2008-09 Women's Swimming & Diving Season Outlook

Scots Aiming for Top-Three NCAC Status Again and More

Ashley Meyer is being counted on to be a top distance freestyler for Wooster.

The College of Wooster reestablished itself as the third-best women’s swimming and diving team in the North Coast Athletic Conference last season, a significant accomplishment since the top-two spots are traditionally taken by NCAA Div. III national powers Kenyon College and Denison University. Due to injuries and inexperience, Wooster had uncharacteristically finished fourth and fifth at the 2006 and 2007 North Coast Athletic Conference Championships, respectively, however prior to that, the Fighting Scots held down the third-place position for eight years (1998-2005).

Now back in a familiar spot and with all but one of its individual scorers from the 2008 NCAC meet returning, the Scots look to maintain their status within the conference as well as cut the distance between themselves and the top-two. Wooster’s success last season was due to its depth, and that will likely be  the case again.

Among the top veterans is junior breaststroke specialist Syd Kelly. She advanced to NCAC championship heats (top-eight) in both the 100 and 200, coming in seventh in the 200 (2:33.07) and eighth in the 100 (1:10.50), and also registered a 10th-place effort in the 400 individual medley (4:48.44).

Complementing Kelly in the breast will be senior co-captain Lindsey Dorko, junior Allie Kibler-Campbell, and sophomore Tamari Farquharson, in addition to some first-years. Dorko is coming off respective 11th- and 12th-place showings in the 200 (2:36.57) and 100 (1:12.33) at the NCAC’s, as well as a 16th in the 200 IM (2:18.32). Kibler-Campbell won the consolation of the 100 for ninth-place overall (1:10.67), followed by Farquharson in 10th (1:10.96).

Farquharson is expected to make more of an impact in the sprint freestyles. She has the potential for a breakout year, according to the coaching staff, as they’re seeking improvements on 13th- and 14th-place conference finishes in the 100 (55.35) and 50 (25.34), respectively. Seniors Meggie Edwards and Molly Bittner and sophomore Elizabeth Zucco give the Scots plenty of more options. At last season’s NCAC Championships, Edwards came in 12th in the 50 (25.13) and 17th in the 100 (54.32) and Bittner touched 10th in the 100 (54.77) and 19th in the 50 (25.63), while Zucco was 20th in the 50 (25.64).

Another top contributor in that area was now-junior Alice Case, as she took 19th in the 100 free (55.65) and tied for 22nd in the 50 free (25.73). This season, she may move up into the middle distance, solidifying the Scots in those events, along with Bittner and junior Ashley Meyer.

Meyer could anchor a young group of distance freestylers after coming on strong at the end of last season, producing an 11th-place swim in the 1650 (18:46.20) as well as a 19th-place in the 500 (5:23.30) at NCAC’s. Classmate Kristine Mann was just ahead of her in the 1650, taking ninth overall (18:45.48).

Mann’s specialty, though, is the butterfly, an especially deep area for Wooster. Case is the top veteran there, having recorded a sub-minute time in the 100 last year, good for ninth at the conference meet (59.59), while Mann finished 13th in both the 100 (1:01.57) and 200 (2:19.29). Bittner added a 17th-place effort in the 100 fly (1:01.69).

The Scots also have depth in the backstroke, led by Edwards. An All-American in the 100 (59.11) during 2006, she has the ability to return to that level, if healthy. Last year, Edwards came in seventh in the NCAC in that event (1:00.45), while sophomore May Tobar was right behind in ninth-place (1:00.97). Tobar also scored in the 200 back, taking 12th (2:15.89). Zucco and a couple of first-years will be in the mix, too.

Other returnees who could provide valuable support include sophomore Stephanie Jarvis, who will be entered in breaststroke, butterfly, and IM events, junior Elaine Coladarci, another butterflyer and IMer, and sophomore distance specialist Sam Spencer.

Add in a nine-member first-year class, headlined by triplets Melissa Haug, Priscilla Haug, and Rebecca Haug, and Wooster has all the makings for a standout season.