March 31, 2005

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Records were made to be broken. During the 2004-05 Virginia Tech men's and women's swimming and diving season, several records fell throughout the course of the year. In fact, 19 school records were broken as well as four War Memorial Pool records. Also, two swimmers earned All-America honors.

During its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference campaign, the women's team featured an All-American and ACC Freshman of the Year in Jessica Botzum (Raleigh, N.C.) and its first ACC Championship with Mason Walsh's (Herndon, Va.) capture of the 50 freestyle crown.

In all, 10 records were set on the women's side; however, some of the records fell more than once during the course of the year. Botzum steadily sliced the 200 breaststroke record by 6.04 seconds. At the NCAA Championships, she broke her own record in the preliminaries only to follow it up with a seventh-place finish in a school record-setting time of 2:12.34. The 12 points that she scored for the finish helped the Hokies place 30^th at the meet. Botzum also lowered her record in the 200 IM by five-hundredths of a second with a time of 2:03.39 in her first event at the NCAA Championships.

Walsh solidified her place in history with the first ACC Championship for the program in a school-record time of 22.61, helping Tech garner a fifth-place finish at the conference meet. She also took down Lindsey Tew's 2001 mark of 50.37 in the 100 freestyle with her 49.98 performance in the ACC preliminaries. She also briefly held the 100 breaststroke school record before Botzum reclaimed that title with her 17^th place showing at the NCAA Championships with a time of 1:02.43.

At the ACC Championships, Jeannette Batten broke the school record in the 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle events, which had been set in 2003 by Jamie Spradlin. Batten (Grafton, Va.) had a time of 10:08.04 in the 1,000 before going on to set the record in the 1,650 with a time of 16:41.82. Botzum took third in the 200 breaststroke at the ACCs in a time of 2:15.61.

Talita Ribeiro (Sao Paulo, Brazil), a newcomer at the semester break, tallied a time of 55.90 in the 100 backstroke, breaking senior Katy Peterson's (Huntington Valley, Pa.) mark of 55.95 that was set at the Nike Cup in 2004. With that swim, Ribeiro also grabbed third place at the ACC Championships.

Junior diver Laura Lunn (Saskatchewan, Canada) set records in two different events. She broke Jackie Davoud's six-year old record on 3-meter with a score of 487.35 during the first half of the year. She also set the Virginia Tech platform record with a score of 388.85.

In addition to the school records that were set, many other top-ten times were also recorded. In the 200 medley relay, the team of Peterson, Botzum, Becky Horning (Sterling, Va.) and Walsh touched the wall with the third-fastest mark in Tech history with a time of 1:44.18.

Two times on the 400 medley relay list are new. The team of Peterson, Botzum, Horning and Walsh recorded a time of 3:47.04, just besting the time of Peterson, Botzum, Erin Tarpey (Fairfax, Va.) and Walsh, who touched the wall at 3:47.56.

Three top times in the 200 freestyle relay changed from the start of the season. Ribeiro, Walsh, Emily Guschke (Colonial Heights, Va.) and Juliana Daniell (Atlanta, Ga.) teamed up for the second-best time in school history with a 1:33.09 finish. The team of Whitney Johnsen (Fairfax, Va.), Courtney Walsh (Yardley, Pa.), Laura Campbell (Yorktown, Va.) and Mason Walsh combined for a 1:34.36 finish, good enough for fourth in the records. Mason Walsh, Guschke, Johnsen and Daniell also have the seventh-best mark in history with a time of 1:35.17.

Mason Walsh, Guschke, Courtney Walsh and Ribeiro placed second on the school list with a time of 3:23.37 in the 400 freestyle relay while Guschke, Courtney Walsh, Daniell and Mason Walsh had a time of 3:28.80, garnering them the 10^th spot in the event.

The 800 freestyle relay team of Millie Campbell (Richmond, Va.), Guschke, Sarah Gardner (Matthews, N.C.) and Batten featured the third-fastest time in Tech history with a performance of 7:27.45.

"We are proud of the records she has broken," said head diving coach Bert Locklin. "We look forward to next year and expect the best is yet to come."

In addition to the school records, Botzum established a new pool mark in the 200 breast. The 200 free relay team of Walsh, Guschke, Whitney Johnsen (Fairfax, Va.) and Daniell also recorded the top time at War Memorial.

All of these performances helped ensure another winning season for head swimming coach Ned Skinner and his staff of Braden Holloway, Genny McNeill and diving coach Bert Locklin. The women finished with a 7-4 mark in duel meets, including a 3-3 record in the ACC, while winning their first ACC match against NC State and garnering the first-ever ranking for the program on Oct. 22, when the College Swimming Coaches Association ranked them No. 24.

"Being voted in the nation's top 25 was a great accomplishment for us," said head coach Ned Skinner. "Knowing that the coaches vote base on an incoming recruiting class and returners in the early season polls. This distinction makes up realize that the swimming community is taking note of our presence.

