21 October 1999
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206
IWU Swim Teams Aim for Improvement
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. A strong women’s team and improvement on the men’s squad should make for an exciting swim season at Illinois Wesleyan University.
The Titans open their season at 6 p.m. Friday (Oct. 22) hosting the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin relay meet at Fort Natatorium.
Returning for the women is the sister team of Kathy and Laura Carroll, both Orland Park (Sandburg HS) graduates. Kathy, a sophomore who was IWU’s "Most Valuable Performer" last winter, was an NCAA Division III All-American as she placed 14th in the 400 individual medley and 16th in the 500 freestyle at the national meet, where she also placed 19th in the 1650 freestyle.
Kathy's individual school records came in the 1000 and 1650 freestyle, the 200 butterfly, and the 200 and 400 individual medley events. She was also a member of five record-setting relay teams. She had first-place finishes in the CCIW meet in the 1650 free and the 400 IM and placed third in the 200 individual medley.
Laura, a senior who was IWU's swim "MVP" as a freshman and sophomore, swam to new school records in the 50 and 100 free events and already holds the school marks in the 200 and 500 free.
Other returning school record holders are juniors Bethany Schoenbeck (Lockport HS) and Megan Rettberg (Elk Grove, Conant HS), last year’s "Most Improved Performer," and sophomore Lisa Diersen (Park Forest, Rich East HS). Schoenbeck holds the mark in the 100 butterfly, Rettberg was a member of school record 200 medley and 800 freestyle relay teams, and Diersen owns the IWU records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.
"This is the strongest women’s team in my five years here," said IWU coach Teresa Zurick. "Everyone sees their role on the team, there’s depth and competition for places on relay teams, which makes everyone swim harder, and the team has a goal to challenge for the conference title."
Zurick expects immediate contributions from freshmen Danielle Lureau (Carol Stream, West Chicago HS) and Erin Bicek (Downers Grove, North HS), both state qualifiers in high school. Lureau swims the backstroke and individual medley and Bicek swims the breaststroke and individual medley.
The IWU women's team was third and the men's team fourth in last year’s CCIW event.
The two leading scorers returning for the men are sophomores Tom Howard (Peoria, Richwoods HS) and David Rossi (Hopedale, Stanford Olympia HS). They both swin the butterfly and Howard also swims freestyle events while Rossi swims the individual medley.
Three more Olympia High graduates are among the returning lettermen. They are sophomore Michael Melick (middle distances and sprints) and juniors Brian Rawlins (individual medley) and Justin Allen (backstroke and butterfly), who missed much of last season due to illness.
Also returning after missing last season with a shoulder injury is senior breaststroker Michael Caldwell (Effingham, St. Anthony HS).
Zurick looks for freshman Jeff Horvath, a state qualifier in the individual medley from Morton (HS), to give points for the men’s squad.
"Based on what I’ve seen in the preseason, everyone has stepped up their training and enthusiasm," Zurick said. "I think we’re about two months ahead of where we were last year in terms of training and conditioning."
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 1999-2000 WOMEN'S AND MEN'S SWIMMING
Fri., Oct. 22
CCIW RELAY INVITATIONAL at IWU 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 30
vs. Washington U., Missouri-Rolla at Washington U. 1 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 6
at Benedictine 1 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 13
GRINNELL, KNOX, CHICAGO 1 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 20
IWU INVITATIONAL 10 a.m.
Fri., Dec. 3-4
at DePauw Invitational 11:15 a.m.
Fri., Jan. 14
PRINCIPIA 5 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 15
at DePauw 1 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 21
LAKE FOREST 7 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 22
MILLIKIN 1 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 29
vs. Wheaton, North Central at Wheaton 1 p.m.
Thurs.-Sat., Feb.
10-12 CCIW CHAMPIONSHIPS at IWU
Fri.-Sat., Feb. 18-19
Midwest Invitational at Wheaton
Thurs.-Sat., Mar. 9-11
NCAA Division III Women's Nationals at Emory (Ga.)
Thurs.-Sat., Mar. 16-18
NCAA Division III Men's Nationals at Emory (Ga.)
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 1999-2000 WOMEN'S & MEN'S SWIMMING ROSTERS
Head Coach: Teresa Zurick Assistant: Steve Boone
NAME YR. EVENTS HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
Amy Attivissimo
So. Freestyle
Oak Lawn (HS)
Erin Bicek
Fr. Breaststroke, individual medley Downers Grove
(North HS)
Kara Boyden **
Jr. Backstroke
Galesburg (HS)
Shannon Carr ***
Sr. Breaststroke
Rockford (Auburn HS)
Kathy Carroll *
So. Butterfly, freestyle
Orland Park (Sandburg HS)
Laura Carroll ***
Sr. Freestyle
Orland Park (Sandburg HS)
Lisa Diersen *
So. Breaststroke
Park Forest (Rich East HS)
Kate Edwards *
So. Backstroke
Darien, Wis. (Delavan HS)
Denise Haag
Fr. Freestyle
Bradley (Bradley-Bourbonnais HS)
Emily Hilgers
Fr. Freestyle
Dunlap (HS)
Becky Hoyt *
So. Backstroke
St. Louis, Mo. (Webster Grove HS)
Danielle Lureau
Fr. Backstroke, individual medley Carol
Stream (West Chicago HS)
Krista Phelps
Fr. Butterfly
Orland Park (Lockport HS)
Megan Rettberg **
Jr. Freestyle
Elk Grove (Conant HS)
Beth Schoenbeck **
Jr. Butterfly
Lockport (HS)
Carrie VonHuben
Fr. Freestyle
Orland Park (Sandburg HS)
Justin Allen **
Jr. Backstroke, butterfly
Atlanta (Stanford Olympia HS)
Carlos Buzio
Fr. Freestyle
Ballwin, Mo. (Marquette HS)
Michael Caldwell *
Sr. Breaststroke
Effingham (St. Anthony HS)
Michael Enervold *
Sr. Diving
Verona (Seneca HS)
Dan Hengelmann
Jr. Backstroke, breaststroke
Chicago (Loyola HS)
Jeff Horvath
Fr. Backstroke, individual medley Morton
(HS)
Tom Howard *
So. Butterfly, freestyle
Peoria (Richwoods HS)
Michael Melick *
So. Freestyle
Danvers (Stanford Olympia HS)
Greg Mollerud
Sr. Breaststroke
Salem, Ore. (Colorado Springs, Colo. Palmer HS)
Ken Perry **
Jr. Freestyle
Orland Park (Sandburg HS)
Jay Ratliff
Fr. Breaststroke
Mt. Prospect (Hersey HS)
Brian Rawlins **
Jr. Individual medley
Atlanta (Stanford Olympia HS)
David Rossi *
So. Butterfly, individual medley
Hopedale (Stanford Olympia HS)
Michael Zalokar ***
Sr. Distance freestyle, IM
Wheaton (North HS)
*--Indicates letters earned.