Swimming and Diving Prime for MIAC
The Record February 16, 2006
by Patrick Hooper
When members of the Blazer swimming and diving team began practice in early October, it would have been hard to predict the kind of success the team has had thus far.
With successful programs like Blazer basketball and Blazer track and field, it was only a matter of time before the swimming and diving program joined the success of the other CSB athletic programs.
That is how head coach Kathy Walker described it.
“Looking at the talent, the returning team and the first-years, this is the kind of team that
St. Ben’s expects,” Walker said.
The Blazers have finished in fifth place at the MIAC Championships for two straight seasons.
This season the bar has clearly been set higher.
“We expect fourth,” Walker said. “Third would be a goal.”
For the first time sinse 1998, the Blazers defeated a very talented Gustavus team.
Junior captain Sara Skrbec had not beat Gustavus until that meet.
“It is a huge ego boost because we are a smaller team,” Skrbec said. “It means we can compete with the big teams of the conference.”
Skrbec has honed her leadership skills being one of two juniors competing on the conference team.
One way she has adapted to her new role this season is to lead by example and win races.
Skrbec has won her last seven 100-yard backstroke events. After finishing fourth at last season’s championship, she ranks seventh heading into the championship weekend.
She will compete in the 100 and 200 backstroke events where she definitely has goals.
“Top eight in both backstroke events, it would be great if I could get top eight,” Skrbec said.
She will also race the 50 Yard Freestyle.
Andria Schwieters is a first-year who will be trying to follow Skrbec’s example of winning.
The talented diver has already qualified for nationals in the one meter board.
With all that pressure Schwieters is keeping calm heading into the postseason.
“Qualifying for nationals definitely releases some pressure for the conference meet,” Schwieters said.
She is hoping to finish in the top three on both the one meter and three meter boards.
Two more swimmers that could win their events are first-year Brooke Johnson and sophomore Kaelly Simpson.
The only problem is they might be each other’s biggest competition.
Simpson, after a strong performance at last year’s championship, comes in with the best time in the MIAC for the 200 breaststroke.
Johnson is seeded behind Simpson at sixth.
Johnson has the third best time and Simpson has the fifth in the 100-yard breastroke.
Skrbec, Schwieters, Simpson and Johnson all could win their respective events. However, Walker believes that all of her swimmers are deserving of this chance and admits any one of them could step up with a great performance.
This characteristic is what makes the Blazer swimming and diving such a talented team. It also makes it very difficult not to look ahead to next season, especially with the efforts in recruiting that are currently taking place.
Walker is very pleased with how the team has evolved through the season and knows it will continue into next season.
“Maybe one more year and third [place] is expected and second [place] is a goal,” she said.
Athletic Department
College of Saint Benedict
37 South College Avenue
St. Joseph, MN 56374
320-363-5301
Fax 320-363-6098