2008-09 LIONS
SECTION
the heart of a lion...
RELOAD AND REPEAT THE 2008-09 LIONS 2008-09 SEASON PREVIEW
2008-09 LIONS’ MEDIA GUIDE
>ÃÌÊÞi>À½ÃÊõÕ>`ÊÜ ÊÌ iÊwÀÃÌÊ*>V wVÊ i} >ÌiÊ-Ü }Ê viÀi ViÊ > « à «Ê Ê«À }À> Ê ÃÌ ÀÞ°ÊÊ/ ÃÊÞi>À½ÃÊÀ ÃÌiÀÊ ÃÊÃÌ>V i`ÊÜ Ì ÊÛiÌiÀ> Ê i>`iÀà «Ê> `Ê>Ê iÜÊVÀ «Ê vÊÌ> i ÌÊ i>}iÀÊÌ Ê`ivi `ÊÌ iÊÌ Ì i° THE OUTLOOK After winning LMU’s first Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Championship last February, LMU and Head Coach Bonnie Adair will look to “reload and repeat” this season as they rely on a strong group of returnees and perhaps the most talented group of newcomers to ever grace the Lion program. With Adair’s first full recruiting class completely through the system, the Lions will be without a core group of 10 graduated seniors who turned the program from a an eighthplace finisher in 2004 to a Conference Champion in 2007-08. Fortunately for LMU, those swimmers have passed the torch to the next generation, leaving the program at its highest point and setting the bar for continued excellence this year. Adair will once again be assisted by Clay Evans and Joanne Reierson. THE LOOK BACK The Lions are coming off their best season in
the history of the program, highlighted by a first PCSC Championship, six new school records and four PCSC event titles. LMU concluded the 2007-08 regular season with a perfect 9-0 record in dual action, marking the programs fourth straight winning season under coach Adair. The nine dual victories are the highest in program history, and mark the first time that the Lions have gone undefeated in a season. LMU swimming posted its best finish at the PCSC Championship, finishing first of 14 teams with 1212 points. After posting an LMU-record five swimmers on the All-Conference team in 2006-07, the Lions responded by more than doubling that total with an unbelievable 11 All-Conference swimmers in 2007-08. Graduated seniors Angela Samuels and Alex Wike, current seniors Rebecca Plume and Megan Sawelson, current juniors Alexa Cook, Mallorie Lim, Kristen Lutjen, Trinity O’Neill, Melanie Tansuwan and Alicia Witter, and current sophomore Carolyn Pasque 1Ê-Ü }ÊUÊÓÊUÊÓäänÊ* - Ê > « Ã
were all named to the prestigious list. Wike was also named to the PCSC All-Academic team, an honor bestowed to junior and senior swimmers with a 3.5 GPA or better. Joining Wike on the list were fellow graduate Nicole Alvarado and current senior Justine Elgas. The team of Witter, Samuels, Lim and Wike claimed the first of four PCSC titles last season after winning the 200 medley relay, a race that LMU has dominated over recent years at the PCSC Championships. The team touched the wall in 1:45.70. Plume, who was voted Swimmer of the Year by her peers last season, won the 500 freestyle event in a new LMU program record of 4:56.59, one of four records set by Plume at the Championships. Wike claimed her title of fastest in the 50 freestyle with a mark of 23.89 before Witter took home the final individual title with a time of 51.80 in the 100 freestyle.