The GW swimming and diving program began its season Sunday when the women’s team defeated Navy by a score of 141-102.
The relay teams were supposed to swim in their first races of the season at the Capital Relays Saturday, but the meet fell through when organizers failed to prepare for the event.
“It was a very good win,” swimming and diving head coach Marc Hagen said. “Navy has a very solid program, and we did a nice job for early in the season.” The GW women lost to Navy by seven points in last season’s opener, 124-117, in a season in which the team lost only three other dual meets.
The Colonial women won the meet in part by placing first in every event except for the 1000- and 500-meter freestyle races. With each first-place finish counting 11 points in the relays and nine points in the individual races, GW was able to rack up points quickly.
“As long as your swimmers are winning races, you are usually going to outscore the other team,” Hagen said. “That’s what we did.”
The meet seesawed back and forth and remained close throughout the opening races, until the divers allowed GW to open up a six-point lead at 60-52.
Larissa Ettore placed first in the first round of diving competition with a total of 237.60, more than 20 points ahead of the nearest Navy diver. Lynne McCormack (212.10) came in third, while Katie Fife (159.83) earned a point for the team with her fifth-place finish.
From that point the Colonial women started pulling away. Two events later, GW took first and second in the 100-meter freestyle. Brandyn Roark came in first with a time of 55.31 seconds, and teammate junior Robin Bolstad finished a little less than a second later at 56.03.
GW had another 1-2 finish in the 200-meter backstroke to make the score 96-73. Rachel Smith blew away Navy with a time of 2:09.93, while Kristen Janeczek finished in 2:10.29. The third-place Navy swimmer was six seconds off Smith’s winning pace.
Hagen said he thought this race was probably the best swim for the GW women in the meet.
“Rachel and Kristen both had really nice times,” Hagen said. “I am very happy with how they swam.”
The divers put in another solid performance in their second round of dives, topping the Navy divers 15-4, boosting GW’s overall lead in the meet to 119-88. GW then closed out the match in strong fashion, getting a first- and fourth-place finish in both the 200-meter breaststroke, won by Connie Shelton (2:28.24), and the 400-meter freestyle relay.
The win for the women’s team could be a sign of good things to come for the GW swimming and diving program this fall and winter. Both squads are coming off quality performances in the Atlantic 10 Championships last season, and both teams may have the opportunity to improve upon those results this season.
“The guys are going to do just as well this year, and perhaps do better, and I think the women are going to improve on what they accomplished last year,” Hagen said.
The men’s team, which went 5-6 in dual meets last year and finished third in the A-10 Championships, returns many of its top swimmers to this year’s squad.
The biggest returnee for the Colonials is sophomore Tim Champney, A-10 Most Outstanding Swimmer in 1997. In his second year at GW after transferring from Auburn University, Champney will attempt to equal his record-setting performance. In 1997 Champney broke four individual GW records (50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 100-meter backstroke, and 200-meter backstroke), in addition to being a part of four record-breaking relay teams.
Hagen said he thinks Champney and many members of both the men’s and women’s teams will be breaking records again this season.
“I want to rewrite the record book again this year,” Hagen said. “I want to break 25 records this year between the two teams.”
Joining Champney in leading the men’s team should be sophomores Rush Taylor (breaststroke) and Juan Bocanegra (freestyle), both of whom were A-10 All-Conference selections in 1997.
The team also will be joined by some newcomers who should make immediate impacts, including Mike Cottone, who placed fourth in last year’s Junior Nationals in the 200-meter breaststroke.
The women’s team is coming off a year in which it went 7-3 in dual meets and finished third in the A-10 Championships. The Colonial women also return their best swimmer, senior Connie Shelton, who was the team MVP in 1997.
With quality swimmers in every event, Hagen said the Colonial women should do well across the board.
“I think the women will usually end up being first in most races,” Hagen said, though he said he is unsure of the team’s depth and ability to place well beyond its top swimmer in each event.
Junior Dena Hoffman (individual medley, butterfly), sophomore Jennifer Skinner (freestyle), and Kristen Janeczek (backstroke) should provide valuable experience and points for the team. Newcomers Rachel Smith, a sophomore transfer from Syracuse, and freshman Brandyn Roark (freestyle) also should make substantial contributions this season.
The diving teams should be solid for GW this season. Seniors Jonathan Klonsky and Larissa Ettore, the top divers for their respective teams, both return for the 1998 campaign.
With four months to go in their seasons, the men’s and women’s diving teams have a long way to go before they start to think about the postseason.
“The way we’re swimming right now, I think we should be right there with the top teams in the A-10,” Hagen said. “It’s just a matter of them bringing both their physical and mental strengths to the pool.”
