Husker Swimmers Remain Focused on Move in 2007-08

   After two seasons of eight-member senior classes, the Huskers reload with 11 newcomers in 2007-08, looking to early success experienced by the seniors to aim high in the Big 12 Conference

Three years ago, the Nebraska swimming and diving program experienced one of the best seasons in its 32-year history. There was an 8-1 dual record, a third-place conference finish, and most importantly, goals reached that many thought were unattainable at the turn of the century. In the middle of it all were a pair of freshmen who pulled their weight to score a combined 33 points at the Big 12 Championships, beginning careers that have led to their senior seasons in Lincoln. Now, Lynn Siemert and Adrienne Goodman are looking to their previous experience to lead a young Husker squad back to its destination in 2007-08 - the top half of the Big 12 Conference.

“We’re a few years removed from that third-place finish at the Big 12 Championships," Pablo Morales recalls of his best season as the Husker head coach. "It’s only this senior class of Adrienne and Lynn that remember what that feeling was like. Going on four years now, they have put a lot of work into this program and have been solid individuals. They care deeply about their progress and how to improve with the team's goals and objectives."

Those goals and objectives have remained the same. That's to aim for a higher finish at the Big 12 Championships and close the gap with Texas and Texas A&M, who have won the past nine conference championships after the Huskers won five straight from 1994 to 1998. Nebraska wants to retain its position in the top half of the Big 12, the spot it last held when Siemert and Goodman were freshmen.

"Even though it's a small senior class compared to the last couple years, their influence is certainly very important when you consider the youth on this team," Morales said. "In many ways, you can look at last year’s performance and be satisfied, but there’s still a little something missing. We feel that we’re capable of getting back to at least third in the conference and battling Texas and Texas A&M. There's no way around that. Our girls need to have the confidence that they can do it. And they can."

Goodman and Siemert will lead a team that includes 11 freshmen during their final seasons at Nebraska. There were 14 seniors that helped them to a combined 15-3 dual record during their first two years. From that experience, the duo learned lessons from those upperclassmen that they must put to work in 2007-08.

A young but already experienced duo accomplished a similar feat as Siemert and Goodman did in 2005 at last year's Big 12 Championships in College Station, Texas. It was Mariah Hutchinson and Kaitlin Arntz, who both qualified for finals events on the last day of competition. Hutchinson finished sixth in the 200-yard butterlfy after a preliminary time of 2:03.13 that was the fastest at Nebraska since 2001. Arntz swam to the finals of the 200-yard breaststroke, placing eighth in 2:18.87, despite being seeded 13th heading into the meet.

"Last year, our freshmen verified what we hope to do every year," Morales said. "That goal is for someone that comes into our program not only improves in their first year, but improves a lot. Kaitlin and Mariah did that. Entry into the championship finals at the conference meet is a very difficult thing to do. The fact that we had two freshmen do that again is very significant and we're definitely looking to build on that success this season."

The biggest Husker presence in the championship finals at the 2007 conference meet was diver Courtney Jolly. Under the direction of second-year diving coach Natasha Chikina, Jolly had a breakout sophomore season after suffering a stress fracture in her back that forced her to sit out the 2004-05 season. Jolly finished seventh on the one-meter dive and eighth on the platform to qualify for the NCAA Zone Diving Meet.

“What I’m looking forward to from Courtney this year is that she’s going to be comfortable and perform with more confidence," Chikina said. "She’s been practicing hard since June, which is a good start. Overall, I’m expecting her to be more consistent. She has her dives, but just needs consistency in meets now. If that happens, she could go a long way.”

Due to her redshirt season, Jolly is a junior in eligibility in 2007-08, joining a class that was finishing their high school careers during the Huskers' memorable 8-1 season. Only a year out from Morales' best season at Nebraska was Jenna Stroud, Jenny Toler and Christina Yemm, who have combined for 10 wins during their careers, led by Yemm with five. They have had the advantage of swimming under 15 seniors.

"We have had strong and big senior classes to follow in our first two years," Stroud said. "That's helped us not only learn, but now we can follow their paths and keep the same tradition going for the current underclassmen."

The current underclassmen is the largest freshman class in school history. Among the 11 freshmen are five who received at least high school All-America consideration. Morales says if they perform to their potential, it could be a special group.

"You can only compare coming in," Morales said. "And I can honestly say that coming in, this is one of the strongest classes we’ve ever had, based on their experience level and their performances to date. It remains to be seen where we take it from here, but overall, we have a lot of reason to be optimistic about this class.”

A special attribute about the 2007-08 freshmen is their diversity. Ten states, all the way from Nevada to Pennsylvania, are represented from the incoming class of Jess Andrews (Gillete, Wyo.), Emily Burbach (Lincoln, Neb.),  Mariesa Cloud (Maple Valley, Wash.), Claire Desormey (St. Charles, Ill.), Julie Giehl (Boulder, Colo.), Kelsey Gruschecky (West Newton, Pa.), Blaine Hoppenrath (Kansas City, Mo.), Brandie Kavalec (Loveland, Colo.), Audrey Kruse (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Meredith Matthies (Wichita, Kan.) and Rachell McClain (Henderson, Nev.) The class also includes one Nebraska native and two walk-ons that have made their committment to Husker swimming and diving for the next four years.

“Any time you have a large group of freshmen it’s exciting because you get to see and evaluate so much," assistant coach Doug Humphrey said. "This is a very hard-working and intense group. If it stays this competitive, we’re going to see some great things. That will not only help them, with as fast as they’re going, but it will push everyone else as well.”

As the Huskers aim toward a higher Big 12 finish and their fifth straight winning season, the city of Omaha might also be an objective. Just once every four years do the greatest swimmers in America gather for an event. Next summer, that event - the 2008 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials - takes place 50 miles from the Devaney Natatorium.

“We’ve got girls on the team who have made it an objective to compete at the Olympic trials and compete successfully,” Morales said. “When we set our sights on a successful season, the trials were very much a part of that outlook. We want to help them achieve their Olympic ambitions as much as possible in conjunction with the goals that we have every year, which is a great performance at the conference meet and a presence for Nebraska at the National Championships.”