RedHawk Women's and Men's Swimmers Begin Season
10/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Oct. 21, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio - Put on your goggles! Miami's 2010-11 swimming and diving season is about to begin.
Coach Dave Jennings' women's team begins its campaign at Purdue Friday afternoon (5 p.m.), then returns to the Nixon Aquatics Center on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. for a coed dual meet with the RedHawk men against Xavier.
There is no admission charge for Saturday's event at Miami's Recreation Center.
Miami's women, an annual challenger for the Mid-American Conference title, return a strong squad that includes a bevy of stars. The cast is headlined by two-time Miami Female Athlete of the Year Kelsey Vehr (Cincinnati). Now a senior, Vehr has the difficult task of improving upon last season's performance which included the ace breaststroker becoming Miami's first-ever All-American.
Vehr's senior classmates include fellow breaststroker Megan Brunn (Mansfield), distance freestylers Sarah Bullock (Louisville, KY) and Miranda Kaltenborn (Memphis, TN), freestyler Margaret Eppright (Shaker Heights), butterflyer Taylor Koplow (Carmel, IN), plus Georgia backstrokers Katherine Reinmann (Alpharetta, GA) and Nicole Roddenbery (Peachtree City, GA).
In addition to his veteran sophomore and juniors, Jennings has again added a talented freshman class.
The Purdue women have welcomed back eight athletes that competed in the 2010 NCAA Championships, which the Boilermakers hosted at the Aquatic Center. Swimmers Lisa Butler, Jessica Davis, Caitlin Hamilton, Ariel Martin, Lauren Roth, Allie Smith and as well as divers Casey Matthews and Erin Mertz have all returned a year older and stronger.
Jennings knows that the competition will be stiff at Purdue.
"Purdue University will provide a great challenge for our program," he said. "They finished fourth in the Big Ten last season, so it should be exciting."
The 28-year head coach says that Xavier always gives Miami good competition.
"We are looking forward to hosting our first home meet of the season," he said.
Thanks to a combination of talented upperclassmen and nine promising true freshmen, coach Pete Lindsay'S RedHawk men begin the 2010-11 with great enthusiasm. First-year assistant coach Scott Usher, a former Olympian, and MAC Diving Coach of the Year KongRong Li comprise Lindsay's staff.
Lindsay's senior class includes spring freestyler John Eick (Auburn, AL), free and butterflyer Jason Hass (Jackson, MI), sprint freestyler Mark Healey (Jenison, MI), backstroker Tom Janszen (Cincinnati), and distance freestylers Ryan Neff (Chesterland) and Darin Smith (Bossier City, LA).
They are joined by MAC point contributors Chris Gunnels (Chapel Hill, NC), a backstroker and middle distance freestyler, distance freestyler Alex Reinhardt (Littleton, CO), and diver JIMMY BERES (Columbus).
"We have some talented swimmers and divers," said Lindsay. "We're anxious to begin what promises to be an exciting season."
To follow the Miami women's meet at Purdue, .
--www.MURedHawks.com--
Players Mentioned
