2007-08 Season Preview
The 2006-2007 season concluded as the most successful year in Centre College Swimming and Diving history. The women’s team finished with an unprecedented 12-2 record while the men improved to a remarkable 10-4.
Last season also marked the first time the Centre squads have defeated rivals Transylvania University and University of the South since 1993 and 1994, respectively. Five athletes achieved NCAA consideration standards, two were selected for the NCAA championship meet, and one went on to be named All-American Honorable Mention.
The men’s and women’s teams combined to break 26 school records, including all five of the men’s relay records. At the SCAC Conference Championships, both men’s and women’s squads finished in third place, the highest showing ever at this meet.
The great strides of the program were recognized by the Conference as Head Coach Dean Brownley and Assistant Coach Sarah Holman were voted Women’s coaching staff of the year. With the loss of only four seniors and the addition of 15 freshmen, the Centre Swimming and Diving staff looks for another exceptional season.
This season the women will be led by Junior Elizabeth Starr who qualified for NCAA championships with a conference winning performance in the 100 fly. She went on to set a new school record of 57.22 in that event, while placing 14th in the country and receiving All-American Honorable Mention honors. Starr was joined at the championships by Sophomore Meredith Angel who swam a school record time of 54.72 in the 100 free and placed 26th in her first year at Centre.
Also returning are several All-Conference award winners. Sophomore Sadie Allen finished third in the 100 free and set a new school mark of 1:58.00 in the 200 free during her freshman campaign. Sophomore Amber Lyvers was right behind Starr in the 200 fly at third place, garnering all-conference status. She also set a new school record of 2:14.25 in the 200 back.
Six more members of the women’s team who return this year were top eight finishers at the SCAC championships last year, contributing to the team’s third place finish. Senior Jillian Dove returns after a sixth place showing in the 100 free. Classmates Jessica Walther had an eighth place finish in the 200 breast, while Emily Anderson came in 6th in the 100 fly. Joining them are Junior Erin Phillips (sixth, 1650 free) and sophomores Alice Fleet (fourth, 400 IM) and Ana McMurtry (eighth, 200 IM). The Lady Colonels will be provided with more depth from 7 other returning sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
As the Centre women’s program prepares for another run at the Conference championship in 2008, they will receive help from a great freshmen class. Allison Galvagni and Lauren Gates were added to bolster the strength of the Colonel’s backstroke events. Caroline Stephens will add to sprint freestyle coming from state champion squad Manual High School. Janna Miller’s experience in the breaststroke should help the women get closer to achieving National qualifying standards in the medley relay. Lindsey Clark, Kelly Fay, Jennifer Joines, Katie Penn, and Kyla Schneiders will also provide assistance in the 2008 campaign.
 The men’s team will be led by a strong field of upperclassmen as well as a talented group of freshmen. Junior Jimmy Tatgenhorst returns after breaking three school records (50 free 21.18, 100 free 47.13, and 200 free 1:43.48) and achieving provisional NCAA times in 2007. Junior Brad Erickson (100 breast, 59.43) and Sophomore Will Jenkins (1650 free, 16:55.16) will make another run for the top of the podium after their victories at the SCAC Championship last year. Both swimmers also set new school records on their way to being first to the wall. Junior Michael Henry returns after an all-conference, third place showing in the 200 backstroke, while sophomore diver Hunter Hayes returns after a bronze medal finish in the 1-meter diving. Senior Luke Neubauer will provide depth in several events after finishing seventh in the 200 breast and also scoring in the 1-meter diving at the 2007 SCAC meet. Sophomore Nick Thompson returns after an eighth place finish in the 1650. Six of the seven additional returning athletes also put points on the board with top 16 finishes at Conference.
The freshmen for the Colonel men will add great depth in the distance events. Andrew Anderson, Brent Bowman, and Glenn Walker all show great promise to place well in the longer events. Hunter Owen will fill a hole in the individual medley and butterfly events. Andrew Augustus, Ronnie Phillips, and George Stevens will also provided needed depth for the men’s team.
With a team that looks to be the best in school history, Coach Brownley looks forward to another substantial leap forward in the progress of Centre Swimming and Diving.
The schedule that has been put together is arguably Brownley’s most challenging. There will be plenty of challenges for the Colonels to test themselves, including going on the road to face Washington and Lee, Sewanee, IUPUI, Rose Hulman and Transylvania. The confines of home are not much easier with hosting fellow SCAC opponent DePauw. The Centre Swim Team will also travel to Crawfordsville, IN to swim in the Wabash Invitational.
After having 28 days off of competition the team will travel to St. Petersburg, Fla. for its winter training trip.
“We have found a great place in St. Petersburg There are only a couple of other colleges that train there, so it is nice. We have built a friendly rivalry with Washington and Jefferson as well as St. Michaels,” says Brownley.
Between the training and the competition in Florida the team comes back  primed for a run at the SCAC Championships.
In addition to conference the team has gotten used to traveling to NCAA’s, having gone the past four years in a row. This years Championships will be at Miami of Ohio.
“Our schedule is tough enough that we could go 4-11 or if we step up the way we are capable, we could have another 10-12 win season,” Brownley explained.
Whatever happens, Centre Swimming and Diving is in for another great season.
GO COLONELS
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