Northwestern University Athletics
2001-02 Men's Swimming and Diving Season Outlook
10/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Oct. 25, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - The momentum is rolling in the Northwestern Men's Swimming and Diving program. Last year's squad finished fifth at the Big Ten Championships, a marked improvement from recent years, and things look like they are only going to get better.
Two All-Americans highlight the 15 returning letterwinners. Sophomore Tony Swanson took seventh in the 200 IM and 16th in the 200 backstroke at the NCAA Championships, while junior captain Kellan O'Connor finished fifth in the 200 fly at the NCAAs and second at the Big Ten Championships. O'Connor was also named the Illinois Swimming Association's University Division Male Swimmer of the Year, the same organization that chose Head Coach Bob Groseth as its Coach of the Year.
Swimming for the Northwestern Aquatic Swim Association-NU's club team-this summer, O'Connor missed an opportunity to compete in the Goodwill Games in Australia by four-tenths of a second.
In addition to O'Connor, senior Nick Barnes and junior Mike Shue will serve as this season's captains. Barnes and classmates Jeff Blatnik, Adam Kennedy, Elliot Massuda and Chris Meyer will look to replace the leadership void left by the graduation of Steve Skeketee and Todd Capen.
The Wildcats should be strongest in the 200 fly, where four swimmers have a chance to make the NCAA championships, and the 200 IM, as NU returns national scorers O'Connor, Swanson and Mark Hamming.
In the relay events, look for the 'Cats to pull it together in the 400 medley and the 800 free. If freshman Nick Eggen proves he can compete in the backstroke, that would free up Swanson to swim the freestyle leg of the relay. Aaron McCracken (breast) and either Hamming or O'Connor(fly) should round out the team.
According to Groseth, six or seven swimmers will be competing for spots on the 800 free relay team. The hope is that whatever the mix, this team could go on to compete at the NCAA championships.
There is no doubt the Wildcats can be even more competitive in the Big Ten Conference than they were last season, despite the fact that Northwestern's quarter system has practice starting a full month behind other conference schools.
The 2001-02 schedule has the Wildcats hosting two events, the NU Relays Oct. 28 and the NU Invitational Nov. 16-18 with Louisville, Southern Illinois and Purdue. The winter holiday will be spent in Hawaii at training camp, before the 'Cats return home to host two more meets before the Big Ten Championships at Indiana.
Captains Shue, O'Connor and Barnes are the mainstays of this Wildcat swimming team. O'Connor, with two more years of competition ahead of him, is becoming a regular on the scoreboard in national competitions. Barnes is the key to three of the team's relays and has great NCAA chances in the sprint free and 200 medley events. Shue handles double duty as the centerpiece of the distance swimmers, and will be added to a strong 200 fly group this season.
Swanson's explosive freshman performance was a "pleasant surprise," according to Groseth. A versatile swimmer, Swanson can compete well in the IM, free, or back. Groseth is hoping to keep him "swimming on his stomach" and pick up where Steve Stesekee left off last year.
A bigger and stronger Hamming could also have a successful sophomore season and is expected to qualify for the NCAA Championships. McCracken rounds out a solid sophomore class. Plagued by chronic illness last year, he underwent a tonsillectomy in the off-season to clear the way for him to become one of the top breaststrokers in the country.
Groseth says several swimmers are on the verge of scoring at the conference championships, including juniors David Hersh and Arturo Sosa, and sophomores Shelby Clark, Tommy Lockman and Dan Williams. Seniors Blatnik and Meyer will look to finish their collegiate careers by scoring at the Big Tens.
On the diving board, Massuda and sophomore Adam Barker should have strong performances at the Big Tens and repeat their trip to the NCAA Diving Zones at Purdue in March.
Sophomore Steven Petric transferred to NU after Iowa State dissolved its men's swimming program. He is expected to be a solid addition to the distance squad, and will likely be competing against his former teammates, as many of them transferred to Big Ten schools as well.
This year's freshman class comes in with several accolades already. Louis Torres is an Illinois state high school champion and brings a lot of enthusiasm and talent to the program.
Eggen has what Groseth calls "outstanding potential," and his development, particularly in the 100 back, is the key to what events Swanson will swim this year.
Pier Johnson is a soccer player by nature, but chose to follow in the footsteps of his sister Rachel Johnson, currently an All-America swimmer at NU. Groseth is hoping the full-time commitment and focus on swimming will help Johnson improve.
Phil Mercier swam for current assistant coach Sergio Lopez in Tucson, Ariz., and could score at the Big Tens in the fly or free as a freshman. Both Mike Gustafson and Matt Wever come to Big Ten competition from modest club programs, but were recruited for their potential and probability of responding to the swim program.
