WOLF SEEKS DIVING TITLES
CLARION WOMEN’S & MEN’S SWIM TEAMS AT NCAA D-II NATIONALS MARCH 14-17
Clarion’s Women’s and Men’s Swimming and Diving teams are ready for the NCAA Division II National Championships this week and are looking for some top performances. The NCAA’s will be hosted by Erie Community College and take place at the Flickinger Center in Buffalo, New York from March 14-17. Prelims will start each day at 10:30am with finals starting at 6pm.
Clarion seventh year head coach Mark VanDyke is looking forward to the NCAA’s, after leading the Women and Men to second place finishes at the 2007 PSAC Championships.
The Clarion women will send 12 participants to nationals, including 8 swimmers and 4 divers. Most notably diver Jamie Wolf (Sr. South Park), who owns the NCAA Division II All-Time record with 5 NCAA Division II Diving titles, returns to try and add two more titles in 2007. The men meanwhile will send a total of 7 participants including 6 swimmers and 1 diver.
"I believe we’re ready for some quality swims in the pool, and the divers are ready to have another great meet," said coach VanDyke. "Our goal for the women is a top 10 finish and we’re hoping for a top 15 finish for the men."
Clarion’s women have a long and strong tradition at the NCAA’s. Winners of 8 Division II Titles (77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 & 86) and 26 PSAC titles, the Golden Eagles were 11th at nationals last year, 10th in 2005, 5th in 2004, 10th in 2003, 7th in 2002 and 6th in 2001. Other top 5 Clarion placings recently include 2nd in 1993, 3rd in 1998 and 94, 4th in 2000, 99, 97, 95 and 98 and 5th in 1996, 92 and 91.
In the pool Clarion will have Rebecca Burgess (Fr. Gibsonia), Sari Cattoni (Jr. Lewis Run), Kristy Clarke (Sr. Campbell Hall, N.Y.), Brittany Hanzl (Sr. Whitehall), Katie Kuntz (Sr. N. Canton, Oh.), Lori Leitzinger (Jr. State College), Stacy Ogden (Sr. Clearfield), Denise Simens (So. Hollister, Ca.).
Clarke (sprint free) a 7-time A-A, Leitzinger (free/back) a 7-time A-A, Simens (Breaststroke) a 5-time A-A, Hanzl (free/fly) a 4-time A-A, Cattoni (Breast/IM, Free) a 2-time A-A and Ogden (Free/Back) one A-A certificate return to nationals to seek more awards. Burgess is making her first appearance.
Last year in individual events Leitzinger was 12th at nationals in the 200 back (12th in 2005), while Simens was 13th in the 200 breaststroke.
Clarion’s diving contingent, under the watchful eye of coach Dave Hrovat, is poised for another strong nationals. Senior Jamie Wolf (South Park) has won 5 of 6 national titles, the most of any NCAA Division II diver in NCAA history. Last year she won 3 meter with 494.85 points, but finished second on one meter with 414.75 points. Wolf won both the 1 and 3 meter titles as a freshman and a sophomore and both years she was named the NCAA Division II Female "Diver of the Year". Joining her will be junior Teagan Riggs (Meadville), junior Ginny Saras (Sugarloaf) and freshman Jena Gardone (Apollo - Kiski Area). Riggs, a 4-time All-American, was 5th on 3 meter and 9th on one meter last year. Saras meanwhile was 15th on one meter last year and is a three-time All-American.
Clarion’s men also have a strong tradition at the NCAA’s. Last year’s team was 14th at nationals, the 2005 team was 15th at nationals, while the 2004 squad was 14th and the 2003 team placed 8th. The 2002 team also placed 8th at nationals and the 2001 Eagles were 11th. Recently Clarion has placed 2nd at the Division II Nationals in 1992, 3rd in 1991, 88 and 84, 4th in 1997, 95 and 83 and 5th in 1989, 86, 85, 82 and 81.
Clarion’s men will have six swimmers competing in the pool including Mike Cohen (Jr. Pickerington, Oh.), Adley Kilgore (Sr. Airville), Mike Kerr (Jr. Lansdale - North Penn), Andrew Claypool (So. Kittanning), Rich Eckert (Fr. Versailles - McKeesport) and Ryan Thiel (Fr. Ligonier).
Kilgore, a 10-time All-American, has a chance to bring home a national championship for the men in the 50 freestyle. He was third in the 50 free at nationals last year and has the fourth fastest D-II time this season. The 50 free is on Wednesday. He also was 11th in the 50 free at nationals in 2005. Cohen (fly/free), a 7-time A-A and Kerr (backstroke), a 2-time A-A, return with national awards to lead the way. Claypool (free), Eckert (breaststroke/IM) and Thiel (free) hope to try for an individual placing while leading the relays to placings. Clarion’s 200 free relay is seeded third and 200 medley relay is seeded fourth on the psych sheet.
The diving contingent features James Kane (Jr. Plymouth - Wyoming Valley West) who is looking for his first All-America placing.
CLARION NOTES: Diving Coach Dave Hrovat is in his 17th year at Clarion... He has been named the D-II "Diving Coach of the Year" 14-times ... Women’s coach in 2005, 04, 02, 01, 2000, 1995 and 93, and Men’s coach in 2003, 02, 98, 97, 96 , 92 and 91... Dave’s divers have won 26 NCAA titles and 165 A-A placings in his 16 seasons... Clarion’s women have a dual meet record of 53-20 under VanDyke and the men are 41-22-1... There will be 4 women’s and 5 men’s events on Weds., 5 men’s and 6 women’s events Thursday, 5 women’s and 6 men’s events on Friday and 5 men’s and 6 women’s events on Saturday... Women’s diving events on Thursday and Saturday, men’s diving on Wednesday and Friday.