MEN
The Ohio State men’s swimming and diving team looks to continue building on a strong start to the season by hosting Princeton and Denison at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion for a two-day, double dual showdown. Action begins Friday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. and continues Saturday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m.
Time Change
Please note the start time for Saturday has been pushed back from its originally scheduled time to 11 a.m. (ET).
Buckeyes Bounce Lords, Vikings
Ohio State improved to 3-0 on the season last week by posting wins over Cleveland State and Kenyon at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The Buckeyes earned top times and scores in each event over the course of both dual meets. Ohio State opened its season vs. Cincinnati in similar fashion, downing the Bearcats 160-119 on home turf.
Scouting the Competition
Princeton will face its first competitive action of the season this weekend. After winning five consecutive Ivy League titles, the Tigers were knocked off their pedestal last season by Harvard. This season the squad returns a plethora of talent, while adding a top-10 recruiting class.
Denison had its home opener last weekend, capturing 11 of the 16 event titles en route to a victory over the University of Chicago. Junior Ryan Fleming and freshman Stuart Hohm paced the Big Red with a combined four wins in freestyle events.
Making the Grade
Ohio State has earned one NCAA provisional time so far this season. Junior standout DJ MacDonald recorded an NCAA ‘B’ time in the 200 backstroke vs. Kenyon (Oct. 31).
Buckeyes vs. the B1G
Ohio State currently holds 17 top-10 individual times in the Big Ten. Junior Josh Fleagle ranks fourth in the both the 50 freestyle (20.20) and 100 freestyle (44.33), while senior Steven Zimmerman has the fourth-ranked time (1:47.17) in the 200 backstroke. Also posted among the top-5 is MacDonald, who ranks fourth in the 100 breaststroke (54.96) and fifth in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.17).
Phillips to Contend at World Championships
Tim Phillips, a former member of the Ohio State men’s swimming and diving team, will represent the United States at the 2015 FINA World Championships, July 24-Aug. 9, in Kazan, Russia. Phillips will replace fellow U.S. National Team member Michael Phelps in the 100 butterfly event on the American roster.
Phillips was an All-American swimmer during his time at Ohio State. Most recently, he set a Big Ten record with a time of 45.10 in the 100 butterfly at the 2014 NCAA Championships to place third. He is joined on the U.S. National Team by current Ohio State swimmer DJ MacDonald. MacDonald will compete at the 2015 World University Games, July 3-14, in Gwangju, South Korea.
Wadley Named to U.S. National Team Coaching Staff
Ohio State head coach Bill Wadley will contribute his plethora of experience to the United States National Team as a member for the coaching staff, effective Sept. 2, 2014. Wadley was selected to join the coaching contingent by USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch and will remain on the staff for one year.
Wadley qualified for the position after two of his athletes – Phillips and MacDonald – finished Top 6 in their respective events at the 2014 Phillips 66 National Championships.
“Coach Wadley has helped me develop as a swimmer through his dedication and perseverance to making sure that not just me, but everyone on the team reaches their full potential as a swimmer and as a person,” MacDonald, member of the Ohio State swimming team and U.S. National Team, said. “As much as he emphasizes the team’s efforts in the pool, he also encourages us to be leaders outside of the pool – in the community and the classroom.”
The Boys are Back
Last season, Ohio State sent 12 team members to the 2014 NCAA Championships – eight individually. For the last decade, Ohio State has sent double-digit numbers to the national championships each season. The Buckeyes will welcome back nine NCAA qualifiers for the 2014-15 campaign: Michael DiSalle, Josh Fleagle, Tamas Gercsak, Steffen Hillmer, DJ MacDonald, Connor McDonald, Matt McHugh, Keanu Stevenson and Steven Zimmerman.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will have a short, well-deserved break from competition before hosting the annual Ohio State Invitational, Nov. 21-23.
WOMEN
The 15th-ranked Ohio State women’s swimming and diving team will welcome Princeton and Denison this weekend to McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion for a two-day, double dual meet. Action begins Friday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. and continues Saturday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m.
Time Change
Please note the start time for Saturday has been pushed back from its originally scheduled time to 11 a.m. (ET).
Undefeated in Duals
The Buckeyes improved to 6-0 in dual meet competition last week, posting wins over Cleveland State (Oct. 30) and Kenyon (Oct. 31). Ohio State earned definitive victories in each, sweeping every event contested.
