BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College swimming and diving team had an outstanding weekend of competition at the 2004 Ohio Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championship Meet which was held at case Western Reserve University in University Circle, Ohio.
The Yellow Jacket women finished second and the men were third. Although neither team claimed a championship trophy, numerous Yellow Jacket swimmers and divers won individual titles and one relay squad claimed victory. Highlighting the meet were three first-year swimmers and divers. They were freshmen divers Chris Rochford (Berea) and Julie Stancliff (Erie, Pennsylvania/ McDowell) and freshman butterfly specialist Sara Gombash (Perrysburg/ Toledo Notre Dame). Overall, the Yellow Jacket swimmers and divers claimed 12 event titles.
Both Rochford and Stancliff each claimed titles in the one and three-meter diving events and subsequently earned the title of OAC Male and Female Diver of the Year, respectively. In addition, Stancliff qualified automatically for the 2004 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet. Gombash won both the 100 and 200-yard butterfly events, set OAC records in both events and qualified provisionally for the Div. III national meet in the 100 fly.
"We had an outstanding meet in which we won some individual titles and a relay, had the two Divers of the Year, set some school and conference records and had a bushel load of personal bests and B-W all-time Top 10 finishes," said fifth-year Head Coach Mike Gallagher. "I am so proud of our swimmers and divers, especially our seniors. Although we did not win a title, we swam like champions."
On the first day, junior Kristen Showalter (Bowling Green) won her second career OAC title in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:21.34. She also won the 500-yard freestyle as a freshman in 2002 when the B-W women won the OAC crown. In addition, a pair of freshman took first and second places in the one-meter diving event. Stancliff finished first with 377.30 points and was followed by teammate Katie Krzywicki (Brook Park/ Midpark) with 312.25 points. Stancliff's point total qualified her for the national meet in the second week of March. Other women's first day highlights included junior Lisa Fox (Copley) had personal bests in both the 100-yard backstroke and in the 200-yard individual medley. Both of her times ranked fourth all-time in school history; both junior Sarah Todd (Seneca, Pa./ Cranberry) and sophomore Mary Dye (Twinsburg Senior) recorded personal bests in the 50-yard freestyle; Gombash had a career-best in the 200 IM which ranks second all-time in B-W history; and sophomore Emily Wood (Carrollton) had personal bests in the 50 free and 500 free with her 50 free time being fifth best and her 500 free time sixth best in school annals. For the men, Rochford was an OAC individual champion in the one-meter diving event with a 322.35-point total. In addition to Rochford, the 400-yard medlay relay team finished first and set a school-record with a time of 3:37.15. The relay team members included freshman Luke Grilli (Londonderry, N.H./ Londonderry), junior Keith DeVore (Mansfield/ Ontario), senior Scott Roberts (Sandusky/ Perkins) and freshman D.J. Mosiniak (Toldeo/ St. Francis deSales). In addition, Mosiniak's 50-yard free time of 21.49 seconds set a school-record; Roberts' individual time in the 200 IM is a personal-best and second all-time in school history; Luke Grilli's time in the 100-yard backstroke is third best in school annals, freshman Alex de la Pena's (Elyria/ Catholic) time in the 500 free is fifth best at B-W; and junior Nich Hanna's (Napoleon) 200 IM time was fourth best all-time.
On the second day, Gombash won the 100-yard butterfly and set a school and OAC-record with a 59.57 timing which qualified her for the national meet. Showalter won her second OAC title in as many days and her second straight in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:59.87. She now owns seven OAC titles in three years. In addition, Fox won her first individual OAC championship in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:02.56. Stancliff rounded-out the B-W winners by finishing first in the three-meter diving event with 377.30 points. For the men, Roberts won his first career title in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 52.74 and Chris Rochford won the men's three-meter diving title with a score of 273.60 points.
On the final day, Gombash both won the 200 fly title and set another OAC record with a winning time of 2:15.33 in the finals. Her timing of 2:15.31 in the preliminaries set the OAC mark.
"Both Chris and Julie had an outstanding meet, and Sara continues to just get better and better," said Gallagher. "It is nice that Julie is qualified automatically, and I hope Sara gets the chance to participate."
The regular season is now complete. The women finished with an 8-6 overall and perfect 4-0 OAC dual meet record. The men finished 7-6 overall and 3-1 in the OAC.
"Our seniors began a legacy of swimming and diving excellence that will be realized long after they are graduated and successful in many other career endeavors," said Gallagher. "The leadership each senior gave to this program is appreciated. It made this program better each year.
"We return a bevy of talented men and women next year," continued Gallagher. "Each has outstanding work habits and each has learned how to lead by watching this year's senior group. The future of Baldwin-Wallace College swimming and diving has never been brighter."
The Yellow Jackets will get back to action this week when the postseason begins. A select group of B-W swimmers and divers will compete at the annual Case Western Reserve Classic/ National Qualifying Meet on Saturday in University Circle. The meet is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the CWRU Natatorium in the Veale Center.
FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Swimming and Diving Coach Mike Gallagher, please call him at the pool at 440-826-2387, FAX him at 440-826-2192 or e-mail him at either mgallagh@bw.edu or bwswim@bw.edu.
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