Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Men's Swimming and Diving Seeks Program's 30th MAC Title
10/20/2011 11:15:00 AM | M. Swim & Dive
Eagles return solid core of athletes in 2011-12 season
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — After narrowly missing out on its sixth consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship, the Eastern Michigan University men's swimming and diving team will look to make their return to the top of the podium in the 2011-12 season.
The Eagles will return a solid core of athletes and welcome an incoming class that has great potential to help the Green and White earn its 30th MAC title in 2012. Head Coach Peter Linn, who boasts an impressive 167-50 record since taking over the reigns of the men's program 23 seasons ago, mentions several key performers expected to make tremendous impacts this season.
One of those contributors is 2011 First Team All-MAC honoree and 2011 MAC Swimmer of the Year, Jacob Hanson. Hanson was a dominant performer at the 2011 Championships, collecting first place finishes with NCAA Consideration marks in the 200 Backstroke (1:43.65), 200 Individual Medley (1:47.86) and 100 Backstroke (47.94).
Linn also notes 2011 MAC Champion, Troy Esentan. The two-time MAC Swimmer of the Week was first to touch the wall in both the 200 IM and 200 Breaststroke, helping him land First Team All-MAC accolades last season.
The Eagles' final First Team All-MAC returnee is Jake Heyblom. Heyblom came through for the Green and White when he put together a 56.13, first place performance in the 100 Breaststroke.
“Hanson, Esentan, and Heyblom will lead a deep team with championship final returnees Mike Kinross, Gilles Renard, Ricky Linder, Justin Duong, Tyler Capen, Mike Swain, Jeff Craig, Andrew Saunders, and Matt Zavislak,” said Linn. “They will combine with a solid group of upperclassmen, the incoming freshman class and the return of Mick White to lead a strong assault on the conference championships.”
That incoming freshman class will include Mike Fisher, Dakoda Johnson, Tyler Keelean, Brian Moore, Franco Petrone, Dan Proctor, Oded Ivry, Nate Schingoethe, Kellen Schoff, Grant Schwarz, Kyle Snew, Keven Sommerville, Sage Stephens, Sean Tento and Matt Ventura — a number of which have performed at a MAC championship level in high school.
Transfers Brody Blickle and Frankie DeMaria will also join the Eagles for the 2011-12 season. Blickle was a First Team Pariot League selection in 2010 for the United States Military Academy, while DeMaria competed in several events for Missouri State.
SPRINTS AND MIDDLE DISTANCE FREESTYLE
Zavislak returns for the Eagles after earning Second Team All-MAC honors last season. The senior recorded five first place individual finishes last season between the sprint and middle distance events and helped contribute toward three first place finishes in the freestyle relay events. Linn notes that Gus Everson, Dexter Foos, Ivry, White, Moore, and Tento should also play significant roles this season.
DISTANCE
Conference finalists Linder and Renard will bring a talented returning duo to the freestyle distance events. The Academic All-MAC honorees posted several top times in the conference throughout the 2011-12 campaign, and Linn expects the same trend to continue this season. He also adds that newcomers Petrone and DeMaria will significantly strengthen the Eagles in these events.
RELAYS
“Relays should be contenders with greater depth and new faces,” said Linn. “The men will have to replace 2010 Swimmer of Year Justin Griggs on their sprint and medley relays, but there are a crop of newcomers eager for the challenge.”
BACKSTROKE
Hanson will return as both the 100 and 200 Backstroke MAC record holder and looks to move on to the NCAA Championships in both events in 2012.
“He will lead a solid contingent with Capen, Alan Duski, Duong, and Schingoethe,” said Linn. “All are capable of major contributions in both events.”
Capen and Duong both scored points for the Green and White at last season's championships, with Capen placing 13th in both the 100 and 200 distances, while Duong completed the 100 Backstroke in sixth place thanks to his season best time of 50.79.
BREASTSTROKE
The breaststroke events should be a strong point for the Eagles as MAC Champions Heyblom and Esentan return for their senior campaigns donning the Green and White. Swain is expected to make strides after placing second in the 200 event at the 2011 Championships a year ago. Incoming freshman Schwarz, Fisher, and Proctor will all play significant roles according to Linn, while sophomore Josh Leary should also have an impact this season.
BUTTERFLY
Key returners Kinross, Duski, Aaron Lawson and Tom Coates will create a strong presence in the butterfly event this season, and Linn notes that additional help will be provided by newcomers Ivry, Moore, and the return of Mick White.
