Preview: Toledo - Poised for a Breakthrough

What's next?

That's the question the University of Toledo swimming and diving program faces entering the 2009-10 campaign. After posting consecutive top-three finishes at the Mid-American Conference Championships for the first time in school history, the Rockets' challenge this season is to crack that barrier, capture the MAC title and continue to establish a winning tradition.

With the program having tasted success each of the past two seasons, sixth-year head coach Lars Jorgensen believes his team has the answer to that question.

"The more often we're in the hunt, the easier it becomes," Jorgensen said. "The last two years we've been in contention and we weren't quite ready to seize the moment. Hopefully those experiences have been drawn upon and can get us over the top. For a long time building up the program, there was some doubt if we could win the championship. But now we've reached the point where we think we can do it."

Last February, the Rockets led the field after two days of competition before falling short at the end and finishing third. A beefed-up non-conference schedule featuring three Big Ten opponents will help prepare UT for the rigors of the conference meet, as will hosting two of the league's top heavyweights, Miami and Ohio, in dual meets this November.

"Our girls have to get used to competing against the best in the country," Jorgensen said. "That's really the goal. We'd like to have a few people consistently at the NCAA Championships every year, and for those who have those aspirations, they need to compete against Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois. It will be challenging to win those meets but it will make us better in the long run."

Even with the graduation of all-everything Kylie Gamelier and several other key performers, the Rockets boast a squad with a nice mixture of veteran leadership and talented youngsters. Seventeen swimmers return from last year, while eight capable incoming freshmen will look to make their marks in the pool as well.

"So much of our success is going to depend on the incoming freshman class," Jorgensen said. "We need one of the freshmen or sophomores to emerge and have an impact. If they swim well and the returning kids improve, we'll have a good chance this year. You can't really replace Kylie, but the combined effort of a few people can help us overcome her graduation. The good programs always find a way to stay at the top, and hopefully we can continue to do that.

"We're also very excited about our three captains - Jacy Dyer, Amanda Thompson and Katie White. They're going to offer some good leadership, and the other seniors have also stepped up. The freshmen may not be leaders, but they can have an impact in the pool and make a big difference in how we compete at the end of the season."

Finding success at the end of the season at the MAC and NCAA Championships has helped fuel the Rockets through pre-season preparations and made them eager to get underway.

"Our ultimate goal is to get over the hump and win the MAC championship," Jorgensen said. "We're going to use each meet as a barometer to measure where we are. Our expectations aren't necessarily to win every dual meet but to improve throughout the season. Then, in February and March, we will be at our best. If it's a MAC meet or Big Ten opponent, as long as we consistently improve, that's what we're looking for."

SPRINTS

The Rockets return three sprinters who had strong showings at last year's MAC Championships. Sophomore Jacque Fate took fifth in the 50 free, while White (10th in the 50 free, 11th in the 100) and Thompson (13th in the 50 free, 16th in the 100) also swam well for UT. 

"Katie has a chance to be our best sprinter," Jorgensen said. "She can compete pretty well at the conference level. Jacque had a good freshman season, but we're looking for a lot of improvement from her as well. We need Amanda to have a big season, and hopefully she can get into her first MAC final in the freestyle events."

Kelsey Atchison, a junior whom Jorgensen called "the most versatile swimmer on the roster," will also contribute, and freshmen LesLee Winfield and Liz Willis are also in the mix as well.

DISTANCE

The Rockets boast more talent and depth in the distance events than at perhaps any other spot on the roster. Headlining the returners is Dyer, who ranked in the top 50 nationally last season in the 1500 free while having a record-setting performance in the 500 free at the MAC Championships. Dyer also competed at the World Championship Qualifying Trials in July.

"She's a hard-worker and someone who really wants to be good," Jorgensen said. "She has a good approach and understanding to her events, and she's really coachable. The desire is there, and that's what separates her from others."

Also back for the Rockets is junior Laura Heckroth (pictured), who placed second behind Dyer in the 500 free and also finished fourth in the 200 free at the MACs.

"Distance is definitely our strength," Jorgensen said. "Laura had a nice season last year and has really progressed from her freshman year. Laura and Jacy both have NCAA-qualifying potential."

