Swim team faces final tourney
Nick Tabor
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Sports
The last five months of practice come to a head this week for Hillsdale College's swim team, at the annual GLIAC Championships.
The team left for the University of Indianapolis Wednesday, where they are competing against eight other teams. Events began Wednesday evening and last through Saturday.
Head coach Kurt Kirner said the team has a great deal riding on this meet.
"This is the meet that could catapult them to NCAAs," he said. "This is where the fastest swimming will occur, and the idea is to get them to a place where they'll go to that next level. So there's a lot at stake."
Kirner said the team's current condition gives him confidence.
"They're all prepared and ready to go," he said. "There are a lot of very good teams. There are colleges coming from some Division II powerhouses. But that should only serve to help our team perform at a higher level."
Sophomore Meredith Scott echoed Kirner's optimism.
"I think we're all ready for it," she said. "I'm excited. I think it should be fun."
Each morning will bring the preliminary rounds for a handful of different races. The top 16 swimmers from each round will compete again the same evening.
Kirner said junior Anne Verhoef, sophomores Cassie Nielsen and Meredith Scott, and freshman Alicia LeDuc have especially strong chances of placing in the top eight overall slots for their respective events.
If they score well as a team, they will compete at Nationals in March.
LeDuc said she's trying to stay focused and calm.
"I'm just trying to keep a positive attitude and do what the coach says," she said.
This competition also marks the end of Kirner's first year coaching at Hillsdale. He said he's been applying strategies he developed while coaching at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.
"I've had a lot of success with championship meets in the past, and I feel that if the kids can take the way things have been designed, they should be able to get lifetime best times," he said.
Hillsdale College Collegian
The team left for the University of Indianapolis Wednesday, where they are competing against eight other teams. Events began Wednesday evening and last through Saturday.
Head coach Kurt Kirner said the team has a great deal riding on this meet.
"This is the meet that could catapult them to NCAAs," he said. "This is where the fastest swimming will occur, and the idea is to get them to a place where they'll go to that next level. So there's a lot at stake."
Kirner said the team's current condition gives him confidence.
"They're all prepared and ready to go," he said. "There are a lot of very good teams. There are colleges coming from some Division II powerhouses. But that should only serve to help our team perform at a higher level."
Sophomore Meredith Scott echoed Kirner's optimism.
"I think we're all ready for it," she said. "I'm excited. I think it should be fun."
Each morning will bring the preliminary rounds for a handful of different races. The top 16 swimmers from each round will compete again the same evening.
Kirner said junior Anne Verhoef, sophomores Cassie Nielsen and Meredith Scott, and freshman Alicia LeDuc have especially strong chances of placing in the top eight overall slots for their respective events.
If they score well as a team, they will compete at Nationals in March.
LeDuc said she's trying to stay focused and calm.
"I'm just trying to keep a positive attitude and do what the coach says," she said.
This competition also marks the end of Kirner's first year coaching at Hillsdale. He said he's been applying strategies he developed while coaching at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.
"I've had a lot of success with championship meets in the past, and I feel that if the kids can take the way things have been designed, they should be able to get lifetime best times," he said.
Hillsdale College Collegian
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