Bulldog Women Ready To Begin First-Ever Season In CCSA
October 07, 2007 | Swimming
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - To be the best, you have to swim against the best. After running away with the last four NEC titles, the Gardner-Webb women's swim team will vie for a fifth straight conference title this season, while competing in the newly formed Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association.
After losing three seniors from last year's team to graduation, including All-American Terra Wilson, GWU will take on its hardest schedule ever in order to prepare for the CCSA meet.
"We graduated only three people and replaced them with a great recruiting class," head coach Mike Simpson said. "We realize that we don't replace Terra Wilson with one person, but the quality of the freshman class will be really good. We have six to eight people who, because of our depth, will make up for what we lost in Terra and the others who graduated.
"This year, we are taking on four Atlantic Coast Conference teams in order to get better," said Simpson. "We have to compete against these schools in order to see where we are.
"From a conference standpoint, we are beginning something completely new," Simpson said. "We have competed against most of the teams on a regular basis the last eight years, so there shouldn't be too many surprises. The conference meet will be exciting because everyone will be anxious to see who the front-runner is."
Despite moving into a different conference and graduating three key seniors, Simpson's program is fully stocked with conference champions, conference finalists, school record holders and versatile swimmers.
As long as the Bulldogs hit their stride and stay injury-free, the squad will have a very good chance to win its fifth consecutive conference title – and the first of many more to come in the CCSA.
SPRINT FREE
"This is an area where we lost a lot to graduation and some people are going to have to step up," said Simpson. "In most cases, it won't be their primary stroke or event, but we have people that can definitely compete."
One who will be counted on is returner Corey Hughey (Auburn, Ala.), who placed in the top three at the NEC meet a year ago in the 50 free. Hughey also competed on all of the sprint relays at lat year's NEC meet.
Erin Pledger (Trinity, N.C.) should also be able to help the Bulldogs out this year by contributing in the freestyle events. She has also improved upon her times from a year ago, helping to fill the void left from graduation. Another with NEC Championship experience is Sarah Mathis (Winston-Salem, N.C.).
An abundance of newcomers will be looked to for points at the conference meet. Rachel Clevey (Glen Allen, Va.), Rachel Glenn (Hickory, N.C.), Jaime McSteen (Wilmington, N.C.) Meghan Sheets (Hernando, Fla.), Stepheni Stadnik (Greensboro, N.C.), Rachel Warkentin (Reedley, Calif.), Virginia Yergler (Cherry Hill, N.J.) will all compete in virtually every sprint event for the Bulldogs.
Clevey qualified for the YMCA Southeast Regional Championship her last two years in high school. Glenn made the YMCA nationals team in the 50 and 100 free on two occasions. McSteen swam well in the region while Stadnik was a four-time state finalist in the 100 breast and a three-time finalist in the 50 free. Warkentin garnered All-American consideration in the 100 fly during her junior season and Yergler guided her high school to a county championship in New Jersey. All have proven backgrounds and will contribute immediately to help the team reach its goals.
Two other swimmers that will be counted on during relay events are Kelly Gueltig (Miamisburg, Ohio) and Whitney Hooley (Apple Creek, Ohio).
DISTANCE FREE
Four returners highlight the group, and each have accomplished careers thus far. Gueltig, Carrie Kibler (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Heather Roka (Ft. Myers, Fla.) and Grace Whiteside (Knoxville, Tenn.) will be the foundation of the experienced squad.
During the last two NEC meets, Gueltig has posted top-three finishes while Kibler finaled at the conference meet her first two years for the Red and Black. Roka, who is coming off a broken foot a year ago, has won the 500 and the 1,650 at previous NEC meets. Roka beat the odds a year ago and not only competed for GWU at the conference championship, but helped push the Bulldogs into first place. Whiteside also has championship experience as she has finaled both years in distance free events.
The lone newcomer to the group, Elizabeth Ketterer (Chattanooga, Tenn.), will push the returners and will also make an impact on the squad. She is a three-time Junior National qualifier and garnered All-American consideration during her senior season.
"This group has a tremendous work ethic," Simpson said. "They will be pushing each other all year long and working together to make it a really strong area for our team."
BREAST
Three student-athletes who reached the finals of last year's NEC meet make up the foundation of the breaststroke group this season.
Mallory Baxter (Taylors, S.C.), Beth Long (Franklin, N.C.) and Isabel Olivas (Miami, Fla.), despite changing conferences, should again reach the finals in their respective breast events.
Mallory Blessing (Howey, Fla.) is another versatile swimmer who will see time in this stroke.
Rookies Bryanna Berish (Atlanta, Ga.), Emma Phillips (Hurdle Mills, N.C.), Stadnik and Sarah Stokes (Apex, N.C.) will come together to help form another strong point of the GWU team.
Berish was a two-time state finalist while Phillips was on the senior sectional team for two seasons. Stokes placed in multiple events at the state meet during her high school career.
"This will certainly be one of the strengths of the team," said Simpson. "The returning group and the quality of the newcomers will help us tremendously. Every single swimmer can compete in multiple events."
BACK
The backstrokers will be a strong unit for the Bulldogs. The group returns Laura Furnari (Knoxville, Tenn.), Hooley, Hughey and Whiteside. Each finaled at the NEC meet last spring.
Kristen Sellers (Bahama, N.C.) and Sarah Steadman (Excelsior, Minn.) are the two newcomers to the group.
Sellers transferred from UNC-Charlotte, but did not compete last year. In high school, she was a three-time state championship competitor. Steadman garnered All-American consideration her last three years in school.
"We have good depth and a lot of people we feel can contribute for us," Simpson said. "They all have the capability to score points at the end of the year."
FLY
The butterfly squad returns four of last year's NEC finalists and another that will have a solid role in the group in addition to the lone newcomer, Warkentin.
Kibler, Leslie Hallquist (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), Hooley and Lindsey Palmer (Franklin, Tenn.) all have conference finals experience while Kelly Learned (Ft. Myers, Fla.) recorded personal best times at the NEC meet. With Warkentin's experience, the team has a chance to be very strong.
"While all will compete in multiple fly events, most of the group specializes in either the 100 or 200 fly," said Simpson. "We don't have as much in this particular stroke, but it's an area where in their particular specialty, each is really good."
IM
Baxter, Hallquist, Olivas and Roka all look to continue to make a huge impact, as they did last season. All four reached the NEC finals and expect to do the same this year in the CCSA.
The group will be pushed by newcomers Victoria Bryant (Charlotte, N.C.), Steadman and Stokes. Each will see plenty of time in the pool, contributing a lot of quality in the 200 and 400 IM.
"What this group does not have in terms of depth, they more than
make up for in the quality," Simpson said.
