Limestone Being Mined for Recruits

By Emily Melina
CollegeSwimming.com

Spring signals the start of the coaches’ version of “Musical Chairs.”  While this year’s edition has been slow to get started, the number of collegiate swimmers playing the game is on the rise.  Transfers happen for a variety of reasons.  A program can get dropped (as in the recent cases of Washington and Pepperdine) or recruiting coach might leave.  When a swimmer leaves, the blame tends to fall on the swimmer, though it might just be a bad fit between swimmer, coach and school.  When many swimmers leave, as is the case at Limestone College this spring, the focus turns towards the school

From non-existent just five years ago, the private college from Gaffney, South Carolina stormed onto the Division II scene.  Limestone’s global roster quickly produced national champions, Division II records, and even a NCAA team trophy for their fourth place finish this season.  The success Limestone enjoyed wasn’t an endless quarry however.  The sight of Division I coaches at this year’s Bluegrass Mountain Championships signaled that some other programs were interested in mining their own Limestone.  Now, at least four Saints swimmers will be representing different schools next year.  

Like many swimmers, Matt Parsonage did not come to conclusion of transferring easy.  He enjoyed Limestone as a school and campus and was happy as a student, but felt Limestone was lacking the “facilities to help him reach his maximum potential as a swimmer” and disappointed with the way he and his teammates received little recognition and credit for their accomplishments over the season and at nationals.  

“The real reason why so many of us are leaving is because we are all really close,” Parsonage explained. The group arrived together, worked together for two years.  “As soon as one of us decided that we were going to transfer, there was a ripple effect and we all decided to leave.  It just wouldn't be the same without all of us here.”

As a transfer student-athlete certain things must be taken into consideration.  First, Parsonage and his teammates had to receive permission before talking with other coaches.  Having received their release, visits were lined up, scholarships negotiated before arriving at decision day.  With approximately two weeks to decide where he would transfer, Parsonage’s process “turned into a few sleepless nights and some stress.”  Ultimately, Parsonage decided on Cal State Bakersfield and will start there in the fall.

Chad McKenzie’s experience was similar.  Growing up, the South African played several sports.  He trained only a few times a week and had never swum doubles.  McKenzie knew he wanted to come to the United States, but his lack of background limited his options – at least temporarily.

McKenzie’s sentiments echoed those of Parsonage.  “The budget is very limited and proper recognition for our achievements is non-existent.”  But for McKenzie, there was something more.  “I realized after a short spell at Limestone that I would be looking to transfer if my times got fast enough and fortunately they did.”

While noting that the coaching staff had done well the resources they had available, McKenzie disagreed with the administration’s selection of an assistant coach and, felt that the competition at Limestone wasn’t preparing him sufficiently.   The CSU-Bakersfield-bound McKenzie is blunt in his assessment of the Division II school: “Limestone was a great starter school that acted as the perfect platform from which I must move on.”  

Having a team’s top swimmers all gunning and eager to transfer is not an enviable coaching position, but that was the position Ryan Mallam found himself in when he was hired last summer.  
“My transfers were thinking about leaving after their second year at Limestone,” Mallam explained, “so the pressure was on for me to try to out-coach their decisions and try to get them to stay here for another two years.”  

Mallam tried to turn a negative into a positive.  “I believe my swimmers leaving for great Division I programs has pushed me to be the best coach I can be. “   The first-year collegiate coach felt the pressure brought the best out of him.

 “I see it as a win-win because those coaches can give me some heads up on recruits that would be good for my program,” says the eternal optimist.  “Also it gives me a chance to learn from some of the best coaches in the country.”   

More practically, the transfers accelerate the turnaround of scholarship funds.  With increase in transfers we have a better chance of getting great recruits every two years rather than having to pass them up because of lack of scholarships.”

The departures of Parsonage and McKenzie would be enough to cripple most any program, but the pair were far from the crown jewels of Limestone’s outgoing class.  Those two – Goran Majlat and Craig Jordens - will be bound for Minnesota and Arizona respectively.

