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Scots swimmers healthy,
ready for conference meet
Release Date:
February 13, 2008
MONMOUTH, Ill. – The Monmouth College swim team will be treading in uncharted waters at the Midwest Conference Championships this weekend – they’re finally 100 percent healthy.
“This will make a huge difference for us, especially in the relays,” said coach Keith Crawford of his team’s competition this weekend at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis. “We’ll be able to give the top relay teams a run.”
Crawford believes his men could be in position to be a strong contender for the title, but they’ll have to be even better than last year when they brought home a second place finish. “We need to be significantly better on Day 1,” he claimed. “We need at least five swims in the championship finals, so if we average two people in the championship finals of almost every event, we should be in good shape.”
The women’s fourth place finish last year was their best finish in the team’s three-year history. “The women’s race is wide open,” said Crawford. “We could be as high as third, or as low as eighth. It really depends on what the other schools bring.”
If the MWC’s men’s top times are any indication, Crawford’s winning formula looks like it could have some merit. Kevin Raske (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee-Crown) is back after a nagging injury kept him out of the pool for most of the last half of the season. He holds the conference’s best 1,000- and 1,650-yard freestyle times (10:03.88 and 16:40.29, respectively) and is ranked no lower than seventh in seven other events. His 1,650- time is more than a minute faster than his closest competitor. John Kaiser (Hanover Park, Ill./Glenbard North) is ranked no lower that fifth in the 100- and 200- butterfly and the 400- individual medley. Chad Rowland (Olathe, Kan./East) and Kevin Satler (Marseilles, Ill./Hinsdale South) are ranked in the top seven in six different events. Kurt Niemeier (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) carries the No. 2 ranking in the 100- and 200- freestyle and is eighth in the 50- freestyle. Add in Monmouth’s relay teams, including the top-ranked 400- medley, and the Scots have five relays ranked no lower than third.
The Scots’ women may be a low on numbers, but Crawford hopes quality will make up for quantity. “We have some good, quality swimmers at the top of our lineup,” praised Crawford. “If we can get the performances we’re capable of, we’ll make a good run on the women’s side.”
Anne Lane (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) leads the women with the MWC’s best times in the 100-yard individual medley (4:53.04) and the 200- butterfly (2:17.23). Her 200- fly time is more than :02 faster than her nearest competitor. She is ranked second in the 100- fly and 200- IM, and is in the top eight in three other events.
Heather Plum (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) is ranked fourth and sixth in the 1,650 freestyle and 500- freestyle, respectively. The Scots also have times in the top five of four relay events.
“Megan Wentzlaff and Jessica DeMink will score some points for us, too,” said Crawford. “The real strength of our women is our overall collective depth. Most, if not all of our women should be able to score some points for us.” Crawford also predicts Meghan Gritzenbach, Jessica Houser, Lauren Nelson and Sally Thomas have the potential to turn in some crucial points.
Not only are the Scots healthy for the 2008 championships, they also are bringing some firepower to the diving well. “With Kayce DeRoo diving for the women and Jack Clifford for the men, we should be able to improve our point total,” said Crawford. “I’m really excited about our divers. They could really make a difference.”
Men's
Swimming |
Women's Swimming
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