Swim Team Continues Dual-Meet Domination

Last Friday, after close to two months without formal competition, the swim team swept Marymount University during the last home meet of the season. The men won 169-35, and the women won 148-52. The following day, the team traveled to St. Mary’s College of Maryland to win their last CAC dual meet.

The men and women are undefeated in dual CAC meets for the 2009-2010 season, making it the 10th year in a row for the men, and the 20th consecutive year for the women.

According to head coach Matt Sellman, both teams are nationally ranked through a voting system developed by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America which is made up of a mix of national Division III coaches. The women are fourth, and the men are 21st, both of which are the “highest the team has ever been,” Sellman said.

The meet on Friday was Senior Day, where six graduating seniors were honored for their hard work and dedication to the program. Justin Anderson, Matt DeMarr, Jason McCormack, Amanda Kautz, and Nina Sawyer have all been with Coach Sellman and the team since their freshman year, and Brandon Eads was a later transfer. According to Sellman, there are 11 rising seniors on the team, and a large expected recruiting class.

According to the younger swimmers, the seniors certainly have had a strong impact on the team.

“[They] have been the backbone of the leadership. They understand how to succeed as a swimmer on a college team and have helped their fellow teammates with this knowledge,” sophomore Cesare Zannoni said.

Sophomore Colin Hess agreed, “I love [their] company. I’m going to miss their leadership and work ethic that they bring to the table each day.” Hess said. “I am sure they all are going to have great success in their lives after college.”

In addition, last week freshman Nick Eckoff and junior Adriana Lesiuk were both named CAC Swimmers of the Week, an honor based on their meet performance during the previous week. Eckoff won four events over the weekend while Lesiuk won six events in her own right.

With all the success, Coach Sellman is confident in the “physical preparedness and toughness” of both the men and women to end the season victoriously at the CAC’s from Feb. 12 to 14.

“If everything goes the way we want to, we would like to win every event at conferences,” Hess said.

Last year the team sent just two swimmers to Nationals, but this year Sellman also has hopes of sending upwards of seven women to Nationals on March 17, as well as a men’s relay.