SYNCH: Head Coach Linda Lichter-Witter Set to Lead U.S. National Team at FINA World Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Led by Ohio State synchronized swimming head coach Linda Lichter-Witter, the 2009 U.S. National Team will compete at the FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy, July 18-25.
In an unprecedented 2009 season, Lichter-Witter and the Buckeyes captured both the U.S. Collegiate and U.S. Senior National titles in a five-week span. The U.S. Senior National championship marked the first such title in program history, while the U.S. Collegiate crown was Ohio State’s 25th.
Lichter-Witter will be coaching some familiar faces in Rome as five current or former Buckeyes comprise the U.S. roster. Meghan Kinney, Jillian Penner, Hannah Shively, a Westerville, Ohio, native, Michelle Theriault and former letterwinner Leah Pinette (2005-08), will seek to earn the U.S. its sixth team title at the event. A fairly young team, Pinette, who graduated from Ohio State in 2008 with a degree in marketing, is the oldest swimmer on the team at 23 years.
Penner and Kinney (alternate) were members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team that finished fifth in Beijing. Kinney will captain the squad along with Layla Smith, a student at the University of Phoenix. The trio of Penner, Kinney and Smith were a part of the 2007 U.S. National Team that won the Bronze Medal at the FINA World Championships in the free and combination routine.
Buckeye letterwinner and 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist Karen Josephson (1982-85) will serve as the technical consultant for the squad, while Ohio State athletic training graduate assistant Ashley Clark will contribute her expertise and skills to Team USA throughout the duration of the event. Denise Shively, the mother of Hannah Shively is the team manager.
2009 U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Team
Debbie Chen
Mary Killman
Meghan Kinney
Maria Koroleva
Olivia Morgan
Jillian Penner
Leah Pinette
Hannah Shively
Layla Smith
Michelle Theriault
Lyssa Wallace
Alison Williams
2009 FINA World Championships Synchronized Swimming Schedule
Rome, Italy
Venue: Foro Italico
Saturday, July 18: Team Tech Preliminaries
Sunday, July 19: Team Tech Final, Solo Tech Preliminaries
Monday, July 20: Solo Tech Final, Duet Tech Preliminaries
Tuesday, July 21: Duet Tech Final, Free Combination Preliminaries
Wednesday, July 22: Free Combination Final, Solo Free Preliminaries
Thursday, July 23: Solo Free Final, Duet Free Preliminaries
Friday, July 24: Duet Free Final, Team Free Preliminaries
Saturday, July 25: Team Free Final
