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Swim Teams Gear Up For Akron, Ohio State Invites

Swim Teams Gear Up For Akron, Ohio State Invites
Posted: Dec 01, 2008

Contact: Julie Farr DeLima

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Dec. 1, 2008

CLEVELAND, Ohio - - SETTING THE SCENE: The Cleveland State men's and women's swimming and diving teams travel to a pair of invitationals this weekend. The men will split their squad and head to both Ohio State and Akron while the women's team will compete at Akron. Both meets take place Dec. 5-7.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: Cleveland State faced its toughest competition of the fall semester on Nov. 25 when Ohio State visited the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium. The No. 11 ranked Buckeye men upended CSU 169-86 while the CSU women fell to the Buckeyes 178-81. Below is a brief recap of the most recent Viking action.

MEN (7-3) - Ohio State 169, CSU 86 (Nov. 25 in Cleveland, Ohio): There was no question that the Ohio State Buckeyes were the toughest team on the Cleveland State men's swimming schedule this season, but the Vikings weren't intimidated. During the meet, CSU swimmers won two events and placed second in seven others despite falling to the No. 11 team in the country on Nov. 25 in the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium. The Vikings got several notable performances, but the highlight again was Mark deSwardt. The freshman continued his assault on the CSU record books with wins in the 1,000 freestyle and 200 IM and a second-place showing in the 500 freestyle. In the 1,000 free, he recorded a decisive 11-second victory (9:18.19) to improve on his third-fastest time in school history. He nearly equaled his best time of the season with the win in the 200 IM (1:55.66). In his 500 free race, deSwardt took second, but did it in the seventh-fastest time in CSU history (4:32.08) and the fastest time of the season for the Vikings.

WOMEN (6-5) - Ohio State 178, CSU 81 (Nov. 25 in Cleveland, Ohio): The Cleveland State women had some of their best swims of the season against Ohio State on Nov. 25. Despite falling to the Buckeyes 178-81, the Vikings posted wins in two events and set a school record in the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium. Freshman Carys Behn continued to shine for the Vikings, picking up both of CSU's wins over the Buckeyes, including the second school record of her career. Behn swam the best time in school history to win the 200 freestyle (1:52.52) and later swam the sixth-fastest time in CSU history to win the 50 freestyle (24.39). She also finished second in the 500 freestyle (5:11.75) and swam the second leg of CSU's second-place 200 freestyle relay. Behn's first school record came in the 500 freestyle on Nov. 7 (5:04.53).

PREVIEWING THE WOMEN: Head coach Wally Morton and his staff worked hard in the off-season to bring in additional talent to compete alongside CSU's capable returning athletes and improve on last year's seventh-place finish at the Horizon League Championships. The 2008-09 squad includes five seniors, one junior, three sophomores and eight freshmen. The newcomers continue to live up to expectations and carry the load. Freshmen have the team's top times in 14 of the 15 individual events they swam this year, and in both diving events. Carys Behn has the team's top times in all five freestyle events including the 50 (24.39), 100 (53.52), 200 (1:52.52, school record), 500 (5:04.53, school record) and 1,000 (10:28.06). Freshman Emily Splain has recorded two of the three top times in the backstroke events. Splain swam a 1:00.69 in the 100 and 2:13.16 in the 200 for the best times of the season. Whitney Hickey has the team's best time in the 50 backstroke (28.38). Rachel Arzadon has been the team's best breaststroker, leading in the 50 (32.12), 100 (1:09.27) and 200 (2:30.13) events. Three different swimmers hold the team's top times in the butterfly events. Splain has the best 50 buttefly time (27.04), followed by Behn in the 100 (58.92) and senior Katie Bellew in the 200 (2:10.06). Behn also holds the team's top time in the 200 IM (2:11.75). In the diving events, freshman Kacey Cummings has recorded season-bests in both the 1-meter (256.50) and 3-meter (268.12) events this season.

MORTON ON THE CSU WOMEN: "The Akron Invitational will expose our athletes to a very competitive atmosphere against many swimmers who will be rested and shaved to swim fast," head coach Wally Morton said. "Our approach is different. We will only rest slightly and hope to have our women continue to improve and conduct themselves as serious Division I athletes who will compete well in a championship-type format. Due to final exams, we cannot take everyone to the event and will not be concerned with the scores, only our performances."