Majlat grew up in Split, Croatia.  He had always dreamed of coming to America to study and swim and after completing high school in 2006, he took a year off to figure out what he wanted to do next.  He admittedly, wasn’t on the top of anyone’s recruiting list with times converting to 21.6 and 48 mid in the 50 and 100 free.  But the Croatan had a 6’6” frame and, “didn’t have the right training.”

Majlat learned about Limestone from the recommendation of two friends, and Limestone was one of the few options that could afford him the necessary full scholarship.  Majlat says that the 2008 season was a real eye-opener.  He had a successful season dropping to a 20.3 and 45.8 in the sprints.  But it wasn’t all positive.  

Late last summer head coach Allen Gilchrest resigned.  Several of the swimmers considered leaving.  Unable to secure their releases, however, they opted to wait a year and give Mallam a shot.

“It turned out great for us since we dropped even more time. I improved to 19.6, winning NCAAs, and going 44.2 in the 100 freestyle.  Majlat also developed a backstroke – a skill sorely needed by the Minnesota Golden Gophers.  Despite their success, “considering that we were swimming on a higher level than Limestone and the things they can offer to us” they yearned for more.

“Now we are all going our own ways considering the times we had and places we could get full rides (at least in my case). I had quite a few offers and after a lot of advising and collecting information I decided for the best option for myself.”

Craig Jordens’ story begins in South Africa like Parsonage and McKenzie’s.  A multi-sport athlete, Jordens, primarily played rugby and water polo in high school.  During his senior year, he began swimming more as he started thinking about going to America for college.  Jordens says that he visited with an agent from the National Scouting Report who distributed his profile to colleges.  “Limestone, amongst a few others seemed to be interested,” following times he’d swum as a sixteen year-old while on exchange in Australia.

Naturally competitive, Jordens aimed high, “but because I had never trained properly, and only swum in random meets along the way, no big Division I college would take me.”  Still, Limestone seemed like the right place.  “Wwe had a great freshman class, including 3 South Africans, 2 Croatians, and 1 Swede.  We all got along extremely well, and built up a pretty competitive Division II program, especially in the sprints.”   

However Jordens always had a game plan.  He says, “Before I had even begun at Limestone, my plan was to stay there for two years, then, if I was fast enough, transfer to a bigger, better Division I program.”

“With the help of two awesome coaches - Allen Gilchrest and Ryan Mallam – the plan worked out” and Jordens found himself courted by several schools.  Jordens had been in communication with some schools prior to conference and taken visits to both Auburn and Arizona.  It was only after this year’s conference championships, however, that schools took more of an interest.  

The Wildcats had a step up on the competition, however.  “We’ve had a lot of South Africans come here and be extremely successful.”  It wasn’t just the South Africans, however.  “The team over my recruiting trip was awesome, and very friendly, which created a family atmosphere that I just really liked. Plus the weather in Tucson is awesome!!!”

While the impact on the Saints’ point totals at NCAA’s is undeniable, the broader impact at Limestone may be more positive.  As a private college, Limestone relies upon tuition as a source of revenue.  While foreign athletes might score points, when they’re on full scholarship, they don’t generate income for a school.  Ironically, quantity, not quality might enable Limestone to provide swimmers with the resources McKenzie, Parsonage, Jordens and Majlat sought.  

But what about Division II?  Has it become a waystation for swimmers on their way to Division I just as college has become a stayover for NBA-bound high schoolers?  “It is too bad that Division II is losing those top guys to Division I programs,” says University of Indianapolis head coach Gary Kinkead.  But Kinkead feels they give “Division II the type of credibility that we deserve and have challenged the rest of Division II to step up to their standards.”  

Its not just the Limestone swimmers however.  “Each year we have lost some good swimmers, either through graduation or their team moving to Division I,” explains Kinkead, “and each year the meet STILL gets faster.”