woMen’s swiMMinG outlook The final night of this season’s NCAA Championship will take place in West LaFaeytte, Ind., on March 20, 2010. Georgia’s quest for that national title began on March 21, 2009, in College Station, Texas. That’s the night the Lady Bulldogs came in second to California by a scant 11 points. That’s the night the fuse was lit. “This team doesn’t need for us to tell them how much work it takes to contend for a national championship,” Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said. “They put in the work last year, plus they added the experience of being so close to winning. So they know exactly what it’s going to take to do it. We’ve already seen the commitment, the enthusiasm and the work ethic comparable to some of the best teams we’ve had. This team is very, driven.” Georgia is led by returning NCAA champions Allison Schmitt and Wendy Trott, who capped their freshman seasons with wins in the 500 and 1,650 freestyle, respectively. The Lady Bulldogs also won the NCAA title in the 200 medley relay, and that quintet returns intact with Lisa Capriolgio, Kristen Shickora, Anne-Marie Botek and Kelly McNichols. Schmitt, Trott, Botek (50 freestyle) and Morgan Scroggy (100 freestyle) claimed Southeastern Conference titles a year ago. With all of those swimmers returning, not to mention a bevy of additional All-Americans and one of the nation’s top newcomers group, the Lady Bulldogs are certainly poised for that run to the top. Depth may be Georgia’s greatest asset as Bauerle and his coaches will have options. FREESTYLE The Lady Bulldogs boast talent and experience in the freestyle events, making this area a strength heading into the season. SEC champions Botek and Scroggy will lead Georgia in the sprints. Botek (50) and Scroggy (100) each rank third in Georgia’s all-time record book in their respective races, and they were second and fourth, respectively, at the 2009 NCAAs. The Lady Bulldogs will draw depth from Lauren English, McNichols, Courtney Monsees, Schmitt, Chelsea Nauta, Emily Montesinos, Shickora and Megan Romano. Schmitt and McNichols rank fifth and ninth, respectively, in the 100 in Georgia’s record book. Scroggy, Schmitt, Nauta and Erica Malagón all scored at the NCAAs in the 200 freestyle, led by Scroggy’s runner-up finish. Schmitt and Scroggy share the school record of 1:42.90 in the 200 freestyle, while Nauta is fifth and Malagón is seventh. Schmitt and Trott went 1-2 in the 500 freestyle at the NCAAs a year ago and Nauta came in fifth. Schmitt also won the SEC title in the 500 freestyle and set the school record of 4:35.17. Trott (second), Nauta (third) and Abbie Fish (ninth) also rank in Georgia’s all-time top 10 in the 500 freestyle. Georgia will get an additional boost from McNichols, Monsees, Kelsey Gaid, Adrienne Bicek and Romano. The talent pool continues in the distance races with the return of 1,650 freestyle NCAA and SEC champion and school record holder Trott. Nauta and Schmitt can provide ad-
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ditional firepower, along with Kelsey Scott, Malagón, Fish, Gaid and Bicek. BUTTERFLY Annie Broome and Caprioglio were NCAA scorers a year ago in either butterfly events or on relays, while Botek, Lauren Cartwright and Fish were NCAA qualifiers. McNichols and Scroggy will get a look in the 100 butterfly, while Jana Mangimelli and Bicek will be evaluated in the 200 butterfly. Caprioglio (second), Broome (third), Botek (fifth) and Nauta (ninth) all are in the Georgia record book in the 100 butterfly, while Broome (second), Cartwright (fourth), Schmitt (sixth), Caprioglio (seventh) and Fish (eighth) rank in the 200. BREASTSTROKE Colleen Haase, McKeehan and McNichols were All-Americans a year ago, and McKeehan picked up additional experience at the 2009 World University Games. McNichols can help Georgia in the breaststroke as she turned the fastest 50 breaststroke split at the NCAAs last year. The Lady Bulldogs are adding UC-Santa Barbara transfer Sara Nicponski to the mix, and she has both NCAAs experience and was a finalist at the 2009 World Championship Trials. Bicek also could be a contributor. BACKSTROKE Again, the Lady Bulldogs appear to have the numbers and the talent to make a splash in the backstroke events. Shickora, Scroggy, Nauta and English return as experienced backstrokers who have the potential to score at the SEC and NCAA levels. Georgia also will get a boost from Gaid, Romano and Mangimelli, who were three of the nation’s top high school backstrokers.
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