University Chronicle Extras:
Movies
|
Rate a Pic
|
Horoscopes
|
Career
|
Scholarships
|
Travel
|
GradZone
News
Briefly
Calendar of Events
Commentary
Sports
Diversions
World News
Classifieds
Login
Letter Submission
Search
Archive
Publishing Policy
Mail Subscriptions
St. Cloud State University
College Publisher
Home
>
Sports
Swimmers host home invitational
By Derek Sullivan
Published:
Thursday, October 30, 2003
The swimming and diving programs at SCSU look to continue to climb up the conference ladder.
The SCSU swimming and diving season gets a jumpstart this weekend. The Huskies will hold their annual invite, bringing four strong programs to their pool Saturday.
Coach Jeff Hegle will look at veterans and newcomers to lead his men's and women's squads.
Sophomores Danielle Breunig and Jackie Vieau are some of the expected standouts. Breunig, from Madison, Wis. participates in the middle distance races, while Vieau, from Delano, Minn. participates in intermediate events.
First-year student Brenda Peters is looking to make an immediate impact. Peters, from Faribault, Minn., is participating in many sprint races this weekend.
"She should make a great showing on Saturday," head coach Jeff Hegle said.
On the men's side, experience will be a key. Seniors Micah Eberle, Ryan Rotramel and Gabe Kern lead the Huskies. Eberle, from Racine, Wis., specializes in the backstroke. Rotramel, from Ramsey, Minn. and Kern, from Shoreview, Minn., participate in the sprints.
The men's team also has a first- year athlete making an immediate impact. Alan Einck, from Champaign, Ill., will be counted on several butterfly races Saturday.
Eberle, Rotramel and Kern not only excel in the pool, but also provide leadership. The trio was named captains for the 2003-2004 season.
"The goal is to get as many team members to nationals as possible," Eberle said. "We haven't qualified anyone for three to four years. This year we have a great chance.
Another swimmer the men will count on is a new and improved sophomore Russ Daniels.
"Russ is really kicking it this year," Eberle said. "He has really improved over the summer."
The women's captains are junior Marie Jacobs, Stevens Point, Wis., and sophomores Christina Green, Eau Claire, Wis. and Jamie Sanborn, Ramsey, Minn.
SCSU is hoping to make a move up the NCC ladder this winter. At last year's North Central Conference Tournament, the women's team placed fourth and Northern Colorado, which placed third, has left the North Central Conference. However, tournament champion North Dakota and runner-up University of Nebraska-Omaha remain.
"UND is the dominant team in the conference," Hegle said. "We feel like we can challenge Nebraska-Omaha for second place in the women's side."
"We are still a year or two away from challenging for the conference title."
The Huskies will see first-hand how good UND 2003-2004 squad can perform. North Dakota women's team will arrive in St. Cloud Saturday for the SCSU invite. Although SCSU will not compete against Nebraska-Omaha in their pool, they will see the Mavericks for the first time Dec. 5 at the Mutual of Omaha Challenge in Omaha, Neb.
North Dakota is one of many strong women's swimming and diving teams that will compete in the SCSU Invite. Perennial power University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will send a squad. Minnesota State-Mankato, Sioux City, Iowa-based Morningside College and Minnesota State-Moorhead round out the field.
"We will be very strong in the meet," Hegle said. "We look forward to competing with Wisconsin-Eau-Claire. It should be a good battle."
The morning swimming session starts at 10 a.m. and the diving competition begins at 2 p.m. The evening swimming session starts at 6:30 p.m.
Last year, the men's team finished third out of five swimming and diving programs at the NCC conference meet. North Dakota also took home the men's title while the University of South Dakota took second. UND and USD both look to have powerful squads again this season.
"We are looking to challenge for third place on the men's side," Hegle said.
The SCSU men's squad does have a large number of veterans and could be a surprise team at the conference tournament. The NCC Tournament will be held Feb. 19-21. Unfortunately for the rest of the conference, the tournament will be held in Grand Forks, North Dakota, home of the defending champion UND Fighting Sioux.
The Division II National Tournament will be held March 10-13 in Buffalo, New York.
There are several times to catch the Huskies at Halenbeck Hall this season. After the invite this weekend, the teams will be home Nov. 7-8. Also, the women play host to Northern Michigan Nov. 7. The following day, both teams host Northern Michigan and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens-Point.
Forum:
No comments have been posted for this story.
Post a comment