Others expected to contribute include senior Caitlin Cormack, who took third in both the 500 and 1650 free, as well as fellow senior Ashley Cusack, who will compete in the 200 and 500 free. Junior Megan Friedli, along with sophomores Jessica Boren, Claire Leichty and Louise Smyth, will all have opportunities to compete, while freshmen Kristen Clemmons, Carly Harter and Gillian Staudt could develop into impact swimmers for the Rockets. 

BACKSTROKE

Roster turnover has thinned the depth of the Rockets at this position, though there is experience at the top with seniors Cusack and Cara Frohman leading the way. Cusack took ninth in the 100 back last year at the MACs, while Frohman placed 14th in the 100 and 15th in the 200.

"Cara and Ashley are really going to have to step it up," Jorgensen said. "Our depth is a little weak here, but we're led by the two seniors and sophomore Laura Benevento. They will be carrying the load in the dual meet season, the relays and at the conference championship. We're looking to develop someone else to help out."

BREASTSTROKE

As with the backstroke, there is opportunity for someone to contribute immediately, as Gamelier (second in 100, third in 200 at the MACs) and Amanda Breen (fifth in 200, 10th in 100) have graduated. The Rockets have several capable replacements ready to fill in, though.

"We're hurt a lot by graduations, so we may not be as good here as we were last year, but we still have an excellent group," Jorgensen said. "Laura Lindsay had a tremendous freshman year and has a chance to be an NCAA qualifier and contend for a conference championship. She was a good surprise for us last year. Kelsey is right there with her too. She had a good first season and will be better this year."

Lindsay took eighth in the 200 last year and 11th in the 100, while Atchison placed sixth in the 100. Also seeing action will be junior Katie Jackson, sophomore Sara Castilano and freshman Kirsten Smith.

BUTTERFLY

Jorgensen has high expectations for this group, and for good reason. Thompson (pictured) took third in the 100 fly at the MACs last year, while Smyth set the school long course record in the 200 fly.

"This is an area of strength for our team," Jorgensen said. "We've developed some depth for the first time since I've been here. Amanda, who came off an outstanding long course season, continues to improve, and I think she has the potential to be a conference champion and NCAA qualifier. Louise should also be very good this year as well."

Joining the mix will be freshman Kenzie Bagan, whom Jorgensen thinks can have a big impact right away. Benevento also scored at the MAC meet last year in the butterfly with a 13th-place finish.
 

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

Cormack, who set the school-record in the 400 IM last season while placing second at the MACs, is poised for another good season for the Rockets. She will be joined by Atchison, who was a finalist in the 200 IM last year, and as many as four freshmen could contribute in Bagan, Clemmons,  Harter and Staudt.

"This should be another good area for our team," Jorgensen said. "Caitlin had an awesome meet last year and she can definitely contend for a MAC championship. We have a good group of freshmen who should be competitive as well. Carly should have a big impact for us here."

RELAYS

The coaching staff knows the team must be strong in the five relay events in order to contend for the MAC title. The 200 and 400 free relay teams return intact from last season, while the 800 free brings back three of four swimmers.

Though the teams have not been set, Atchison, Fate, Heckroth, Thompson and White figure to be in the mix on the free relays after leading the way last season. More uncertainty rests with the medley relays, though Heckroth, Thompson and White also competed in those events last year.

"We should be pretty good in all five relays this year," Jorgensen said. "We need some people to develop in the medley relays, especially after losing Kylie. We'll hopefully have a chance to win one of the free relays in the MACs. The relays have always been important to us. We were solid last year but not outstanding and we'll need to improve. That's been an emphasis in preseason training."

DIVING

Freshman Nikki Schropp is the lone diver on the roster this season, but under the guidance of first-year diving coach Matt Guinan, Jorgensen thinks she will only improve as the season wears on.

"We're excited that Nikki is here, and I think our new diving coach Matt Guinan will bring back our diving to the level it was before and have a big impact on Nikki's development as she comes along," Jorgensen said. "She'll learn some new dives this year that will make our diving competitive this year at the MACs."