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Salem, VA -- The Randolph College swim team has been picked to finish fourth in the ODAC Coaches' Preseason Poll announced by the league Friday afternoon. The WildCats garnered 30 poll points.
Washington and Lee University garnered 60 total poll points from the conference’s eight coaches.Randolph-Macon College took up second position with 54 tallies, and Sweet Briar College rounded out the top three with 50 points.
Randolph enters the season under the direction of first-year head coach Christen Colburn. The WildCats will begin the season on October 25th at the ODAC Invitational hosted by Washington and Lee University.
Washington and Lee welcomes back seven All-ODAC swimmers from last season including the 2007-08 ODAC Swimmer of the Year, Lindsey Strachan.The senior Midlothian-native enjoyed a stellar regular season that culminated with victories in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events to go with wins in the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays.Former ODAC Rookie of the Year, Tess Hayden, returns to the pool after winning the 200-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events.She helped the Generals win the 800-yard and 200-yard free relays, posting a school-record in the latter swim.Also back to help the Generals are Susan Mahoney, Julianne Miata, Sarah Simpson, Jackie Smith and Jenna Worsham.Miata was the recipient of the 2007-08 Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award.
Randolph-Macon, one year removed from its first ODAC swimming title, finished second in the 2007-08 championship for the fifth time in the last six years.The Yellow Jackets maintain plenty of firepower with three of their six all-conference swimmers back for more action.Corrine Campbell won the 200-yard butterfly to highlight her inaugural season in Ashland.Marlene Graf, the conference’s top rookie two season’s ago, earned a pair of second place finishes at last year’s championship meet in the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle events.She, Campbell, and fellow All-ODAC returner, Shafer Busch, teamed to place second in the 400-yard medley relay.
Sweet Briar, led by ODAC Coach of the Year, Alex Kuhn, finished third in last season’s championship.The Vixens welcome back a pair of all-conference swimmers in Hannah Hesser and Melissa Simpson.Hesser and Simpson were a part of a pair of school record-setting times in the 400-yard free relay and the 200-yard medley relay.Hesser finished the meet with two second place finishes and five third place showings.Simpson set three individual school records (100 and 200 backstrokes, 200 IM) amongst one second place finish and six third place performances.
Listed below is the 2008-09 ODAC Swimming Preseason Poll. To learn more about ODAC swimming, visit the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.
2008-09 ODAC Swimming Preseason Poll
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1. Washington and Lee |
60 pts. |
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2. Randolph-Macon |
54 pts. |
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3. Sweet Briar |
50 pts. |
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4. Randolph |
30 pts. |
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5. Guilford |
29 pts. |
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6. Bridgewater |
28 pts. |
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7. Hollins |
21 pts. |
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8. Emory & Henry |
16 pts. |
CONTACT: Vince Scalzo, Sports Information Director
