Fact or Fiction: Williams brought in a top 5 class in d3.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Really Rece, the hair is still perfect, but the brain isn’t functioning so well. This is F-A-L-S-E, false, false, false. Is this a good class? Yes, but it’s a bandaid! They added a couple guys who will fill in the gaps but this class lacks the depth to stay up there with the big boys. And don’t tell me “Oh, but Scooter, they got a stud”, well even Trinity (TX) got a stud, so don’t talk to me too much about that… even if that is one more stud than those Irish have offensive touchdowns so far this year. This class will not, i repeat, not be a top 5 class once we see everyone’s class, heck they might be lucky to be in the top 10! Wake me when something exciting happens, will ya!

It’s good to be back and, Old Man Corso, its F-I-C-T-I-O-N, not “false”. You losin’ a step pops?

But this is fiction and here’s why: the quantity because boy is there quality. What kind of quality? Ben Wampler is only .07 off the fastest 50 freestyle recruit that Kenyon has EVER brought in (Lloyd Baron, 20.78) at 20.85. He is a giant (6’10”) and will be an “Instant Impacter” for the relays Williams will put together.

Again, from a quality standpoint, its there. They filled a gap with a great D guy, not to mention McDonald at 53.low in the backstroke (possbiilty the worst event at Nats?).

Rece, Lee, I have to go back to quantity. 2 of the 5 guys won’t ever swim at Nationals. If those guys are reading this, I’d love for them to prove me wrong, but right now, I say: Fiction.

Lets not be to hasty guys. They brought in three guys who have a very good chance of scoring points at nationals, and there won’t be to many teams that have three freshman on the sidelines. One of those freshmen will be swimming a plus leg on four relays, and another might be leading off the medleys. Williams will have 20 relay swims in finals, and getting six of those swims from the freshman class is probably just enough to keep them in consideration for the top five. As a matter of fact, a big stud 50 guy should count extra for them, because they end up in 9th place in the 200 free relay last year. A big stud freshman doesn’t do you nearly as much good if you can’t get him to the big heats in the relays.
Last year was the best year Williams ever had for relays (they set team records in the free relays), and they are in danger of slipping off. The Wampler difference is that he probably keeps them in the big heat. With out him, no way they make big heat in the 200, I think they are on the outside in the 400, and they fall a 4 or 5 spots down the ladder in the 800. With him, and some improvement from MacDonald’s backstroke, they have a chance to be better in the Medleys and have a chance to hold on in the Frees.
That looks to me like a class that is making a big difference on a team that is going to be fighting for a top 5 spot. Be excited Ephmen, that small class can make a big difference for the team. I’m going to say that this is a fact, because at the end of the year, we will be seeing first year students for Williams gutting out the hard relay points that let the team stick in the top 5.

I don’t think Williams has “studs” or any for sure immediate impacts on the team, with one exception- Wampler, a half second off the q-time in the 50 free could try and replace graduated senior Gallucci, although they still have Hannigan. They also graduated 2 of their 2free relay members and 3 of the 4free relay members, so he could impact there.

Moreover, Roberson has a decent mile, one second off the B-cut and with training could compete in Ohio. Out of the five, I think David Thompson is a definite black horse and could also be an impact in the mile or even the weakest event, the 200back.

Overall though, i dont think this freshmen class will help at nationals. if williams wants to find themselves competing against emory and denison, they are gonna have to do it with the upperclassmen.

I think its foolish to say that none of Williams’ freshmen will help at nationals, but I do agree that they didn’t get a top 5 class. Wampler is a huge pickup and will only get faster, but 53 in the 100 back is relatively pedestrian and unless he has a big drop I don’t see that making the dance anytime soon.

Kuster is a great coach. In fact the way he gets these guys to improve every year I would put him up against any of the best and he might come out on top. I would not be at all surprised if Wampler went 20.2 in the 50 this year, and he will be huge in the 100 too.

@swim5599 wrote:

Kuster is a great coach. In fact the way he gets these guys to improve every year I would put him up against any of the best and he might come out on top. I would not be at all surprised if Wampler went 20.2 in the 50 this year, and he will be huge in the 100 too.

kuster is a great coach, however i will be wicked surprised if Wampler goes his 20.2 flat start. someone mentioned him going a 20.88. i cant find that result anywhere, was it a relay split?

Yeah I heard people saying he went that fast also. Maybe check his sectional results for that one.

