Oct. 8, 2013
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - With a rich and winning tradition, there aren't many firsts left for the Western Kentucky University swimming and diving team. Both the men and women have won numerous conference championships, have had NCAA qualifiers and former student-athletes qualify for the Olympics in their home countries.
However, the 2013-14 season presents both sides with a first that will hopefully continue into next year's athletic season for WKU--winning the first Conference USA Championships. WKU's swimmers and divers have an opportunity to take the league crown as an affiliate before WKU officially joins C-USA in July 2014. The road to that first begins on Saturday, and WKU is ready to go full speed ahead.
"We have some pretty high expectations for this season," WKU head coach Bruce Marchionda said. "Obviously our biggest goal is to win both Conference USA championships for the men and women. In addition to that, advancing to either the NCAA or NIT championships is another goal for our athletes. Our dual meets are really kind of a test to see where we are and what we need to work on--all pointing to that championship season in January and March."
The men will be competing with C-USA for the second year, as the team took second in a tight contest with nationally-recognized Southern Methodist University. The defending champion moved to the American Athletic Conference this season, leaving the door wide open for any C-USA competitor. The Hilltoppers return 19 student-athletes from that squad while adding 11 talented newcomers.
"I think we have a nice little distance group on the men's side of Loui Little, Aymeric Le Corno and Russ Bryant. They are going to be the mainstay there. We are looking to do a little damage in those distance events in the conference championships coming down to the 500 on the first day. We are going to add freshman Cody Reul and Neal Rushing to those three as well, and all of a sudden it is going to be a very strong event for us.
"The breaststroke is also going to be strong event for us. Returning is Connor Dwyer and new to the program is TJ Bland. Add to that mix Tyler Groneck, and we will have some great breaststrokers in the 100 and 200 at the conference level. Seth Musser is coming back in the 200 IM and back, defending champion there, so I really think we are quite balanced on the men's side."
The Lady Toppers carry the momentum of winning its ninth Sun Belt Conference Championship last season into the upcoming competition year. WKU joins East Carolina, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion and Rice in C-USA. The Owls took the crown last year while WKU topped FIU, Florida Atlantic and North Texas in last year's SBC Championship. On this year's roster, 21 student-athletes return from a women's squad that didn't fall in a single dual meet last year and welcome 11 to this year's team.
"On the women's side, hopefully our strength will be in the IM events with returners Allie Duff, Victoria Frascino and Amy Halligan," said Marchionda. "Add in some newcomers, including Kennedy Higdon, and hopefully that 200 and 400 IM will continue to be very strong events for us.
"We beefed up our sprint group this year with returners Aiste Dobrovolskaite and also Paige Drazga, but we have two freshmen coming in with Celia Ouellette and Maggie Patterson. Both of those two have the potential to be two very good sprinters, so we are hoping that they step right in and help us out in the relays and so forth. Again, I think we are pretty balanced, and we are kind of looking for our depth to help us and carry us through those conference championships, so we will see what happens."
Many of WKU's newcomers will be seen in diving events, as six of the 22 new faces are divers. Returning for the team is Rachel King and Giorgi Meyer, as Meyer competed in the NCAA Zone C Diving competition last year and was just three spots shy of qualifying for the final in the one meter.
"Hopefully our diving will get better as we go through the season," said Marchionda. "We have a lot of young divers there. They have a lot to learn and have a lot of talent, and we definitely feel confident that they are going to plug those events for us. But they are freshmen, they are new, so that is something we are going to have to watch all season long and hopefully will develop into some great performances at the end of the year."
WKU opens the season on Saturday, October 12 at Delta State beginning at 1 p.m. The team's first home meet is Friday, October 25 against Northwester at 2 p.m.