PREVIEWING THE MEN: A conference contender for the last 35 seasons with 18 championships since 1974, the CSU men enter the 2008-09 season poised to make a run at their second Horizon League title in four seasons. All the pieces are in place including Nedim Nisic, a 2008 Summer Olympian, and Jakub Dobies, a two-time NCAA Championship competitor. In addition to eight freshmen, the Vikings return three sophomores, three juniors and three seniors. CSU's talented returning class picked up where it left off last season and is enjoying the addition of its talented freshman class. The Vikings' considerable depth is visible in the 2008-09 top times list. As the team approaches the halfway mark of the season, six different athletes are listed with top times in the swimming events this season. In the freestyle events, junior Stephen Grove leads the way in the 50 (20.94) while junior Jakub Dobies is tops in the 100 (45.89) and 200 (1:43.77). Freshman Mark deSwardt is listed at the top of the 500 (4:32.08) and the 1,000 (9:18.19). In the backstroke, junior Todd Winchell leads the 50 (24.32) and 100 (52.26) while sophomore Zvonimir Androic has the team's top time in the 200 (1:53.93). Dobies has also recorded the Vikings' top time in the 50 (25.78) and 100 breaststroke (56.75) while senior Marko Milenkovic is tops in the 200 (2:05.36). Grove has the team's top time in both the 50 (22.95) and 100 butterfly (50.83) while deSwardt leads the 200 (1:51.38). In the 200 IM, deSwardt leads the Vikings (1:55.60). Freshman Matt DiMasso leads the diving events, with season-best scores in both the 1-meter (252.90) and 3-meter (233.02) events.

MORTON ON THE CSU MEN: "For the men, we will split the squads with the best swimmers going to Ohio State," head coach Wally Morton said. "Our goal is to put our best swimmers in a situation where they have the opportunity to make cuts for the NCAA meet. Jakub Dobies, two-time NCAA Division I Championships qualifier, and Stephen Grove, have swam very fast in the Ohio State pool and lead a group of Viking swimmers who are capable of qualifying for D1 cuts. We want the very best environment for fast swimming and the Ohio State Invitational is the meet to do it at."

NEW EVENTS MEAN NEW RECORDS: In the dual versus Ohio State on Nov. 25, the Vikings swam three events for the first time - the 50 breaststroke, 50 butterfly and 50 backstroke. During the swims, five new school records were recorded. Todd Winchell recorded a 24.32 in the 50 back as a member of the 200 medley relay time. The breaststroke marks came from Jakub Dobies (25.78) and Rachel Arzadon (32.12) while Stephen Grove (22.95) and Splain (27.04) swam the fastest times in the 50 fly. The top women's 50 back time of 28.80 from Emily Splain came on Oct. 31 during the 200 medley relay.

deSWARDT KEEPS STREAK ALIVE: As CSU freshman Mark deSwardt kept his streak alive last week, he also continued his assault on the Vikings recordbBook. deSwardt holds a perfect 6-0 record in the 1,000 freestyle races he's swam. The closest race came on Nov. 25 when he beat his opponent from Ohio State by 11 seconds while swimming the third-fastest time in school history (9:18.19). All six of deSwardt's times in the 1,000 free have fallen into the CSU All-Time Top-10 list. He has been nearly as good in the 500 freestyle with a 4-1 record. His only loss in the 500 came to Ohio State by a margin of just 0.15 seconds, but was still good enough for the seventh-best time in school history (4:32.08).

BEHN SWIMS DOWN ANOTHER RECORD: Freshman Carys Behn added her name to the top of another event list against Ohio State on Nov. 25 when she recorded both of the Vikings' wins. Behn swam a 1:52.52 to win the 200 freestyle, breaking the record of 1:53.22 by Jen Grabski set in 1999. She then swam to a victory in the 50 free in the sixth-fastest time in school history (24.39), took second in the 500 free (5:11.75) and was a member of the second-place 200 freestyle relay (1:39.93).

THIS WEEK'S HONORABLE MENTIONS: • The men's 200 medley relay team of Todd Winchell, Jakub Dobies, Stephen Grove and Nedim Nisic recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time (1:32.30) during its second-place finish on Nov. 25. • The women's 200 free relay team of Emily Splain, Carys Behn, Kristina Nagy and Kristine Bunker recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time (1:39.93) during its second-place finish on Nov. 25. • The men's 200 free relay team of Jakub Dobies, Stephen Grove, Nedim Nisic and Mike Marsico recorded CSU's 2008-09 top time (1:24.08) during its second-place finish on Nov. 25.

2008-09 HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS: The Cleveland State Vikings have been honored three times by the Horizon League this season. The following CSU athletes have earned Swimmer of the Week honors. Carys Behn - Oct. 22 Mark deSwardt - Oct. 29, Nov. 19 Vikings athletes have also earned academic honors from the league. This season, the following swimmers have been named Horizon League Scholar Athlete of the Month. Stephen Grove - October

MEN'S & WOMEN'S HEAD COACH: Wally Morton (Miami, OH, '70) AT CSU: (as men's coach): 248-136-1 (28 years); (as women's coach): 10-15 (2nd year) Morton, who is in his second season as the head coach of the women's program and his 28th season as the head men's coach, has led the Vikings to 12 conference championships and 24 winning seasons in his 27 years at the helm of the men's program. Morton, who also serves as CSU's Director of Aquatics, has led the Vikings to seven straight seasons of 10 or more dual meet victories and one of his men's swimmers has earned the league's Male Swim Athlete of the Year award in five of the last six seasons.

NEXT UP: At the conclusion of the Ohio State and Akron Invitationals this weekend, the teams are off until a Holiday Invitational on Dec. 20 in Florida.