Preview: Virginia Tech Men

The H2Okie men posted consecutive fifth-place finishes at the ACC Championships in 2008 and 2009. Skinner has many talented returners back for the new campaign, including NCAA qualifiers Mikey McDonald and Charlie Higgins, in addition to 11 freshmen who can make an immediate impact in the ACC. The H2Okie men are expected to improve upon last year’s finish and have high expectations for the 2009-10 season. 

Sprint

Juniors Stephen Hawkins and Rich Ulatowski return as key leaders in the sprint free in the 2009-10 season after scoring points at the ACC Championships with top finishes in the 50 free. Seniors Andrew Rogers and Chip Hughes, along with sophomore Charlie Higgins, are also experienced returners. Sophomore Greg Morgan will see action in the sprint and mid-range freestyle events. Freshmen Karl Botha, who broke the British record in the 50 free, Adam Skipper, Trevor Carr and Gregory Mahon will also provide immediate speed for the H2Okie sprint crew. 

Freestyle

The H2Okies return many talented swimmers in the freestyle. Blake Trabuchi-Downey, who had an outstanding freshman campaign, will rejoin Bryan Uncur, Chip Hughes and Stephen Hawkins in the mid-range freestyle events. Hawkins and Ulatowski finished eighth and 14th, respectively, in the 100 free, while Uncur placed 12th and Trabuchi-Downey earned 14th in the 1650 free at the ACC Championships.  Hawkins also took seventh in the 50 free. To add to the plethora of returning experience, Phil LaRosa, Caglar Gokbulut and Griffin Lutterbein will also be expected to score points, and will be complemented by newcomers Alex Lutterbein and Ben Munster. All will provide depth and stability to the distance freestyle crew.

Individual Medley

School-record holder Daniel Flynn will look to build upon last year’s performance in the IM events, after etching his name in the record books in the 200 IM. Nevin Cook and Scott Harkins will join Flynn in the 200 IM, coupled with newcomers Tom Sheranek and Greg Mahon in the short IM events. In the 400 IM, Sheranek, Phil LaRosa and Alex Lutterbein will be key members of the distance medley squad.

Backstroke

Sophomore school-record holder Charlie Higgins (100 back, 200 back) anchors a very strong backstroke crew, which also includes 2009 ACC Championships finalist Trey Stewart. Junior Ryne Francis also returns with valuable experience to add crucial depth and speed. Newcomers Tom Sheranek and Michael Hallock will also be called upon to compete in the backstroke. 

Butterfly

Core returners Trey Stewart, Blake Trabuchi-Downey and Matt Baumler, who finished fourth, eighth and 13th, respectively, at the ACC Championships and earned points for the H2Okies, will take the lead in the butterfly. Newcomers Karl Botha and Greg Mahon will also be significant contributors in the fly and potentially reach the NCAA Championship level. Botha represented Great Britain in the 2007 European Youth Olympic Festival in the 100 fly while Mahon was an All-American Individual Pennsylvania State Champ in the 200 IM and 100 fly. Freshman Mason Wilcox, who swam for the renowned Coast Guard Blue Dolphins club team, will also complement the H2Okies in the butterfly.

Breaststroke

Senior standouts Jonathan Huss and Scott Harkins will anchor a talented returning breaststroke crew  this season. Huss placed fourth in the 100 breast and 10th in the 200 breast at the ACC Championships, while Harkins collected respective 12th- and 13th-place finishes in the events. Returners Nevin Cook, Daniel Flynn and Rich Ulatowski will also be important competitors, all having seen action at championships last year. Freshmen Mason Wilcox and Adam Skipper will compete with high expectations as well.

Diving

Mikey McDonald returns for his senior campaign to add to his astonishing resume of accomplishments, earning Honorable Mention All-America honors for his 14th- and 15th-place finishes at the NCAA Championships in the one- and three-meter events, respectively. He also posted three top-five finishes at the ACC Championships. Junior Daniel Martin, who finished eighth in the platform, 12th in the one-meter and 16th in the three-meter at conference championships, will complement McDonald as an experienced returnee who scored in all three diving events last year. Two highly talented freshman divers, Zach Patteson and Logan Shinholser, will join the squad. Shinholser was a Junior National finalist and a Senior National qualifier in the platform.