“All of these swimmers have the ability to emerge as major players,” said Linn.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
At the 2011 MAC Swimming and Diving Championships, Hanson took home the 200 IM title, while Esentan was crowned champion in the 400 IM event. Linn is confident these events will again make headlines for the Eagles this season.
“These events are among the team's very best,” said Linn. “Esentan and Hanson should provide leadership for a deep squad alongside Swain and Capen, and the addition of freshmen Fisher, Schwarz and Snew.”
DIVING
Senior Kevin Douglas alongside second team All-MAC honorees Craig and Saunders will return to the boards this season after posting impressive scores in the 2010-11 campaign. Craig and Saunders medaled at the 2011 MAC Championships, with Craig placing second in the three meter dive (398.55) and Saunders taking third in the one meter event (306.30).
"We have high expectations from our upperclassmen," said Head Diving Coach Buck Smith. "They are ready to take on the MAC divers. We are hopeful that the underclass divers are ready to help us at the MAC Championships."
Those underclassmen include freshmen Tyler Keelean, Dakoda Johnson, Sage Stephens and Matt Ventura.
The Eagles will use this season to prepare for the championships this March and look forward to repeating last season's successes.
"We had a great year last year, with one diver winning the MAC Meet, and having 10 MAC finalists," said Smith. "This year we are hoping to outscore all the other MAC school at the conference meet for both the men and women.
Some of the divers will also be competing at the Winter Senior National Championships in hopes of making the 2012 Olympic Trials."
SCHEDULE
The Eagles will kick off the 2011-12 campaign with three straight home meets, opening up with Northwestern University in what should be an early test for this year's squad. EMU will then host Oakland, a team the Green and White will seek revenge on after last year's setback to the Grizzlies. The annual EMU Invitational is slated for Dec. 2-3, and Linn expects the meet to be both fun and fast. On Jan. 13, EMU will trek down to Cincinnati, Ohio for dual meets against Xavier as well as a triangular meet against talented Cincinnati and Louisville squads. The Green and White will then return home Jan. 20 to take on Wayne State before bussing to Oxford, Ohio for the Eagles' lone MAC dual-meet of the season with the Miami RedHawks. The Feb. 4 event poses as a potential milestone for the program, as EMU could potential win their 60th-consecutive MAC dual meet in a streak that spans back to the dates back to the 1997-98 season. The 2012 MAC Swimming and Diving Championships on March 1-3 will close out the season, which Linn expects his team to be well-prepared for thanks to the tests they will receive during the regular season.
The Eagles will return a solid core of athletes and welcome an incoming class that has great potential to help the Green and White earn its 30th MAC title in 2012. Head Coach Peter Linn, who boasts an impressive 167-50 record since taking over the reigns of the men's program 23 seasons ago, mentions several key performers expected to make tremendous impacts this season.
One of those contributors is 2011 First Team All-MAC honoree and 2011 MAC Swimmer of the Year, Jacob Hanson. Hanson was a dominant performer at the 2011 Championships, collecting first place finishes with NCAA Consideration marks in the 200 Backstroke (1:43.65), 200 Individual Medley (1:47.86) and 100 Backstroke (47.94).
Linn also notes 2011 MAC Champion, Troy Esentan. The two-time MAC Swimmer of the Week was first to touch the wall in both the 200 IM and 200 Breaststroke, helping him land First Team All-MAC accolades last season.
The Eagles' final First Team All-MAC returnee is Jake Heyblom. Heyblom came through for the Green and White when he put together a 56.13, first place performance in the 100 Breaststroke.
“Hanson, Esentan, and Heyblom will lead a deep team with championship final returnees Mike Kinross, Gilles Renard, Ricky Linder, Justin Duong, Tyler Capen, Mike Swain, Jeff Craig, Andrew Saunders, and Matt Zavislak,” said Linn. “They will combine with a solid group of upperclassmen, the incoming freshman class and the return of Mick White to lead a strong assault on the conference championships.”
That incoming freshman class will include Mike Fisher, Dakoda Johnson, Tyler Keelean, Brian Moore, Franco Petrone, Dan Proctor, Oded Ivry, Nate Schingoethe, Kellen Schoff, Grant Schwarz, Kyle Snew, Keven Sommerville, Sage Stephens, Sean Tento and Matt Ventura — a number of which have performed at a MAC championship level in high school.
Transfers Brody Blickle and Frankie DeMaria will also join the Eagles for the 2011-12 season. Blickle was a First Team Pariot League selection in 2010 for the United States Military Academy, while DeMaria competed in several events for Missouri State.