@wickedfoolish wrote:

@swim5599 wrote:

Kuster is a great coach. In fact the way he gets these guys to improve every year I would put him up against any of the best and he might come out on top. I would not be at all surprised if Wampler went 20.2 in the 50 this year, and he will be huge in the 100 too.

kuster is a great coach, however i will be wicked surprised if Wampler goes his 20.2 flat start. someone mentioned him going a 20.88. i cant find that result anywhere, was it a relay split?

3 Ben Wampler (Sr.), Winnetka (New Trier) :20.88

Illinois High School State Meet, Finals, here is the link:
http://www.ihsa.org/activity/swb/2006-07/1result2.htm#Event4

http://www.ihsa.org/activity/swb/2006-07/1result1.htm#Event4 wrote:

50-Yard Freestyle

(Top 6 qualify for championship finals; second 6 qualify for consolation finals)

Pl. Competitor, School Mark
1 Q-Brian Alden (Jr.), Naperville (Neuqua Valley) :20.10
2 Q-Jake Grosser (Sr.), St. Charles (East) :20.41
3 Q-Daniel Jung (Jr.), Darien (Hinsdale South) :20.85
3 Q-Ben Wampler (Sr.), Winnetka (New Trier) :20.85
5 Q-Will Conrad (Sr.), Northbrook (Glenbrook North) :21.03
6 Q-James Doetsch (Sr.), Lake Forest (H.S.) :21.07

I see that he swam the 50 and all three relays. ANyone know what the kid goes in the 100?

Probably right around 47.0 The week before state meet he split a 47.7 in the 100. Same meet he went a 21.5 in the 50 flat start.

Williamsth? If eveth there was a team that was tough on my lisp, it’s gotta be the Ephs.

Someof those guys are good, but one don’t make a team good. Trinity gets a good recruit? That’s great for them, just great, but that’s like Vince Young going to Sam Houston State over the Longhorns. I like JohnssssHopkinssss getting Fedderly. With ther backstrokersss and fffflyersss that medley is going to be tough to beat.

No, if you wanna way to turn around a program, you need new blood.When I was at Notre Dame we brought ’em in from all over before we won a national championship. You wanna see a good class, you gotta hoof it to the Dairy aire of the Badger state where new UWEC coach Kollross has 37 new kids! 37 that’s like a new team! They’ve been feeling blue, but they’ll be seeing gold. Another one in the land of cheeseheads is Carfthage. I count over 40 in Kenosha.

A lot of these kids can’t swim and for their sake, I hope nobody drowns, but they’re going to make the veterans work harder. It’s not well known, but Raghib never went faster than a 4.6 until is brother Qadry started stealin his cherrios.

I think the Ben Wampler is a raw talent that has a lot of “upside” potential. However, his brother Sam at Colby is much the same way, and he does not have the greatest of work ethics. Sam says that his brother is much lazier than he is, so if that is true, any improvements might be limited to the 50.

Although, Ben is about 5 inches taller and twice as thick as Sam…

I have a feeling Kuster will probably not stand for not working. If he gets this kid to work just a little he will be pretty quick

I’ve heard that Rob Hannigan wasn’t much of a work ethic kind of guy either, and look how he turned out for them. :20, :44, 1:39?

Exactly my point people just get faster there.

the one thing that i just remembered about rob hannigan…

http://www.williamsrecord.com/wr/?sawContrib=yes&view=article&section=news&id=8959

i’m not sure what it means, and i don’t remember what happened with this. maybe he won’t be around this year….

@griz wrote:

the one thing that i just remembered about rob hannigan…

http://www.williamsrecord.com/wr/?sawContrib=yes&view=article&section=news&id=8959

i’m not sure what it means, and i don’t remember what happened with this. maybe he won’t be around this year….

WOW. That’s BIG. I won’t comment on him personally as I don’t know the situation but it’s very bad for the team if he is unable to swim. He is not on the roster as of now.

Weird… though who has never made a ‘Works’ bomb or even a pipe bomb (potato cannon, etc…) for that matter. I would not be suprised if those were felonies in today’s climate. Looks like just dumb college kid stuff to me.

Though I wouldn’t know, having never been one 8)

Agreed Griz. If he is lazier than Sam, then that is DEFINITELY a cause for concern. Sometimes it can be revealing when a 20.8 50 freestyler doesn’t even consider d1 schools, as I have heard ben does not. On another note, i am hopeful for David Thompson. He really came on strong as a sophomore and junior but he is a bit of an enigma. I know David personally and I think Kuster is the right kind of coach to get the best out of Dave. He has a lot of talent. He even showed some ability to do butterfly at times as well.