Swimmers aim for improved conference play

The North Carolina swimming and diving teams made their official returns to the pool this weekend" marking the culmination of what has been an unusual off-season for the Tar Heels.

The temporary closure of Koury Natatorium early in the school year forced the team to adopt a limited practice schedule in preparing for the season.

""Our training has been a little different this fall with the pool being under repair" so we were using some off-campus sites" coach Rich DeSelm said, adding that the team did great with it.""

But these setbacks have failed to hamper DeSelm's optimism for the upcoming season.

The Tar Heels are looking to build upon an impressive 2007-08 campaign in which both the men's and women's teams took home second place at the ACC championships"" the highest finish for the men since 2001.

""We're excited about the team. There's been a lot of enthusiasm" a lot of great energy DeSelm said.

The infusion of a big" talented freshman class has definitely helped the upperclassmen do a little reality check and has been good for everybody.""

The rookie talent was on full display at Friday's annual Blue-White Intrasquad meet" as first-years Evan Reed and Steve Cebertowicz took home first-place finishes in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles respectively.

But the team remains driven by a bevy of returning talent including sophomores Joe Kinderwater a U.S. Olympic Trials finalist in the 1500-meter freestyle and Chip Peterson who returns this year after taking a redshirt season to focus on open-water swimming events.

Both Kinderwater and Peterson were at open-water events Friday and could not be in attendance but the duo gives the Tar Heels a menacing one-two punch in the male distance events.

Sophomore Tyler Harris is another underclassman to watch especially in the butterfly and individual medley events and DeSelm identified senior captains Yi-Khy Saw and Brad Mitchell junior captain Jeff James and sophomore Tommy Wyher as several men who look poised for big seasons.

On the women's side the Tar Heels return senior captain Whitney Sprague the ACC record-holder in the 1000- and 1650-yard freestyle events" along with several other veterans who DeSelm will be counting on to lead the team.

""Whitney Sprague is an NCAA high-caliber swimmer" and (junior captain) Alison Clemens … I know that she's going to have her best year ever" noted DeSelm, adding that senior captain Lindsay McIlvain also has been impressive despite battling injury.

With the return of much of the core of last year's team, as well as the arrival of a highly touted rookie class, the team looks poised to make a run at the ACC crown. But a conference title isn't its only goal.

I think the mark of a good season is that everyone puts in their best effort at all times" Sprague said.

Even if we don't achieve everything" if we know that we've put everything into it — that would be successful.""

 

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