North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Swimming & Diving Season Preview
9/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State head coach Brooks Teal’s men’s swimming and diving team returns a focused nucleus of talent for the 2009-10 campaign, including school record holders Mason McGee and Kevin Woodhull-Smith. McGee owns the top Wolfpack marks in both the 200 and 500 freestyle, while Woodhull-Smith stands first in the 200 individual medley. Those two also helped Gaites Brown and former teammate Andrew Lester set a new school record last season in the 800 freestyle relay. In all, five seniors, seven juniors, six sophomores and seven freshmen comprise a roster that has posted 12 top-10 all-time marks in the Wolfpack record book.
Sprint Freestyle
The Pack returns its top sprint freestyle participants from a year ago in Conor Brennan, Brown, McGee and Steven Wright. Brennan posted the best time on the squad in the 50 freestyle and the second best in the 100 freestyle, while Brown was first in the 100 freestyle and second in the 50 freestyle. McGee took third in the 50 freestyle, and Wright was third in the 100 freestyle. Travis Martinez, Andrew Keenan and Allen Lee both add much needed experience, while newcomers Caison Roycroft, Kevin Vallario and Matt Voell will look to provide depth.
Mid-Distance Freestyle
After setting new school records in both the 200 and 500 freestyle a year ago, McGee will once again rule the roost in all mid-distance freestyle events. Brown and Ben Mechak are both proven competitors, as Brown was second on the team in the 200 freestyle last season, while Mechak was second in the 500 freestyle. Brandon Kingston is poised to make an immediate impact during his debut season.
Distance Freestyle
McGee, who posted the ninth-best Wolfpack time ever in the 1000 freestyle last year, and Nick Brittis both finished first and third respectively on the roster last year in both the 1000 and 1650 freestyles. Kingston will be called on to help fill the void left by Lester, who was one of the top distance freestyle swimmers in school history.
Butterfly
The Pack’s butterfly corps stands as one of the most experienced groups on the squad, boasting six returning competitors from past seasons. Sean Reams burst onto the scene in 2008-09 with the fifth-best 200 butterfly in school history. Martinez, Keenan, Tyler Mills, Mike Seiferth and Daniel Basler all made valuable contributions a year ago, and Vallario and Voell will attempt to break into the regular rotation. Voell, a 100 butterfly state champion in Colorado, is expected to make his mark early and often.
Backstroke
The loss of school record holder Stephen Mellor will be felt by the Pack during backstroke events, but Woodhull-Smith, who is second all-time in the 200 backstroke, should make Mellor’s absence easier to swallow. Mechak owns the seventh-best mark in school history in the 200 backstroke and was second on the team last season in the 100 backstroke. Basler, Nick Schauer and Jimmy Ross all gave strong efforts, and Facundo Monteiro - a highly coveted Argentinian product - is the lone new addition to the fold.
Breaststroke
Dan Forsythe and Greg Baskwell will be the Pack’s go-to combo in the breaststroke, both having top-10 all-time marks. Forsythe led the team last year and is fifth all-time in the 100 breaststroke, eighth in the 200 breaststroke. Baskwell posted the top 200 breaststroke time last year, which also stands as the seventh-best mark ever for the program. Wright has been solid when called upon, and the coaching staff anticipates a similar effort from Roycroft.
Individual Medley
Already having established a reputation as one of the top individual medley performers in school history, Woodhull-Smith has one more season to expand upon his 200 individual medley school record and second-place all-time mark in the 400 individual medley. It is imperative that Baskwell, Schauer, Reams and Ross all continue to trim time off of their performances for the Pack to grab points from these events.
Diving
Chris Arcara and Hudson Rains mark the beginning of a new era of Wolfpack men’s divers, standing as the first class brought in under head diving coach Jenny Keim Johansen. Having enjoyed exemplary prep and club careers, the distinguished duo will be thrown into the mix and tested immediately.
NC State swimming and diving will open the 2009-10 campaign with its annual Red & White Scrimmage at Casey Natatorium on Fri., Oct. 9, at 5 p.m. The Pack's regular season will begin against ACC foes Duke and Maryland on Oct. 24 in College Park, Md.
Sprint Freestyle
The Pack returns its top sprint freestyle participants from a year ago in Conor Brennan, Brown, McGee and Steven Wright. Brennan posted the best time on the squad in the 50 freestyle and the second best in the 100 freestyle, while Brown was first in the 100 freestyle and second in the 50 freestyle. McGee took third in the 50 freestyle, and Wright was third in the 100 freestyle. Travis Martinez, Andrew Keenan and Allen Lee both add much needed experience, while newcomers Caison Roycroft, Kevin Vallario and Matt Voell will look to provide depth.
Mid-Distance Freestyle
After setting new school records in both the 200 and 500 freestyle a year ago, McGee will once again rule the roost in all mid-distance freestyle events. Brown and Ben Mechak are both proven competitors, as Brown was second on the team in the 200 freestyle last season, while Mechak was second in the 500 freestyle. Brandon Kingston is poised to make an immediate impact during his debut season.
Distance Freestyle
McGee, who posted the ninth-best Wolfpack time ever in the 1000 freestyle last year, and Nick Brittis both finished first and third respectively on the roster last year in both the 1000 and 1650 freestyles. Kingston will be called on to help fill the void left by Lester, who was one of the top distance freestyle swimmers in school history.
Butterfly
The Pack’s butterfly corps stands as one of the most experienced groups on the squad, boasting six returning competitors from past seasons. Sean Reams burst onto the scene in 2008-09 with the fifth-best 200 butterfly in school history. Martinez, Keenan, Tyler Mills, Mike Seiferth and Daniel Basler all made valuable contributions a year ago, and Vallario and Voell will attempt to break into the regular rotation. Voell, a 100 butterfly state champion in Colorado, is expected to make his mark early and often.
Backstroke
The loss of school record holder Stephen Mellor will be felt by the Pack during backstroke events, but Woodhull-Smith, who is second all-time in the 200 backstroke, should make Mellor’s absence easier to swallow. Mechak owns the seventh-best mark in school history in the 200 backstroke and was second on the team last season in the 100 backstroke. Basler, Nick Schauer and Jimmy Ross all gave strong efforts, and Facundo Monteiro - a highly coveted Argentinian product - is the lone new addition to the fold.
Breaststroke
Dan Forsythe and Greg Baskwell will be the Pack’s go-to combo in the breaststroke, both having top-10 all-time marks. Forsythe led the team last year and is fifth all-time in the 100 breaststroke, eighth in the 200 breaststroke. Baskwell posted the top 200 breaststroke time last year, which also stands as the seventh-best mark ever for the program. Wright has been solid when called upon, and the coaching staff anticipates a similar effort from Roycroft.
Individual Medley
Already having established a reputation as one of the top individual medley performers in school history, Woodhull-Smith has one more season to expand upon his 200 individual medley school record and second-place all-time mark in the 400 individual medley. It is imperative that Baskwell, Schauer, Reams and Ross all continue to trim time off of their performances for the Pack to grab points from these events.
Diving
Chris Arcara and Hudson Rains mark the beginning of a new era of Wolfpack men’s divers, standing as the first class brought in under head diving coach Jenny Keim Johansen. Having enjoyed exemplary prep and club careers, the distinguished duo will be thrown into the mix and tested immediately.
NC State swimming and diving will open the 2009-10 campaign with its annual Red & White Scrimmage at Casey Natatorium on Fri., Oct. 9, at 5 p.m. The Pack's regular season will begin against ACC foes Duke and Maryland on Oct. 24 in College Park, Md.
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