Tigers Debut At The NCAC Relays Under The Leadership Of New Coach

The Wittenberg men's and women's swimming and diving teams have opened a new era in 2004-05 as Head Coach Natalie Koukis took the reins and her team made its debut in the North Coast Athletic Conference Relays at Kenyon last Saturday. The Tiger men finished sixth in the nine-team competition, while the Tiger women took fifth out of eight teams. Both were just a few points in the complicated relay scoring system utilized in the event away from the teams directly above them in the standings.

The Tiger women are led by two-time All-American and All-NCAC honoree Becca Searcy (Shelbyville, Ky./Shelby County), but there is great depth on the team, including sophomore Jenny Mulligan (Cheyney, Pa./Delaware Valley Friends) and junior Betany Yeakley (Wilmington, Ohio/Wilmington), both of whom achieved NCAA "B" Cuts and top-eight finishes in the NCAC in 2004. The Tigers finished a close fourth with a school-record point total in the 2004 NCAC championships, and this year's squad may well have the firepower to break into the upper echelon of the conference standings.

A total of 15 letterwinners are back in the fold for the Tiger women. In addition to the aforementioned trio, sophomore Hillary Clark (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) and juniors Leslie Banas (Huntington Woods, Mich./Mercy) and Amy Conner (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) all have posted top-eight finishes in the extremely competitive NCAC meet in recent years. In addition, seven incoming swimmers promise to bolster an already solid team.

Searcy, Mulligan, Yeakley and freshman Kaitlin Clark (Wakeman, Ohio/Firelands) teamed up for the Tigers' best finish in the NCAC Relays with a third place in the 400-yard Individual Medley.

The men return 11 letterwinners, highlighted by sophomore diver Cody Nicely (Knoxville, Tenn./Bearden), the 2004 North Coast Athletic Conference champion, and two senior captains, Jonathan Newcomer (Valencia, Pa./Mars Area) and Blake Troxel (Bluffton, Ind./Norwell). Both have been members of highly successful relay teams in recent years,and Newcomer earned All-NCAC honors in 2004.

In addition, sophomore Sean Wolf (White Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central) earned All-NCAC honors in his inaugural collegiate campaign in relay events. The team is getting a big infusion of talent, one that will hopefully make up for the loss of 11-time All-American Steve Rader and four other graduated seniors, in the form of an eight-man freshman class.

Next: 10/30 at Wooster, 3 p.m.