2002-2003 Men's Swimming and Diving Outlook

09/01/00

- Thriving off of the accomplishments of the 2001-02 season, the Tribe men have high hopes for continuing improvement in their 2002-03 campaign. With the return of talented athletes and the addition of several promising newcomers, the Tribe will look to finish among the top of the Colonial Athletic Association and improve its dual meet record. With one returning CAA Champion and several swimmers poised to achieve such a title, the team is set to obtain such goals. Of the squad’s numerous accomplishments from last season, one of the most impressive was that nearly every Tribe swimmer saw improvement in at least one event, testifying that the Tribe men have success and progress ahead of them.

First year director of swimming and diving Gregg Sarbak will work with assistant coaches Samantha Smith and Dr. Robert McNamee this season. Although graduation took the Most Valuable Swimmer and Diver from William and Mary, returning swimmers and incoming freshmen should be able to make up for the losses.

The squad will look to senior co-captains David Hildebrand, Matt Salerno, and Mark Sinder to provide leadership for the 2002-03 season. A versatile swimmer, Sinder excels at the 200 IM, both butterfly events and sprint backstroke and freestyle events, and will look to turn in a solid senior campaign. Hildebrand looks to conclude his collegiate career with his strength in the freestyle events and his leadership capabilities. Salerno will bring his motivating work ethic to the pool and add depth to the breaststroke events. Senior Tyler Fenwick is also expected to stregthen the breaststroke events, while senior Aaron Roussell will continue to improve, solidifing the butterfly events. Returning CAA Champion Bruce Thomas looks to defend his 100 breaststroke title and make a run for the 200 breaststroke title at the 2003 CAA Championships. The Tribe’s Most Outstanding Freshman honoree, Eric Druker, is expected to challenge other butterflyers in the CAA for the title in both the 100 and 200 butterfly after training last summer.

The vast improvements the Tribe men showed last season should indicate the great amount of potential they have for the 2002-03 season. With a similar schedule to last year, Tribe swimmers and divers should be able to prove to the CAA that they are a continuing threat for top honors in the league. The following is a stroke-by-stroke breakdown of the 2002-03 men’s swimming and diving program:

Freestyle
Distance freestyle will likely continue to be a strength for the Tribe men. Clark Noble and Scott Rhodes each put in a solid effort in dual meets and at the conference championship last season. Noble finished with the top times on the team in the 1000 and 1650 freestyle and with the second-fastest time on the team in the 500 freestyle. Finishing fourth in the mile and ninth in the 500 freestyle at CAAs, the junior looks to continue moving up in the conference.

At the CAA Championships, sophomore Rhodes finished third in the 500 freestyle, fifth in the 1650 and 10th in the 200 freestyle, shaving a combined total of 25 seconds off of his previous best times in the three events. Rhodes looks to continue to show improvement and battle for the top spot in the conference.

Junior Alex Seamon will contribute in the distance events, as he can be counted on to add depth to the already strong distance contingent. Hildebrand has been a solid freestyler in the conference since his arrival at William and Mary. He will look to have a successful final year with the Tribe, as he can score in middle and mid-distance events.

Sinder and Druker teamed up last season to contribute some serious speed to the line-up. The two will look to continue finishing at the top of the pack in dual meets but will rely hevily upon several incoming freshmen. It will be important for newcomers Jacob Albright, Bob Jacobson, and Massey Whorley to step up this season and compete against other top swimmers.
Backstroke

Sinder and junior David Shoulders were major contributors in the backstroke events last season. Shoulders looks to improve as he returns with the top 200 backstroke time from the 2001-02 season after shaving four seconds off of his previous best. Freshmen Albright, Evan Elsaesser, Peter King, Neal Rollins, and Matt Wolff look to challenge for the top spot on the team, and are expected to have an immediate impact. With the addition of these freshmen, Sinder, who earned top honors on the team in the 100 backstroke last season, will most likely utilize his versitility in other events.

Butterfly
After evolving from one of the weakest strokes a few years ago to one of the strongest strokes last season, the Tribe looks to its butterflyers for continuing success. Sinder, turning in a school-record effort in the 100 butterfly while placing third at CAAs, is also a threat in the 200 butterfly after finishing sixth at the conference meet.

Druker, who finished fourth in both butterfly events at CAAs, is expected to improve this season, challenging school records and the top butterflyers in the conference. Junior Noah Laurence turned in the fourth-fastest times on the squad in both butterfly events and should be a major force this year. On course to a successful conference meet, Laurence fell ill during CAAs. Expectations are high for him in the 2002-03 season.

Roussell dropped almost four seconds from his previous season’s best time at CAAs. He will aim to finish in the top-16 at conferences, as he improves each year. Shoulders, along with freshmen Elsaesser, Jacobson, King, Rollins, Whorley and Wolff should add speed and depth to the events.

Breaststroke
It appears as if William and Mary’s breaststrokers will be even stronger in the 2002-03 season. With four returning swimmers on the all-time top-10 list, Tribe breaststroke touts several stars. Junior Bruce Thomas will look to defend his CAA title and school record in the 100 breaststroke while challenging for top honors in the conference in the 200 breaststroke.

Gaetan Sgro returns with the second-fastest times in both breaststroke events on the squad. After finishing seventh in the 200 breaststroke at CAAs, the junior looks to move up in the conference. Bob Brofft is expected to challenge for the top slots on the team in his second year with the Tribe. Fenwick broke into the all-time top-10 last season in the 200 breaststroke and is expected to make further improvements this year. Salerno, who is well-respected for his inspiring work ethic, will add depth to both breaststroke events. Freshmen Jeff Clark and Jeff Gastón, who have the potential to make an immediate impact with the Tribe, complete the team’s arsenal of breaststrokers.

Individual Medley
With several versatile swimmers, the Tribe enjoys remarkable IM talent. Sinder returns as the top swimmer in the 200 IM, finishing ninth in the conference last season. Thomas finished seventh at CAAs in the event, showing great improvement and promise for the 2002-03 season. Moreover, Laurence and Brofft have the potential to finish among the top in the conference. The addition of Wolff makes this an even stronger event for the Tribe.

Noble, turning in the top time in the 400 IM last season with a fifth-place finish at CAAs, will lead the Tribe in the event and can also score in the 200 IM. Additionally, Hildebrand handed in the top time on the team his freshman year in the 400 IM and Seamon saw a best time in that event at the conference championships.

Diving
The Tribe graduated its only diver last season but will look to Tom De Mattia for diving support. The junior was a member of the Tribe gymnastics squad, but was forced to retire due to looseness in his shoulder. The skills that he will bring to the diving squad from his gymnastics experience are expected to enhance his diving. Freshman Drew Webb will dive competitively for the first time this year and is expected to quickly pick up the sport.