream of mine,” Lichter-Witter, who owns a .967 (556-18-1) winning percentage, said. “Ever since I started coaching I always dreamed of being the best team in the country.”
This was also my predecessor’s, Mary Jo Ruggieri’s, dream. This is the greatest moment in Ohio State history. We won two national championships this year.”
