Season Outlook

2004-05 Senior Captains: (from left) Jonathan Newcomer, Jen Kay, Blake Troxel, Meghan Jewett

The Wittenberg men's and women's swimming and diving teams open a new era in 2004-05 as Head Coach Natalie Koukis takes the reins and hopes to guide the Tigers to even greater heights. Wittenberg is coming off an outstanding 2003-04 season, which was highlighted by strong North Coast Athletic Conference and NCAA Division III finishes for both the men's and women's teams and national finishes for both teams for the fourth consecutive season.

The Tiger women are led by two-time All-American and All-NCAC honoree Becca Searcy (Shelbyville, Ky./Shelby County), but there is great depth on the team, including sophomore Jenny Mulligan (Cheyney, Pa./Delaware Valley Friends)and junior Betany Yeakley (Wilmington, Ohio/Wilmington), both of whom achieved NCAA "B" Cuts and top-eight finishes in the NCAC in 2004. The Tigers finished a close fourth with a school-record point total in the 2004 NCAC championships, and this year's squad may well have the firepower to break into the upper echelon of the conference standings.

A total of 15 letterwinners are back in the fold for the Tiger women. In addition to the three individuals already mentioned, the returning letterwinners include sophomores Hillary Clark (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer), Colleen Costigan (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston), Jenna Davis (Bridgman, Mich./Bridgman), Olivia Lyons (Pleasant Hill, Calif./Horizons), Shantel Sechrist (Saltsburg, Pa./Saltsburg),Katie Spittler (Carlisle, Ky./Lexington Catholic) and Mary Workman (Medina, Ohio/Cloverleaf), juniors Leslie Banas (Huntington Woods, Mich./Mercy), Amy Conner (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and Sarah Schick (Bloomington, Ind./North) and senior captains Meghan Jewett (Batavia, Ohio/Cincinnati McNicholas) and Jennifer Kay (Strongsville, Ohio/Magnificat). Clark, Banas and Conner have all posted top-eight finishes in the extremely competitive NCAC meet in recent years.

A strong group of incoming swimmers promises to bolster an already solid team in 2004-05. The freshman swimmers are Lindsay Smith (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Mount Vernon), Kaitlin Clark (Wakeman, Ohio/Firelands), Kara Dennis (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Olmsted), Lara Rath (Mt.Pleasant, Pa./Connellsville Area)and Sarah Norman (Independence Ohio/Independence), in addition to sophomore Mindy Robinson (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake), who is new to the team this year, and freshman diver Courtney Roth (Gurnee, Ill./Lake Forest).

The men return 11 letterwinners, highlighted by sophomore diver Cody Nicely (Knoxville, Tenn./Bearden), the 2004 North Coast Athletic Conference champion, and two senior captains, Jonathan Newcomer (Valencia, Pa./Mars Area) andBlake Troxel (Bluffton, Ind./Norwell). Both have been members of highly successful relay teams in recent years,and Newcomer earned All-NCAC honors in 2004.

Other returning letterwinners, who will be counted on to pick up the slack left by 11-time All-American Steve Rader and four other seniors who graduated in 2004, include sophomores Ben Weible (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood), Matt Reiss (Beavercreek, Ohio/Dayton Carroll), Mark O'Brien (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas Senior) and Sean Wolf (White Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central), juniors Dan McGuire (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria), Kevin McAninch (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Lancaster) and Sean Buchan (Akron,Ohio/Revere). Wolf earned All-NCAC honors in his inaugural collegiate campaign in relay events.

A strong, deep incoming group promises to make 2004-05 an exciting season for the Tiger men. The freshman class includes swimmers Jordan Brown (Lexington, Ky./Tates Creek), Brian Harris (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg), Ryan Schramm (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon), Corey Schramm (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon), Jeff Smith (Mansfield, Ohio/Senior), Nick Pierson (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) and Adam Sulkis (Wayland, Mass./Wayland), in addition to junior transfer Chad Martin (Springfield, Ohio/North).