Blue Wave men, women dominate SUNYACs
Pat Nolan
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Sports
For the Geneseo Blue Wave, last weekend was one for the ages.
The swimming and diving team not only took home first place in the SUNYAC men's and women's championships, but also broke several Geneseo and SUNYAC records in the process.
On Thursday, juniors Charlie Hake, Sig Culhane and Clint Sugnet, along with senior John Zolna, captured first place in the men's 200 freestyle relay, setting a new Geneseo and SUNYAC record with an NCAA provisional time of 1:23.33.
In the women's 200 freestyle relay, freshman Jennifer Anthone, sophomore Katie Linehan, junior Jessie Cocco and freshman Michelle Rodriguez also set a new school and SUNYAC record by finishing in 1:36.72. The 400 medley relay team of Rodriguez, Cocco, freshman Daina Bouquin and sophomore Natalie Thorpe set another school record with a time of 4:00.17.
"There weren't any expectations going into SUNYAC except that our team was confident in each other," said Thorpe.
The next day, Thorpe posted a Geneseo and SUNYAC record time of 4:34.55 in the women's 400 IM. Anthone, Thorpe, Rodriguez and senior Maren MacDonald also broke a school and SUNYAC record in the women's 800 freestyle relay by finishing in 7:50.40.
In the women's 400 freestyle relay, Rodriguez, MacDonald, Anthone and Linehan set a new Geneseo and SUNYAC record with a time of 3:33.24. Cocco also set a school and SUNYAC record with a 2:25.33 finish in the women's 200 breaststroke.
"For the women, I thought it was going to be a real close meet, but they just blew them away," said head coach Paul Dotterweich.
On Saturday, the men's 400 freestyle relay team, composed of Culhane, Zolna, Hake and freshman Drew Rogers, captured first place with a Geneseo and SUNYAC record time of 3:06.35. The two teams broke a combined 19 Geneseo records, eight SUNYAC records, and posted 16 NCAA provisional times.
"I would definitely consider this the best swim team I've ever been a part of, not just because of our success in the pool but our friendships we have outside of the pool as well," said MacDonald.
"We've always heard about these amazing swimmers and teams in the program's past," said Cocco. "It's incredible to think that one day our team will be immortalized and remembered like that."
"I think our teams have had a team-first attitude," said Dotterweich. "I think that's the core of a good team, that unselfish attitude." Following the SUNYAC meet, Dotterweich was named the SUNYAC coach of the year.
The swimming and diving team not only took home first place in the SUNYAC men's and women's championships, but also broke several Geneseo and SUNYAC records in the process.
On Thursday, juniors Charlie Hake, Sig Culhane and Clint Sugnet, along with senior John Zolna, captured first place in the men's 200 freestyle relay, setting a new Geneseo and SUNYAC record with an NCAA provisional time of 1:23.33.
In the women's 200 freestyle relay, freshman Jennifer Anthone, sophomore Katie Linehan, junior Jessie Cocco and freshman Michelle Rodriguez also set a new school and SUNYAC record by finishing in 1:36.72. The 400 medley relay team of Rodriguez, Cocco, freshman Daina Bouquin and sophomore Natalie Thorpe set another school record with a time of 4:00.17.
"There weren't any expectations going into SUNYAC except that our team was confident in each other," said Thorpe.
The next day, Thorpe posted a Geneseo and SUNYAC record time of 4:34.55 in the women's 400 IM. Anthone, Thorpe, Rodriguez and senior Maren MacDonald also broke a school and SUNYAC record in the women's 800 freestyle relay by finishing in 7:50.40.
In the women's 400 freestyle relay, Rodriguez, MacDonald, Anthone and Linehan set a new Geneseo and SUNYAC record with a time of 3:33.24. Cocco also set a school and SUNYAC record with a 2:25.33 finish in the women's 200 breaststroke.
"For the women, I thought it was going to be a real close meet, but they just blew them away," said head coach Paul Dotterweich.
On Saturday, the men's 400 freestyle relay team, composed of Culhane, Zolna, Hake and freshman Drew Rogers, captured first place with a Geneseo and SUNYAC record time of 3:06.35. The two teams broke a combined 19 Geneseo records, eight SUNYAC records, and posted 16 NCAA provisional times.
"I would definitely consider this the best swim team I've ever been a part of, not just because of our success in the pool but our friendships we have outside of the pool as well," said MacDonald.
"We've always heard about these amazing swimmers and teams in the program's past," said Cocco. "It's incredible to think that one day our team will be immortalized and remembered like that."
"I think our teams have had a team-first attitude," said Dotterweich. "I think that's the core of a good team, that unselfish attitude." Following the SUNYAC meet, Dotterweich was named the SUNYAC coach of the year.
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