It’s been a busy start to the 2014-15 campaign for the Buckeyes, as planting seeds for future success at Big Ten and NCAA championships meets has been the mantra. Ohio State kicked off its season at the Dennis Stark Relays hosted by the University of Notre Dame (Oct. 10). With a total score of 194, the Buckeyes outlasted the runner-up Fighting Irish to claim the team title. They continued building momentum with a dual meet win over Miami (Oct. 23) in Oxford, Ohio, which kick started three consecutive days of competitive action. The Buckeyes were certainly up for the challenge. The squad took down Purdue and Cincinnati (Oct. 24) at home, before posting a road win over Ohio (Oct. 24).
“The goal in putting together a lot of dual meets early is really to gage where our team was,” head swimming coach Bill Dorenkott said. “We have a young team and wanted to try kids out in a lot of different events, maybe even build up a little toughness. It’s been a good compliment to our training thus far.”
Scouting the Competition
Princeton will face its first competitive action of the season this weekend. The Tigers bring a plethora of tradition to the Buckeye state, with 21 Ivy League Championships, including 11 of the last 15.
Denison opened its dual meet schedule Saturday, Oct. 25 with a home victory over the University of Chicago. The Big Red won 11 of the 16 events, as junior Marissa Bednarek led the way with three wins. Denison has also faced Michigan State this season. The Big Red fell to the Spartans 137-68.
NCAA Provisional Times
Ohio State has earned one NCAA provisional time so far this season. Sophomore standout Amy Bopp recorded an NCAA ‘B’ time in the 200 breaststroke vs. the Bobcats in Athens (Oct. 24).
Bucks vs. the B1G
The Buckeyes currently hold 10 top-10 times in the Big Ten. Freshman Zhesi Li ranks fourth in the 50 freestyle, while veterans Amy Bopp and Ashley Vance each hold top-5 rankings in two events. The times cover every individual event except the 1,650 freestyle, which the team has not competed in at this point.
Embracing Eli
Eli Boda, a 13-year old from Columbus, Ohio, was adopted by the Buckeyes through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ), a non-profit, charitable organization formed in 2005 that aims to improve the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families.
On May 19, 2014, Eli was diagnosed with a mass on his brain after a seizure caused him to unexpectedly collapse. Since then, a slew of radiation and chemotherapy has followed, taking a toll on both Eli and his loved ones.
Now, Eli has an extended family in the Buckeyes to lean on for support during challenging times. For more information on Eli, his family and his story, visit the following links: Friends of Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, Facebook, Caring Bridge and Go Fund Me.
Welcome Coach Wolfrum
In April, Jordan Wolfrum was named an assistant coach by head coach Bill Dorenkott. Wolfrum brings an extensive coaching background to the Buckeyes, including serving last season as a volunteer assistant coach at Stanford University. Under the guidance of Wolfrum, the Cardinals finished as the national runner-up, broke numerous school records and set an American and NCAA record in the 400 medley relay.
“I am so looking forward to joining the Buckeye family,” said Wolfrum. “I have immense respect for Coach Dorenkott as a coach and as a team leader. I am very excited to join him and bring my passion and excitement to the pool deck. I believe that together we can lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten championship and NCAA honors.”
Captain Clary Leads Team USA
Lindsey Clary, a sophomore this season, was afforded the opportunity to lead the U.S. Junior National Team as it contended at the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Aug. 27-31.
This summer marked the second consecutive in which Clary competed on the national level. She earned a spot on Team USA’s roster for Jr. Pan Pacs at the 2014 Open Water National Championships, where she finished 13th out of 47 competitors in only her second-ever open water race. At Jr. Pan Pacs, Clary earned sixth in the 10k open water event.
Busy Summer, Big Results
With the next Summer Olympics just two years away, the summer break from collegiate competition proved to be critical for the Buckeye swimmers as they strive to make their marks on the Rio Games in 2016.
Highlighting the summer, Buckeyes Michelle Williams and Samantha Cheverton shined for Team Canada at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland (July 24-29) and the Pan Pacific Championships in Gold Coast, Australia (Aug. 21-25). At the Commonwealth Games, both Buckeyes added to Canada’s medal total, with Cheverton contributing to the silver-medal winning 4×200 freestyle relay and Williams earning bronze alongside the 4×100 freestyle relay. The pair continued to gain recognition on the international level, competing in six events at Pan Pacs, which is regarded as one of the premier international meets of the year.
Ohio State was also well represented at the 2014 Phillips 66 National Championships, with a group of six current and former Buckeyes making waves at the national showcase. Clary continued to exhibit her development with a 36th-place finish in the 400 individual medley, while her teammates Alex Norris, Kaitlyn Ferrara, Ashley Vance and Amy Bopp also recorded Top-50 individual rankings.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will have a short, well-deserved break from competition before hosting the annual Ohio State Invitational, Nov. 21-23.
College Swimming News courtesy of Ohio State Swimming and Diving.