"Our women's goal for this season was to finish in the upper half of the ACC and in the top 30 in the NCAA. Therefore, we are thrilled to accomplish these goals. We hope to build off these goals and set even loftier ones next year."

The men's team featured its' second honorable mention All-American in two years, with the performance of senior Kevin Furlong (Springfield, Va.) at the NCAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke, placing 14^th with a time of 54.61 after recording a time of 54.25 in the preliminaries. His three points that were earned for the finish helped the Hokies tie for 32^nd at the meet with fellow ACC teams Georgia Tech and North Carolina.

"To score points for the first time at the NCAAs in the last swim of his career was quite an accomplishment," Skinner said. "It is one he and I will remember for a long time. Kevin had a great career for the Hokies. His leadership and persistence in swimming has been a perfect example for our program."

Sophomore Gus Calado (Recife, Brazil) also qualified for the NCAA Championships, garnering 21^st in the 200 fly. In the first meet of the season, against ACC rival NC State, Calado shattered the school record in the event, setting the new mark at 1:44.99. Throughout the season, Calado seemed to be the focal point of every race he entered, becoming a national threat. He also established five individual records for Tech, including the 200 fly. This year, Calado broke the records in the 200 (1:37.81) and 1,000 free, (9:21.58) 200 fly, 200 back (1:46.29) and 400 IM (3:54.84).

Other Hokie men also established new marks as well.

Junior Tom Alberi's (Cape Elizabeth, Me.) 100 backstroke at the ACC Championships (48.98) broke Christian Lindberg's time of 49.08.

Senior diver Doug Roper (Annandale, Va.) bested three Tech records in his last season of eligibility. He broke the 1-meter six-dive record with a score of 326.92 that had stood for 23 years. Roper also set a new platform record of 392.00 and 3-meter 11-dive record of 505.40. He also boasts the second-best performance on the 3-meter six-dive event, notching a mark of 314.62.

"Doug finished the year as the most prolific diver in Virginia Tech history and we are very proud of him," Locklin said. "He helped usher us into the ACC and has certainly left his mark on the Virginia Tech diving program."

The 800 free relay team of Calado, Zac Czaplicki (North Haven, Conn.), Scott Beard (Chesterfield, Va.) and Trevor Jamerson (Earlysville, Va.) recorded a time of 6:34.10 at the ACC Championships, setting a new Tech record while garnering a third-place finish. The finish helped the Hokies finish in seventh place at the conference meet.

"The men wanted to finish higher at the ACC Championships and we came very close to within reaching the upper half of the conference," Skinner said. "We will use this as fuel for our goals next season."

On the first night of the conference meet, the 200 free relay team of Furlong, Aaron Sherman (Williamsburg, Va.), Alberi and Calado posted the second-fastest time in school history at 1:28.98.

The third day of competition at the conference meet showed just how powerful the Hokies could be, with three swimmers competing in the 100 back finals. Alberi took third while Calado finished fourth and Beard placed eighth.

The 400 medley relay team of Alberi, Furlong, Beard and Czaplicki earned a third-place finish with the second-fastest time in school history. Furlong also finished third in the 100 breast.

As with the women, several top-ten times changed hands during the year. Alberi has the fifth-fastest time in the 50 free while Christian DeLollo (Latham, N.Y.) and Czaplicki garner the fourth and fifth best times in the 100 free. Calado and Czaplicki own the best times in the 200 free while Savage has the third-fastest time in the 500 free.

Beard posted the third best mark in the 100 fly. He also has the fifth-fastest time in the 100 back while Calado has the fourth-best time. Alberi owns the third-fastest finish in the 200 back.

In the relay events, Alberi, Furlong, Calado and Casey Moore (Virginia Beach, Va.) recorded the eighth-fastest time in the 200 medley while the team of Alberi, Furlong, Beard and Sherman posted the fifth-fastest time in the 400 medley.

DeLollo, Beard, Furlong and Alberi now have the third-best time in the 200 free while Beard, Alberi, Sherman and Moore have the seventh-best mark. The team of DeLollo, Furlong, Alberi and Moore garner the eighth spot in the event.

Three of the top-ten times in the 400 free relay were set this season, including the third, fifth and seventh-place spots. The fifth-best time in the 800 free relay belongs to Calado, Czaplicki, Jamerson and Austin Fiehler (Williamsburg, Va.)

Pool records that were set this season include Calado's 200 fly and Furlong's 100 breast in a time of 55.75, set in his last race at War Memorial.

Tech compiled a 6-5 mark on the season, including a 2-3 showing in the ACC.

These performances, along with the hard work and dedication of all the swimmers provided a memorable season for the Hokies. With a year of ACC competition under its belt and 40 letterwinners returning next season, the future looks even brighter for Tech.

"We return incredible strength in all areas next season, coupled with an excellent recruiting class," Skinner said. "We are already excited about increasing our goals next year and moving up the ranks in the ACC and NCAA."