Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The 2009-2010 Kansas swimming and diving team is looking at a rebuilding year.
After losing nine seniors, including NCAA qualifier Maria Mayrovich and Collegiate Swim Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Honorable Mentions Danielle Herrmann and Anne Liggett, the Jayhawks definitely have their work cut out for them if they want to match last season’s success. Also chief among the losses is 2009-2010 All-American diver Erin Mertz who chose to end her Kansas career and transfer to Purdue.
swimming
After a 36th place finish at the NCAA Championships, the University of Kansas swimming and diving team was selected as an Academic All-America Team by the Collegiate Swim Coaches Association of America. Also honored as individual Scholar All-America Honorable Mentions by the CSCAA were former swimmers Anne Liggett and Danielle Herrmann, as well as senior Emily Lantegine. To earn consideration as an Scholar All-American, swimmers must have an NCAA consideration time along with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. These honors do not surprise head coach Clark Campbell, as he and his fellow coaches heavily emphasize academics in their training. “The number one team goal beyond athletic performance is academic performance,” Campbell said.
To help fill the holes left by the departing athletes, 13 freshmen will join the swimming and diving team. More than half the incoming freshmen added are homegrown talent, and have competed for high schools all over the state.
“When you bring in freshmen you get a tremendous amount of energy,” coach Clark Campbell said.
Campbell hopes this energy will translate into success over the course of the season. But energy alone will not necessarily lead to triumph this year.
“We’re trying to keep our expectations in line with the youth of the team,” said Campbell.
The Jayhawks will return several veterans. Among these veterans is junior swimmer Iuliia Kuzhil, the sole remaining NCAA competitor from the Jayhawks 2008-2009 campaign. She also received the 2008-2009 Jayhawk Newcomer of the Year Award and holds two school records in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke.
Campbell knows that leadership, as well as talent, is needed if the team wishes to equal its past success. He looks to his seniors and upperclassmen to provide this sought after leadership.
“You’re only as good as your senior class,” Campbell said.
Instrumental factors in providing this young team with guidance are team captains, junior swimmer Joy Bunting, senior swimmer Carrah Haley and senior diver Meghan Proehl. Campbell not only expects his seniors and captains to lead by example in the pool, but also in “little things away from the pool like getting rest and eating right.”
As the Big 12 Relays on Oct. 16 quickly approach, Campbell, assistant coach Jen Fox and diving coach Eric Elliot are emphasizing the process of preparation to the team. At several points throughout the season, the coaches will have ample opportunity to measure their swimmers’ and divers’ progress toward this goal because the team will compete in several challenging duels.
“We’re going to see some of the best teams in the country this season,” Campbell said.
UCLA, the University of Virginia, the University of Arkansas and all of the competitive Big 12 schools will face Kansas in duels throughout the season. Campbell hopes to use these events to measure his team’s progress toward its ultimate goal of the Big 12 Championships in February.
The 2009-2010 Jayhawk swimming and diving team will begin its season with the Oct. 9 intrasquad competition.
— — Edited by Amanda Thompson
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