SPRINTS AND MIDDLE DISTANCE FREESTYLE
Zavislak returns for the Eagles after earning Second Team All-MAC honors last season. The senior recorded five first place individual finishes last season between the sprint and middle distance events and helped contribute toward three first place finishes in the freestyle relay events. Linn notes that Gus Everson, Dexter Foos, Ivry, White, Moore, and Tento should also play significant roles this season.
DISTANCE
Conference finalists Linder and Renard will bring a talented returning duo to the freestyle distance events. The Academic All-MAC honorees posted several top times in the conference throughout the 2011-12 campaign, and Linn expects the same trend to continue this season. He also adds that newcomers Petrone and DeMaria will significantly strengthen the Eagles in these events.
RELAYS
“Relays should be contenders with greater depth and new faces,” said Linn. “The men will have to replace 2010 Swimmer of Year Justin Griggs on their sprint and medley relays, but there are a crop of newcomers eager for the challenge.”
BACKSTROKE
Hanson will return as both the 100 and 200 Backstroke MAC record holder and looks to move on to the NCAA Championships in both events in 2012.
“He will lead a solid contingent with Capen, Alan Duski, Duong, and Schingoethe,” said Linn. “All are capable of major contributions in both events.”
Capen and Duong both scored points for the Green and White at last season's championships, with Capen placing 13th in both the 100 and 200 distances, while Duong completed the 100 Backstroke in sixth place thanks to his season best time of 50.79.
BREASTSTROKE
The breaststroke events should be a strong point for the Eagles as MAC Champions Heyblom and Esentan return for their senior campaigns donning the Green and White. Swain is expected to make strides after placing second in the 200 event at the 2011 Championships a year ago. Incoming freshman Schwarz, Fisher, and Proctor will all play significant roles according to Linn, while sophomore Josh Leary should also have an impact this season.
BUTTERFLY
Key returners Kinross, Duski, Aaron Lawson and Tom Coates will create a strong presence in the butterfly event this season, and Linn notes that additional help will be provided by newcomers Ivry, Moore, and the return of Mick White.
“All of these swimmers have the ability to emerge as major players,” said Linn.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
At the 2011 MAC Swimming and Diving Championships, Hanson took home the 200 IM title, while Esentan was crowned champion in the 400 IM event. Linn is confident these events will again make headlines for the Eagles this season.
“These events are among the team's very best,” said Linn. “Esentan and Hanson should provide leadership for a deep squad alongside Swain and Capen, and the addition of freshmen Fisher, Schwarz and Snew.”
DIVING
Senior Kevin Douglas alongside second team All-MAC honorees Craig and Saunders will return to the boards this season after posting impressive scores in the 2010-11 campaign. Craig and Saunders medaled at the 2011 MAC Championships, with Craig placing second in the three meter dive (398.55) and Saunders taking third in the one meter event (306.30).
"We have high expectations from our upperclassmen," said Head Diving Coach Buck Smith. "They are ready to take on the MAC divers. We are hopeful that the underclass divers are ready to help us at the MAC Championships."
Those underclassmen include freshmen Tyler Keelean, Dakoda Johnson, Sage Stephens and Matt Ventura.
The Eagles will use this season to prepare for the championships this March and look forward to repeating last season's successes.
"We had a great year last year, with one diver winning the MAC Meet, and having 10 MAC finalists," said Smith. "This year we are hoping to outscore all the other MAC school at the conference meet for both the men and women.
Some of the divers will also be competing at the Winter Senior National Championships in hopes of making the 2012 Olympic Trials."
SCHEDULE
The Eagles will kick off the 2011-12 campaign with three straight home meets, opening up with Northwestern University in what should be an early test for this year's squad. EMU will then host Oakland, a team the Green and White will seek revenge on after last year's setback to the Grizzlies. The annual EMU Invitational is slated for Dec. 2-3, and Linn expects the meet to be both fun and fast. On Jan. 13, EMU will trek down to Cincinnati, Ohio for dual meets against Xavier as well as a triangular meet against talented Cincinnati and Louisville squads. The Green and White will then return home Jan. 20 to take on Wayne State before bussing to Oxford, Ohio for the Eagles' lone MAC dual-meet of the season with the Miami RedHawks. The Feb. 4 event poses as a potential milestone for the program, as EMU could potential win their 60th-consecutive MAC dual meet in a streak that spans back to the dates back to the 1997-98 season. The 2012 MAC Swimming and Diving Championships on March 1-3 will close out the season, which Linn expects his team to be well-prepared for thanks to the tests they will receive during the regular season.
Eastern Michigan Head Coach Peter Linn
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