25 October 2001
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206 and/or head coach Teresa Zurick, 309-556-3382IWU Swim Teams Aim for Successful Campaigns
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Ten lettermen and 13 women letterwinners, including the "Most Valuable Swimmers" from each team last year, return to comprise the nucleus of the 2001-02 Illinois Wesleyan swim teams this season.
The Titans, who open their season with a dual meet at Washington U. Saturday (Oct. 27) at 1 p.m., have a goal of improving on outstanding finishes last year - the women got second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin meet, the best finish ever for the IWU women, while the Titan men also placed second in the CCIW.
Head coach Teresa Zurick indicates both teams have more depth. "In addition to our returning swimmers, our freshmen are a great addition, giving us more depth in all strokes, and will challenge for team top three finishes throughout the year."
Leading the returners is senior Kathy Carroll (Orland Park, Sandburg HS), who has been IWU's "MVP" for three straight seasons. Last year she placed in the top 16 in three events at the NCAA Division III national meet, finishing eighth in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:37.85, 14th in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:07.61, and 16th in the 1,650 free with a mark of 17:35.47 at the national meet.
IWU's lone representative at the national meet, Carroll amassed 15 points, which was good for 36th place as a team, the best-ever finish for the Titans and higher than 13 other teams, some with as many as five competitors.
Also returning is junior Erin Bicek (Downers Grove, North HS), who missed last season with shoulder surgery. She was an all-conference performer in three events in 2000, winning the 200 breaststroke at the CCIW meet.
Sophomore Heather Lingenfelter (Peoria, Richwoods HS) also returns and Zurick looks for her to issue low times in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
Sophomore Jason Ozbolt (Lockport, East HS) was the Titan men's "Most Valuable Swimmers" as he was an all-CCIW swimmer in three events where he earned second place finishes in the 400 individual medley with a season-best time of 4:21.63, 500 freestyle (4:49.21) and the 1650 freestyle (16:43.19).
Junior Jeff Horvath (Morton HS) earned fifth (200 back), sixth (100 back), and seventh place (200 individual medley) finishes at the 2001 CCIW meet, and Zurick indicates he is also an integral part of the men's relay teams.
Junior Andy Sur (Normal, U High) and sophomore Molly Hornbaker (Princeton HS) will bolster the team in the second semester when they return from study-abroad programs in Australia and London, respectively.
Sur was the Titans' "Most Valuable Swimmer" as a freshman in 2000 while Hornbaker finished second in the 50 freestyle in last year's CCIW meet and holds the school-record in that event. She was also a member of three relay teams that posted Division III "B" qualification times, but did not qualify for the national meet.
A host of freshmen add the depth Zurick is looking for, including Ben Braksick (Bloomington, Normal Community) in the backstroke, Marc Massaro (Elk Grove Village, Conant HS) in the breaststroke, Russell Blogg (West Dundee, Dundee Crown HS) in the butterfly, and Phil Butler (LaGrange, Lyons Township HS) in the individual medley.
Freshmen freestyler Katie Wenzel (Palatine, Fremd HS) has also impressed Zurick with her early season work.