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So, according to the famous SwimmingWorld website, Westminster only has five incomers this year. I know they’re not known for their gigantic recruiting classes, but that still seems awfully small to me, as if they didn’t quite get the full story. But with what they’ve given us, let’s compare with what they’ve lost:
1 R. Trunk: replaced by Aaron Whisman? Quite possible. Let’s don’t forget Trunk wasn’t exactly flying high on the radar screen when he came to Western PA. Probably not an immediate equal to the giant from New England, but he might grow into one before he leaves.
1 P. Smith: Can’t say I see any replacement for him on the list.
The rest of the reduced backstroke trio/quartet (Hothem, McNamara, and Knight): ditto.
1 M. Kerns: not seeing anyone in distance; the Bodle brothers might fill in as approximate substitutes at their shorter distances, but even they will want some betterment.
1 A. Rady: Perhaps Mr. Thiessen, with a bit of IM training (don’t let those quoted times from the 200 and 500 fool you)? Or maybe the “versatile” Devin Gannon (another IMer in waiting, perhaps?), who with a bit of improvement could become the next member of what is rapidly becoming the Titans’ breaststroke symphony orchestra.
I guess you never know, but something suspects me we’ll see a few more new names on the roster come autumn than are included here (though, note, all still from either NE Ohio or Western or Central PA).
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Here you go:
Swimming World Article -
Of Westminster’s mens team recruits (Class of ’11), what you see is what you might get. I was chatting with Mr. Simpson during the last day at nationals back in March, and he felt that the incoming class would not be as strong (potentially) as Westminster’s recent graduates were. But you never know. These guys may not be studs, but I’m sure Coach Klamut will have them in competitive shape come next February.
I don’t know anything about the other teams except a little with GCC. I believe they will be getting another diver, and one or two guys who are decent in the breaststroke. Then there is Tim Whitbeck’s good friend, Cam, who will be doing freestyle and perhaps backstroke. Anyway Coach seemed to be encouraged about the upcoming class at GCC. Having contenders at the national meet can only help with getting a strong recruiting class. Enough said. We’ll see what happens in the fall.
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@I wrote:
something suspects me we’ll see a few more new names on the roster come autumn than are included here
Then again, I may have been mistaken. And this:
@A wiser man than I wrote:Of Westminster’s mens team recruits (Class of ’11), what you see is what you might get
appears to have been spot on. I’m surprised, pleasantly, that it’s up so early.
As for the Titan women, same in quantity of freshmen as the men and not much discernible difference in quality. The Swimming World article on them makes it look like, with some good coaching, most of them could probably show in finals at PACs in an event or two. But I wouldn’t lay money on any of them finishing as conference champion just yet.
Anybody know anything about other teams (or more about Westminster)? Do share.
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Looks like the Grove City men have added 12 freshman to the mix for this season. That’s great, and hopefully will give the team some added depth. Not having 8 conference placers back for this year (Amos, Barron, Courage, Gilbert, Manny B., Wiedeman, Schultz and Young) these freshman, and the rest of the team will really have to step up a notch to knock Westminster off the top.
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Some quick and rough-sketch google-searches of those dozen new guys yields the following:
Armstrong: ?
Bailey: set club team records last season of 23.40 (50 free) and 12:31.63 (1000); also found 100 back (1:04.66, seed of 1:00.03) and 100 fly (2:17.13, seed of 2:14.22) from a meet this summer
Coppelli: 54.89 1back at PA states in 06; over this past summer, LCM 1:04.99 in the 1back and 26.23 50 free
Gummel: 22.81 relay lead-off and 55.16 fly split at Y nationals in the spring
Hawk: 341 diver at HS sectionals his junior year
Keefer: 2:06.97 2IM and 1:01.91 1breast at PA states last season
Leonard: found these from a USAS meet his sophomore year: 49.93 1free, 1:50.22 2free, 55.28 1back, 2:01.31 2back, 1:59.99 2IM, 4:23.09 4IM
Marasco: 54.18 1fly at PA states and 2:06.85 2fly at Y nationals in the spring
Nielsen: 51.23 1free, 1:51.89 2free, 5:05.89 500; All-Texas private school times from last season
Parry: splits of 23.51 (50) and 52.58 (100) at PA states last season
Prete: ?
Wells: 2free 1:53.89 and 1back 1:00.17 at HS sectionals his junior year
I don’t think I’d call this a top-5 recruiting class nationally (although I’m not really sure what one of those would look like), but I suspect it’ll turn out to be the best in the conference.
Leonard (and Coppelli, if times form his past life are still useful) should fill in some desperately needed place(s) in backstroke.
Keefer should be a serviceable successor to Andrew Gilbert. I don’t know if he’ll step all the way up to that level immediately, but he may well surpass it before he graduates.
Marasco should stand in for 1 Manny B.
A conspicuous lack of distance swimmers, though (excepting, I suppose, Jared Bailey). That could be a big deal with 3 guys and 100 points from that group not returning. Then again, seeing as how there are still a few left, including Chip Cressman, it may not make that much difference.
On the sprinting end of things, it’s hard to replace half of your relay at once (especially when half of that half is Caleb Courage), but I have a feeling Coach Fritz will make it work somehow. They already have P. Larsen, and if Matt Leonard’s sprinting abilities match those of some of his other events, he could provide a credible fourth.
Hawk makes 4 divers, more than a full complement. Given what T-Fritz has done with the non-diver gymnasts she’s started with over the last few years, this could be very promising.
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