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Feb 24, 2004
Penguins Plan to "Reveal It" at Horizon League Championships
Youngstown -- The Youngstown State
Swimming & Diving team draws
inspiration this year from a quote
by Heywood Broun, "Sports don't
build character. They reveal it." On
Wednesday, the Penguins plan on
revealing their character and
determination at the Horizon League
Championships in Chicago.
YSU has high expectations entering its third Horizon League
meet, the first under the leadership
of Coach Matt Anderson. The team has
had a great season under his
guidance with several athletes
breaking both personal and school
records. YSU has numerous swimmers
and divers who can score at
conference. Senior Lena Arens is
seeded fourth in the 50-yard
freestyle and 15th in the 100-yard
freestyle. In the 50, less than one
second separates first from eighth
place and in the 100, first place is
only 1.5 seconds.
In distance events the field is a little more spread apart by
time but not talent. Juniors Jordan
Dunn, Erika Gregos and Michelle Von
Duhn plan on moving up in the 500,
1,000 and 1,650-yard freestyle. The
500 is 20 laps, 1,000 is 40 laps and
the 1650 is a full 66. While
sprinting is about raw power,
distance swimmers are about strategy
and knowing when to make a move.
Taking charge of the stroke events are juniors Erin Carter
and Danielle Blagg. Carter is a
versatile swimmer at the top of the
league in numerous events.
However, she will have to choose
only three individual events in
which to compete. She is
ranked 12th in the 100 backstroke,
11th in the 200 butterfly, 10th in
the 100 butterfly, 11th in the 200
butterfly, 10th in the 200 IM and
fifth in the 400 IM (she is also
ranked 11th in the 200 freestyle).
The breaststroke competition is in
the capable hands of Blagg, the
school's record holder in the 100
and 200, and her protégé freshman
Kim Hanley.
The divers are led by junior Kayln Leveto, the reigning
Horizon League Champion on 3-meter.
Current rankings have her topping
both the 3-meter and 1-meter board.
The Penguin's freshmen class is young but talented.
Hanley, breaststroke, is ready to
make her mark at conference while
roommate Becky Bertuzzi is poised to
surprise in freestyle and
butterfly. The diving squad has
three freshmen that have been
placing well all season and are
ready to show their colors.
The conference begins on Wednesday at the UIC Natatorium and
continues through Saturday evening.
The Penguins plan on moving from the
sixth place ranking of last year to
at least fifth and possibly fourth.
Wright State has won the previous
two championships while UW-Green Bay
has been second the last two years. |
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