The Fanatic Magazine - A student-run sports magazine for the UVA fanatic

Swim Team: A Dynasty

Written by Liam De Los Reyes
Friday, 30 March 2007
Early in the mornings and just before dinner-time, some of the most elite athletes at the University of Virginia can be found working hard at what they do best: winning. Chances are most of you haven’t seen them practice, or know anything about their legacy here at Virginia, so read the next sentence carefully. The University of Virginia Swimming and Diving program is one of the top programs in the nation, and has been for over a decade now. Most people who do not swim have no clue of what it takes to be a varsity swimmer in one of the nation’s top programs. A look at the team’s practice schedule might give some insight into just how dedicated these athletes are. During the middle of the season the swimmers at Virginia are putting in nine practices a week. Six of those practices encompass somewhere between 7,000 to 9,000 yards while the three morning practices include weightlifting and approximately another 4,000 yards in the pool. On any given day, a swimmer at Virginia may put in as many as 13,000 yards and a weightlifting routine. I’m going to put this in layman’s terms for all of you fanatics. Say you are Joe Wahoo; you go to the pool, swim about 20 to 40 laps, call it a good workout and hit the hot tub. This routine may take you about 20 to 30 minutes. In about two hours, a varsity swimmer at Virginia may do as many as 360 laps, and that is only in one practice. How has this time and effort paid off for the team this year? The Season This year both the men’s and women’s teams have posted excellent conference records (6-0-0 men, 5-1-0 women) and overall records (8-2-0 men, 7-3-0 women) and look to continue their impressive season at the ACC Conference Championships. It is at the championships that both the men and women will be tested against competitors like Florida State University and the University of North Carolina, the latter being Virginia’s biggest rival in the ACC. In the recent past, both the men’s and women’s teams have been nearly untouchable. The men’s team has captured the last eight ACC Conference Championships, with the women’s team winning in 2003 and 2004 and taking second place in 2005 and 2006. The Cavalier men hope to continue their winning tradition this year, though it will be tough, as they have not yet tested their abilities against a dangerous Florida State. Last year, UVa beat out Florida State by only 8.5 points (694-685.5), so expect the Seminoles to be hungry for revenge. Beyond ACC’s, the team will compete in the NCAA championships where it hopes to put up a strong showing. Last year, the women finished 23rd overall at the NCAA championships and the men finished 18th. The men hope to return to the top 15, a position the team has been in 7 of the past 8 years. Both the men’s and women’s teams are counting on first and second years to bring a high level of intensity to both the ACC and NCAA championship meets. The Team Both the women’s and men’s teams combine proven experience with new talent, creating a good balance for UVa’s program to continue its excellence in years to come. The women’s team is led by Katy Bland and Jenny Steiner, the senior captains, as well as Rory Schmidt, both of whom have a good chance to score this year at the NCAA championships. The men’s team is under the leadership of senior captains Stefan Hirniak, a recent ACC performer of the week, and Elliot Beaulieu as well as junior captain Ryan Hurley. Seniors Greg Imboden, John Millen, and Vanja Rogulj are expected to leave their mark on the team this year as both point scorers and leaders. The upperclassmen leadership is counting on the freshmen and sophomores to make major contributions, especially in the later stage of the season. Ryan Hurley, one of the team’s captains, is optimistic about the team’s prospects at the NCAA championships, “I think there are some first-years and second-years that can step up individually…we should also be able to send 3 relays,” said Hurley. Hurley and Lee Robertson, a sophomore team member, both cited head coach Mark Bernardino’s leadership as the explanation for their success. “Intensity,” was the word used by both Hurley and Robertson to describe what Bernardino brings to the team. “It drives us, and feeds our intensity “Intensity,” was the word used by both Hurley and Robertson to describe what Bernardino brings to the team. “It drives us, and feeds our intensity ,” said Robertson. Bernardino has kept the program focused and has turned a stellar swimming and diving team into something of a tradition at the University. In the past 25 years of his 29 year tenure as head coach, 18 of those years spent with Dave Fafara as UVa’s diving coach, the Cavalier men’s team has been one of the top 25 national programs 19 times, and the women’s team has graced those rankings 17 times. It is no accident that Virginia’s Swimming and Diving program has been so successful for so long, and both coaches have proven exceptional in their ability to create and manage a top-notch program. The Future The future of Virginia Swimming and Diving remains auspicious as the team has already signed some top prospects for the class of 2011. The men’s team has signed five swimmers including one Olympic Trials qualifier, and the women’s team has signed nine swimmers, five of whom are Olympic Trials qualifiers, and two divers. The team is still in the process of recruiting and hopes to add to the incoming roster of swimmers and divers. The men’s recruits who have already signed bring a broad range of talents to the team. There are two distance swimmers, Taylor Smith of Saratoga, CA and John Snawerdt of Indian Harbor Beach, FL, as well as a sprinter, Scot Robinson of Charlotte, NC. The other two recruits, Tim Hayes of Coopersburg, PA and Ian Vogt of Richmond, VA, fill in for the middle distances. Both Hayes and Vogt have recorded excellent times in individual medleys as well as the 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly. Bringing both middle and long distance talent to the women’s team are Katya Bachrouche of Farminton Hills, MI, Claire Gauldun of Knoxville, TN, and Anne Summer Myers and Elizabeth Shaw, both from Richmond, VA. In addition to their contributions as a middle and long distance freestylers, Katya Bachrouche, Anne Summer Myers and Elizabeth Shaw come with great individual medley and fly times, along with Claire Crippen of Conshohocken, PA and Amanda Faulkner of Louisville, KY. Rounding out the new additions to the women’s team are Nancy Baar of Roanoke, VA, Hannah Davis of Toano, VA and Ellie Freeman of Englewood, CO. Both teams this year have attracted excellent recruits from across the nation, and the team is optimistic about what they will be able to contribute. “It should be a well-rounded incoming class,” says team captain Ryan Hurley. So Virginia sports fan, or just fan of Virginia, give yourself a pat on the back, because you have yet another reason to be proud of the University. What we have here is a sports phenomenon rarely seen-- a high caliber sports program that spans two decades and has no end in sight. If you want a chance to watch this phenomenon in action here at Virginia, you will have to wait a while, as the swimming and diving teams recently finished their last home meet the weekend of February 3, with both the men and women defeating Maryland. Be sure to get the schedule for next year though, because great swimming and diving happens more than just once every four years, and it happens to be right down the road from where you live.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 06 September 2007 )