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Swimming and diving team competes with nation's best

Sawra Karimi
December 2, 2002

The mens and womens swimming and diving team participated in the Minnesota Invitational this past November 22nd-24th. This annual get together features Division I programs from across the country. St. Olaf, along with conference rivals, Gustavus Adolphus College and Carleton College, were the only Division III teams invited to this elite invitational.

Due to the large size of this meet and the high level of competition the environment differed from the intense dual meet atmosphere the Oles are used to. The Oles rose to the challenge and competed well across the board. There were over 100 athletes competing in a single event, many of whom were attempting to qualify for nationals. As a result the Oles focused more on their times then their actual place.

The men finished 11th place with 35 points, ahead of both Gustavus and Carleton. Great performances were turned in by Mark Glineberg (FY, St. Paul, Minn.), JC Chambers (FY, Englewood, Colo.), Matt Raecker (SO, Ceder Falls, Iowa), and Grant Van Lishout (SR, Reedsville, Wisc.).

Glineberg once again displayed his talent in the longer events. His time of 4:16.39 in the 400-yard individual medley was a season best, as well as his 17:21.16 in the mile. Chambers was the top sprinter for the men with season best times of 22.18 and 48.62 in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, respectively. Raecker had an outstanding 100-yard breaststroke when he turned in a lifetime best time of 1:02.10. Van Lishout was the sole Ole to score individually. His season best time of 2:15.86 was fast enough to earn him sixteenth place.

The Oles scored the rest of their points in relays. Anthony Blum (JR, Marshalltown, Iowa), Lee Thomsen (JR, El Cajon, Calif.), Chambers, and Drew Vanderwert (SO, St. Paul, Minn.) teamed up to finish 16th in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:27.98. The men also turned in a 16th place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay with a time of 7:22.42. This foursome consisted of Blum, Vanderwert, Glineberg, and Jon Saxton (FY, Ames, Iowa).

The Ole women followed suit with their own share of impressive swims. Along with the great performances of the top Ole women, newcomers Hannah Berg (FY, Edina, Minn.) and Alisha Cowell (FY, Lakeville, Minn.) had amazing swims, establishing themselves as swimmers that can be depended on for the meets to come.

Berg achieved season best times in the 100 and 200 yard backstrokes with times of 1:04.29 and 2:18.50, respectively. Cowell was also successful in her efforts in the backstroke with a time of 1:04.47 in the 100. Cowell then went on to turn in an amazing split of 2:02.30 in her leg of the 800-yard freestyle relay.

Veteran senior Laura Schutt's (SR, Niles, Ill.) consistency throughout her career as an Ole was once again evident. Schutt achieved season bets times in all four of her events. Schutt has always dominated the distance freestyle events but proved her versatility with a outstanding time of 2:16.86 in the 200-yard backstroke. In addition, her times in the 200, 500 and 1650 freestyle events were highly competitive (2:02.44, 5:23.88, and 18:38.81.). Jenna Kubat (SO, Des Moines, Iowa) also had a successful day in the pool demonstrating her ability to take her intensity up a notch when needed. Kubat finished with a 2:18.43 in the 200-yard butterfly and a 5:25.44 in the 500-yard freestyle. Carly Knoell (FY, Lincoln, Neb.) was only two seconds off her personal best in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:13.17. Knoell is the top backstroker for the Oles this year and has a strong chance of qualifying for nationals at the end of these season. Her performance at this invite was a definite signs of the success that is going to come.

One of the top performances for the women once again came from Katie Detwiler (SO, Fort Atkinson, Wisc.). Detwiler's time in the 400-yard individual medley of 4:45.27 is currently the fastest time in the MIAC so far this season.

Coach Bob Hauck was satisfied in the teams overall performance. "It is still early in the season, and I felt that this was a great opportunity for the team to compete at the U of M pool, where conference will be held. Both the men and women had solid swims."

The Ole women will have the Thanksgiving holiday off, and then travel to Ames, Iowa on December 6th to compete against the Iowa State Cyclones. They will then join the mens team on the 7th, as they head up to St. Cloud to take on Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict.

Contact Le Ann Finger at 507-786-3315 or finger@stolaf.edu.