Miami Divers Head to Bloomington For Indiana Invitational
11/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Nov. 15, 2005
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After defeating the Ball State Cardinals for their second conference win of the season, the Miami men's swimming and diving team (3-1, 2-0 MAC) returns to action this weekend when they travel to the Indiana Invitational. Miami's diving squad will be the only RedHawk athletes traveling to the meet which runs Nov. 18-20 at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in Bloomington, Ind.
FOR ALL YOUR HARDWARE NEEDS: For the third consecutive week, a Miami men's athlete was named the Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week as senior diver Zach Niehaus was honored on Nov. 15. Niehaus swept the boards in Miami's 145-96 win against Ball State as he posted the top score in the one- and three-meter dives, and he was one of two Miami athletes to post multiple individual wins in the meet. Niehaus' win in the one-meter board (272.10) was his second win this year in the event, while the three-meter diving win (297.53) was his first of the year. For the season, Niehaus has won three diving events and has finished no lower than third in any of the eight diving events he has entered. A silver medalist at last season's conference meet, Niehaus' other diving win this year came on the one-meter board against Buffalo on Oct. 29. Miami junior swimmer Paul Ricard was named the conference's swimmer of the week the previous two weeks.
THREE-FOR-THREE: With senior Zach Niehaus earning the conference swimming and diving athlete of the week award on Nov. 15, Miami has now won three consecutive athlete of the week awards to open the season. Junior swimmer Paul Ricard won the two previous conference athlete of the week awards, but pesonal accolades aside, Miami has its eyes on unseating the Eastern Michigan Eagles as conference champions. Miami is the only school other than EMU since 1996 to win the MAC title as they finished first in the conference in 1997 and 1999.
TWICE THE FUN: Junior Paul Ricard and senior Zach Niehaus are the only two Miami athletes this season to post multiple wins at a meet. Ricard has accomplished the feat twice, most recently against Ball State as he tallied first-place finishes in the 200 free (1:44.39) and 200 fly (1:58.17). Ricard also posted a pair of individual wins in the season-opening meet against Cleveland State as he won both the 100 free (9:20.44) and 500 free (4:34.58). With wins in six of the eight events he has entered, Ricard has the most individual wins of any athlete on the squad. As for Niehaus, he swept the boards against Ball State (Nov. 12), giving him three total wins on the season. It was the first sweep of the diving events for Miami this season.
SPREADING THE WEALTH: Ten different Miami athletes have tallied top finishes this season, led by two-time MAC Swimmer of the Week Paul Ricard. Ricard has won six events this season to pace Miami's 3-1 start, and he is one of six RedHawks to win more than one event. Theo Kuczek, Zach Niehaus and Scott Robson have each posted three individual wins this season, while Griffin Marshall, and Blake Norman have posted two wins. Four other athletes -- Zachary Siegel, Chris Heaton, Andrew O'Neill and Scott DuCharme -- have each won one event.
REDHAWK ROOKIES: Competing in their first season in the Red and White, a trio of freshmen, Scott DuCharme, Chris Heaton and Zachary Siegel have all notched wins this season for Miami. DuCharme is the most recent RedHawk to earn his first college win as his first victory came against Ball State (Nov. 12) when he was the top finisher in the 500 free. Heaton earned his first collegiate win on the three-meter dive (291.15) against Buffalo (Oct. 29), while Siegel's first win also came against Buffalo in the 50 free (22.29).
2005 PREVIEW: After finishing second at last season's Mid-American Conference Championships and placing nine athletes on the all-conference squad, the Miami men's swimming and diving team heads into the 2005-06 season looking to improve on their second-place conference finish. Head coach Pete Lindsay returns 17 letterwinners and seven all-MAC swimmers from last season's squad, and that group will be seeeking Miami's seventh overall MAC title. The RedHawks were picked second in the preseason poll and have finished as the conference runner-up in each of the last two seasons.
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?: Miami welcomes back an experienced squad this season as it boasts a 14-member junior/senior class led by All-MAC First Team honoree Scott Robson. In addition to Robson, All-MAC Second Team performers Pat Carroll, Michael Donohoe, Justin Marcy, Griffin Marshall and Brian O'Rourke all return to help Miami challenge the reigning MAC Champion Eastern Michigan Eagles.
Players Mentioned
