Nov. 7, 2005

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Setting the Scene: The Viking women's swimming team heads to Youngstown State on Thursday (Nov. 10) for a 6:00 p.m. meet with the Penguins at the Beeghley Center pool. The meet was originally slated for Wednesday but was pushed back a day. The men's team is idle until Nov. 16.

Previewing the Women's Team: CSU has added significant depth to this season's team, as head coach Mike Lehto has backed the seven returning swimmers with seven freshmen. Several of the newcomers have already contributed to the early-season success of the team. Freshman Jen MacLauchlan has admirably stepped in to help fill the void left by backstroker and 2005 Horizon League Swimmer of the Year Samantha Jones, leading the team in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. Freshman Katie Bellew paces the squad in both the 100 and 200 butterfly, while freshman Sandra Bunker has been one of the team's top swimmers in distance freestyle events. Meanwhile, the veterans have continued to turn in strong outings. Junior Marianne Lionell, the school-record holder in the 50 and 100 freestyles and the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, has her sights set on the league swimmer of the year honors as the team's top sprinter and breaststroker. Seniors Kirsty McKechnie and Wendy Peel have added leadership as well as fast times in distance freestyle, backstroke and IM events. The Vikings head into the meet with the Penguins holding a 2-2 mark in dual meets.

Previewing the Penguins: Youngstown State holds a 1-1 dual meet record this season, claiming a 114-90 win over Canisius and falling in a 128.5-86.5 contest to Marshall. The Viking women tallied a pair of wins against YSU last season, topping the Penguins 124-113 in Youngstown on Nov. 6 before claiming a 129-108 win at Busbey Natatorium on Feb. 4. Marianne Lionell registered four wins in the two meets, while Samantha Jones and Kirsty McKechnie scored three each.

Last Week in Review:
Men's Swimming - Nov. 4 - Dayton, Ohio
Wright State 137, Cleveland State 104
In what could have been a preview of this year's Horizon League Championship, the Cleveland State men's team pressured Wright State all night long but was unable to go ahead in the late events before falling 137-104 in Dayton on Friday (Nov. 4). Junior Bjorn Schantz tallied wins in the 500 free (4:36.94) and 1,000 free (9:29.11), while senior Thatcher Carr continued his dominance on the boards in winning both the one-meter (318.75) and three-meter (317.25) events.

Women's Swimming - Nov. 4 - Dayton, Ohio
Women: Wright State 133, Cleveland State 64
The Viking women's squad got down early to the Raiders and was unable to mount a comeback, dropping a 133-64 contest on Friday (Nov. 4). Junior Marianne Lionell swam to team-bests in both the 200 breaststroke (2:28.89) and the 200 freestyle (1:57.92) but was out-raced in the events by strong performances from the Raiders. Katie Bellew and Kristine Bunker placed second and third, respectively, in the 200 fly with times of 2:17.10 and 2:19.51, while Kirsty McKechnie added third-place showings in the 1,000 freestyle (10:50.82) and the 200 IM (2:17.20).

Men's Swimming - Nov. 5 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland State 54, Xavier 32
The men's team broke four pool records en route to a 54-32 win at Xavier on Saturday (Nov. 5). Senior Pelser led off the 400 medley relay with a record 100 backstroke time of 51.61 before posting the 200 backstroke record with a 1:52.32 time. Junior Bjorn Schantz added a 1,000 freestyle record time of 9:35.15, while sophomore Dave Duecker notched a 2:10.20 in the 200 breaststroke for the fourth record.

Women's Swimming - Nov. 5 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland State 50, Xavier 45
The women's 400 freestyle relay team of Marianne Lionell, Jen MacLauchlan, Leslie Jones and Deanna Raedel swam to a pool record time of 3:38.18 to seal a 50-45 win at Xavier on Saturday (Nov. 5). Lionell added a pair of individual wins for the women's squad, swimming to top times in the 200 IM (2:12.97) and in the 100 free (53.94), while MacLauchlan posted a win in the 50 free (25.39).

Lionell Back On Top: Junior Marianne Lionell continues to be a dominant force on the Viking women's squad. The Sodertajle, Sweeden native is currently atop the CSU top times list in six events, pacing the team in the 50 free (24.62), 100 free (53.94), 200 free (1:57.92), 100 breast (1:08.09), 200 breast (2:28.89) and 200 IM (2:12.97). She has also been a contributor in two of the Vikings' top relay times, swimming the lead leg in the 400 freestyle relay and the breaststroke leg of the 200 medley relay.

On Top of the League: A trio Vikings currently find themselves in a very familiar place: at the top of the Horizon League top times list. Diver Thatcher Carr and swimmers Pieter Pelser and Bjorn Schantz hold seven top times or scores in the league so far this season:

Fresh is Better: With half of the roster comprised of freshmen, the Cleveland State women's team features one of the the most youthful squads in the Horizon League. But the youth doesn't seem to be playing a factor in the performance. Three of the league's top times are held by CSU freshmen, with Jen MacLauchlan holding top marks in the 100 backstroke (1:00.42) and 200 backstroke (2:09.96) and Katie Bellew touting the top times in the 100 fly (1:00.31) and 200 fly (2:12.35).

Carr Takes Another Lap: Following a semester unlike any other in CSU swimming and diving history, senior Thatcher Carr will once again be wowing the crowds at Busbey Natatorium and every other pool he visits after earning an extra year of eligibility for the 2005-06 season. He has competed in 20 events since becoming eligible last spring and has won all of them, recording 300 points or more in all of them. He currently holds the top league marks in the one-meter (338.50) and the three-meter (370.90) springboards. Carr was the Horizon League's top diver last season despite only competing in the spring semester, earning the Horizon League Diver of the Meet award and setting school records with a one-meter score of 410.93 and a three-meter mark of 614.45.

Lehto Getting It Done: Women's swimming head coach Mike Lehto is back for his 12th season and is the all-time winningest coach in women's swimming history with 78. He coached the 2004-05 squad to an even 7-7 record, the fourth-straight season they have finished at or above .500, and a fifth place finish at the Horizon League Championships. Under his tutelage, Samantha Jones became the school's first Horizon League Female Swim Athlete of the Year award after winning the 100 and 200 backstroke championships.

Wally World: Cleveland State men's head coach Wally Morton certainly become synonymous with the Viking swimming program. Morton, entering his 32nd season with the team and 25th as its head coach, currently holds a 211-124-1 career record after passing 200 dual meet victories last season. He has to his credit nine Penn-Ohio Championships, a pair of MCC titles and 22 winning seasons. He helped to guide last season's team to a 10-4 dual meet record and a second-place finish in the Horizon League Championship while, for the third straight season, a Viking took home the league's Male Swim Athlete of the Year award, with Pieter Pelser claiming the honor last season.

Another Championship at Busbey: The 2005-06 season will culminate when Cleveland State hosts the Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships at Busbey Natatorium from Feb. 22-25. Noted as one of the fastest pools in the nation, the natatorium has been the site of championships of all shapes and sizes during its history, including four Midwestern Collegiate Conference championships and the 2003 Horizon League Championship. It has been the site of the Penn-Ohio Conference Championships 17 times, the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships 11 times and the NCAA Championships five times.

Looking Ahead: The Vikings return to Busbey Natatorium on Nov. 16 when they host Baldwin-Wallace, Gannon, John Carroll and Oberlin in the City College meet. The meet begins with diving at 4:00 p.m. with swimming to follow at 6:00 p.m.