Gardner-Webb Men's Swimming to Open 2013-14 Season at N.C. College Invitational October 4-5 in Greensboro, N.C.
September 12, 2013 | Swimming
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb's men's swim team recently opened practice for the 2013-14 competition season, a road which begins October 4-5 at the North Carolina College Invitational (Greensboro, N.C.) and continues through February, culminating with the 2014 CCSA Championship Meet (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Only a few weeks into training for the season-long journey, head men's and women's swim coach Mike Simpson has already noticed a unique team chemistry that starts up top with a unique leadership group.
"The senior class has already made a positive impact in its leadership role," said coach Simpson. "The seniors have already been leading tremendously for three years, since they were freshmen, and that makes the transition of leadership easy in a very positive way."
Since 2007, the inaugural season of GWU's men's swimming program, the team has grown steadily and now boasts arguably its deepest roster in program history. The men's team returns fourteen student-athletes who finaled individually at least season's Conference Championship meet: Matt Anderson (50 and 100 free, 100 fly), Luke Denman (500 and 1,650 free, 400 IM), Jordan Denmark (200 IM, 100 and 200 back), Cole Hickey (50 and 100 free, 100 fly), Colin James (100 and 200 back, 50 free), Taft Kallam (100 and 200 back, 500 free), Phil Leonard (100 and 200 breast, 200 IM), Nathan Lile (200 back, 400 IM, 500 free), Joe MacGregor (50, 100, and 200 free), Cody Meyers (200 and 400 IM, 200 fly), Brandon Searle (200 IM, 100 back), Tate Warden (200 and 500 free, 200 fly), Andy Watts (200, 500, and 1,650 free), and Sam Wilson (200, 500, and 1,650 free). Combining with that core will be six talented freshmen along with several returners who all figure to be vital to the team's success in a revamped Conference.
"The great unknown is that we've added three teams (to the CCSA)," said coach Simpson. "It's going to be a much more competitive meet, much harder to make Top 8, much harder to make Top 16, much harder to win events."
Given that the CCSA figures to be a faster, deeper League after the additions of Incarnate Word, NJIT, and UMBC, Gardner-Webb's newcomers are as important to the 2013-14 squad as they have ever been. Coach Simpson paid a high compliment to both his men's and women's freshman classes, as well as the veterans that have already helped the team develop a special kind of unity.
"It's almost more challenging for returners in that it's a whole new meet unlike what they have seen before," said coach Simpson. "The freshmen, on both the men's and women's sides, have been a pleasant surprise thus far and are going to contribute. Every single freshman we have has the ability to score at Conference this year.
"Our staff is looking forward to seeing our kids step up and rise to the occasion."
After opening the season in Greensboro, N.C. for the N.C. College Invitational, Gardner-Webb will compete in its first dual meet of the season on Friday, October 18 against Queens College (Charlotte, N.C.).
GWU returns to an invitational-style meet November 1-2 for the Wingate Quad Meet (Charlotte, N.C.) prior to hosting for the first time in 2013-14 and for the only time in the Fall. The Runnin' Bulldogs welcome VMI for a Relay Meet in Boiling Springs, N.C. on Saturday, November 9 at 1:00 p.m.
The November 22-24 Fall Frenzy Invitational (Charlotte, N.C.) will represent the Runnin' Bulldogs' Fall taper meet. A select number of GWU swimmers will swim at USA Winter Nationals, held December 5-7 in Knoxville, Tenn., also the site of this year's Conference Championships.
To open the 2014 portion of the schedule, GWU travels to James Madison (Harrisonburg, Va.) for a dual meet held Friday, January 10 through Saturday, January 11. The following week, the Runnin' Bulldogs swim at Limestone College (Gaffney, S.C.) on Thursday, January 16.
Two days later, Gardner-Webb travels to face off with the Wildcats of Davidson College (Davidson, N.C.) in CCSA action. Following that meet, Gardner-Webb will host College of Charleston for a dual meet January 31 - February 1, the Runnin' Bulldogs' senior day for this season.
2013-14 CCSA Conference Championships are scheduled to run Thursday, February 20-22 in Knoxville, Tenn.
