Head coach Justin Anderson has high expectations for the Frostburg State men's and women's swimming teams as both squads come into the 2014-15 season with several key returners and a group of freshmen swimmers ready to make a big splash on Bobcat swimming.
In his first year at the helm of the team, Anderson guided the two teams to their highest point totals in school history at a conference championship meet while helping a duo of swimmers, Kait Donch and Jon Shepard, to a berth in the ECAC championships. This season, Anderson welcomes 13 new swimmers on the men's team and six on the women's side while relying on key returners to take Bobcat swimming to the next level. "The team has been training at an incredibly high level – they are further ahead of where they were this time last year and are more competitive and much faster across the board," remarked Anderson on the state of his team heading into the first meet of the season on Oct. 18.
"We have four pillars we are building our program on this season and every season. Those are the pillars of integrity, commitment, ethic, and fun. We will use those pillars to continue to build this program and help create a solid foundation to enable us to compete at a high level each day in practice, in our dual meets, at CAC Championships, the ECAC championships and hopefully NCAAs," said Anderson.
On the men's side, Shepard, freshmen Christian March, James Williams and Marquell Proctor will be looked upon to lead the team while seniors Jeff Page, Brian Sentz, Jacob Aylward and sophomore Alek Combs represent top returners for the Bobcats that will have a significant impact on the team's success.
Shepard represents the only ECAC qualifier returning on the men's side and will once again be an integral part of the relays for the Bobcats. Shepard posted a time of 2:13.37 in the 200-yard breaststroke at the Capital Athletic Conference Championships to qualify for the ECAC championships. Shepard will look to push towards the top of the CAC in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke. He posted his best time in the 100-yard event with a time of 1:01.28 at the CAC championships. Shepard is also returning as the team's top performer in the individual medley. He finished 13th at the CAC championships with a time of 2:06.19 in the 200-yard IM last season.
March comes in as one of the top freshman on the 2014-15 squad. His current time for the 100-yard breaststroke is faster than FSU's school record and will be looked to as a top-point getter for the Bobcats. March will be a strong contributor in all of the Bobcat relays as well as being strong competition in the freestyle sprints, 100-yard buttefly, and 100-yard and 200-yard breaststrokes. Anderson has high hopes for March to earn qualifying times for the ECAC championships and potentially the NCAA championships.
Williams will aid in all the relays and should help the team move up in the standings throughout the season and at the CAC championships. Williams will be strong competition in the backstroke events and both the sprint and mid distance freestyle events.
Rounding out the top new comers for the Bobcats is Proctor. As one of the most versatile new swimmers, Proctor will not only contribute to the freestyle relays but will compete in all freestyle distances, butterfly and individual medley events.
Leading the Bobcats will also be Page, Sentz, Aylward and Combs. Page is an asset in the butterfly, backstroke and freestyle events. Sentz will be a strong contributor in the breaststroke and individual medley while Alyward is one of the more versatile returners as he will contribute for the Bobcats in the freestyle, backstroke and individual medley events. Combs, who was named the team's Rookie of the Year, will be a strong contributor in the butterfly and distance free events again this year.
On the women's side, Anderson will look to the leadership of senior Kait Donch, senior Jaclyn Franzak, junior Maci Quintanilla and freshman Macey Nitchie.
Donch, who was named the team's MVP last season and Frostburg State's Breakout Female Athlete of the Year, will once again be a top swimmer for FSU. Donch was the only ECAC qualifier on the women's side and was an "A" finalist in all three of her events at the CAC championships. Donch brought home the team's only top-three finish as she touched the wall at 1:08.46 in the 100-yard breaststroke for a third place finish. Donch will focus on the breaststroke this season for the Bobcats while adding the individual medley to her events. Donch is only 1/10th of a second off the school record time in the 100-yard breaststroke and will look to beat that time and return to the ECAC championships. She will also be an important part in all of Frostburg's relay events this season.
Franzak will once again be a standout competitor in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly, individual medley and the backstroke events. Franzak made the finals in two of her events at the CAC championships and this year will be a strong contributor in the medley relays for the Bobcats. Franzak posted her season-best times in the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.28) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:32.97) at the CAC championships.
Nitchie will be looked to as the top incoming freshman for the Bobcats. She will compete at the top of the conference in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle as well as the 100-yard breaststroke. Nitchie has the potential to post ECAC qualifying times and will contribute in all of the relays for the Bobcats.
Quintanilla returns as a backstroke specialist for the Bobcats and will help the Bobcats in the mid distance freestyle and individual medley events. Quintanilla looks to return to the finals in each of her events at the CAC championships again this year after posting season-best times in the 200-yard IM (2:26.32), 100-yard backstroke (1:06.06) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:23.44) last year. She has the potential to reach the ECAC championships as well.
Senior Elizabeth Jarrell returns as a freestyle and backstroke specialist for Frostburg and will contribute in several relays. Jarrell, after reaching the finals in two of her events at the CAC championships last year, has the potential to get back to the finals and post ECAC qualifying times this year.
Senior Sara King is a versatile swimmer that will compete in all freestyle distances and will focus on the butterfly and backstroke sprint events. King helped the 200-yard freestyle relay team to a fifth place finish at the CAC championships with a time of 1:45.43.
Anderson welcomes a new addition to the coaching staff in James Martin. Martin enjoyed a successful career at Division I St. Bonaventure. He is a three-event Olympic Trials qualifier and was the Atlantic-10 champion and league record holder in the 50-yard freestyle. "Martin offers a great deal of experience to our swimmers in the sprint and freestyle events and with his impressive coaching background he will help the team reach the next level of competition. We are also excited to utilize his undergraduate background in sports studies and human development. In just the first few weeks of the season he's already made a tremendous impact" remarked Anderson on his new assistant coach.
