BATON ROUGE — After one of the finest seasons in program history that witnessed the Lady Tigers finish fifth at the Southeastern Conference Championships and 14th at the NCAA Championships, the opportunity to crack into the upper echelon of college swimming and diving and finish in the top-12 at the NCAA Championships has arrived.
“Our goal has shifted a little bit from last year,” co-head coach Dave Geyer said. “Last season we put on the board that we wanted to be top-five in the SEC, top-20 in the country and carry a 3.0 GPA. We accomplished all of that last year. You obviously want to raise the standard for a team to create new challenges for them. We want to break into that top-12 realm at the NCAA level.”
The Tigers will look to replace one of the best sprinters in program history in ten-time All-American Jane Trepp, LSU’s record holder in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke. Trepp along with four-year letter athletes Kannon Betzen, Ali Sanford and Brooke Barnett will need to be replaced by a multitude of returning starters and highly rated recruits.
“We did lose a couple of seniors that were NCAA point scorers,” Geyer said.
“Obviously losing Jane Trepp, who made a final at three events at the NCAA Championship, will be a big hit. We think that junior Amanda Kendall has the potential to replace those swims and step up and final in three events. Freshman Marlene Niemi coming in will help out on those relays to try and score points as well.”
The women’s squad bodes expectations that should break multiple school records and allow the team to reach heights unseen in LSU history.
Kendall, recently selected to participate for the United States National Team at the 2011 Pan American Games after posting a seventh place finish and top-50 time in the world for the 2011 cycle in the 100-meter freestyle at the ConocoPhillips US National Championships, will lead a talented core of swimmers that return five NCAA Championship qualifiers in senior Samantha Goates, juniors Sara Haley and Jana Ruimerman and sophomore Torrey Bussey. The Tigers also will add talented freshman swimmers in Finnish Niemi, Estonian Katlin Sepp and Amber Carter.
Divers, junior Elle Schmidt and freshman Alex Bettridge, will join the swimmers.
“I’m looking for the divers to contribute at dual-meets, our various invitationals, the SEC Championships and the NCAA Championships,” co-head coach Doug Shaffer said of his divers.
Another challenging dual-meet schedule awaits the Tigers as they look to improve on their 13-4 dual-meet record from the previous campaign. The women’s side will face off against SEC opponents Alabama and Florida as well non-conference powers Texas A&M and Florida State.
“We have an excellent competition schedule which will provide our athletes with plenty of opportunity for success while being challenged by some of the nations elite,” Shaffer said. “Our dual meets are the building blocks, and our invitationals directly prepare us for the SEC and NCAA Championships which is our ultimate focus.”
FREESTYLE
Arguably the Tigers’ biggest strength is the sprint freestyle, particularly the 100 free, where the Tigers return Kendall, the program record holder in the event with a time of 47.90. She emerged victoriously in the consolation final and earned her first of four Honorable Mention All-America Honors in the 100 free (48.12) at the NCAA Championships and should break into the championship final this year. Kendall’s long course 100-meter free time of 55.08 at US Nationals pitted her in seventh place among the top swimmers in the world and should translate into increased success in short course-yards.
Goates, a four-time NCAA Honorable Mention All-American, raced to a personal-best 100 free time of 50.00 at the NCAA Championships.
“Samantha is our lone senior on the women’s side,” Geyer said. “We’re looking for some leadership and some guidance from her. The team looks up to her. She is on board with that. She is swimming for the team and is here for the coaches. She is ready to get this senior year going and finish the best that she can be.”
Junior Chelsea Griffiths will contribute in the 100 free after primarily swimming free in relays. She registered a career-best 52.00 leading off the 400 free relay at the Cougar Classic.
Moving over to the 50 free, Kendall’s top 50 free time of 22.04 leaves her at second place in program history and .07 seconds behind Trepp. Goates posted the third fastest 50 free mark in program history with a time of 22.55 at the NCAA Championships after qualifying for the championship final at the SEC Championships. Incoming freshman Niemi holds a mark of 25.23 in the 50-meter free, which translates to one of the top 50-yard free times of any collegiate freshman swimmer.
“It will be interesting to watch how Niemi develops,” Geyer said. “She already has an elite 50 freestyle under her belt, both in long course and short course meters. Her time converts to about the same that Jane Trepp swam coming into her senior year. That is going to be huge as far as the individual 50 free and relays go.”
Sophomore Mikayda Mills will add depth to the 50 free as she recorded a season-best lead-off split of 24.43 in the 50 free to help her 200 free relay squad earn second in a quadruple meet against Houston, Rice and Tulane. Furthermore, freshman Amber Carter‘s top 50 free time in high school of 24.08 should add her into the mix.
“I think Carter has a great deal of potential and development,” Geyer said. “I want to believe that after her freshman year there are going to be a lot of programs looking at us and wondering where she came from.”
The Fairfax, Va., native Kendall also holds claim to LSU’s 200 free program record (1:44.95), which she set during the team’s record setting 800 free relay at the SEC Championships. Haley, primarily a fly competitor, adds quality to the 200 free after notching a time of 1:51.46 against Texas A&M in last season’s victory.
In addition, Haley also competes in the 500 free and cranked out the Tigers top time of the season (4:52.09) and sixth overall in program history in that event at the SEC Championships. She will be joined in the distance free races by sophomore Parker Glass.
The 1000 and 1650 free are open competitions between Haley, Glass, and juniors Audrey Lawson, Kaelee Mader and Sally Wood.
BACKSTROKE
The backstroke will be another one of LSU’s strengths behind a quartet of returning swimmers in Ruimerman, Griffiths, Goates and Glass in addition to the newcomer Sepp.
Ruimerman stepped up significantly to give LSU a solid back leg on relays and saw her efforts rewarded with All-America and All-SEC recognition. Her top 100 back time of 54.58 during the back leg of the 400 medley relay at the NCAA Championships was good enough for fourth place in program history. Similarly, her top 200 back time of 1:57.14 at the SEC Championships in a 13th place finish was good enough for second place in program history and an NCAA automatic qualifying time.
Goates maintains two top-10 program records in the 100 back and 200 back. She set her lifetime best and third best program mark in the 200 back (1:57.52), and did the same in the 100 back (55.43) with the seventh best finish in program history in 2008. She placed 25th at the NCAA Championships with a time of 55.80.
Griffiths ranked second on the team behind Ruimerman this past season in the 100 back (55.42) after finishing 20th at the SEC Championships, which was good enough for sixth all-time in program history. She will also compete in the 200 back.
“Griffiths has some natural gifts in the water that a lot of our athletes do not have,” Geyer said. “We’re just waiting for that to come around and for her to take advantage of the resources here for her to do that. She has a new focus coming into the season and I am excited to see how she responds.”
Glass contributed in the 200 back and posted the ninth best time in program history at the SEC Championships with a time of 2:00.52
Sepp carries a decorated international resume including the Baltic record in the 100-meter back (1:01.13) and 200-meter back (2:11.73) in short course.
“The conversion factor at her backstroke puts her as the top backstroker coming in,” Geyer said. “You still have to race the races and preform well while you’re here. The women’s class was a small class, but there is definitely some punch to it.”
BREASTSTROKE
A trio of returning breaststrokers led by Bussey and sophomore Jessica Kopcso and Emily Schwabe hold top-10 program records and should match up competitively with the rest of the SEC.
Bussey, a member of the All-SEC Freshman Team and an NCAA qualifier, holds a tight grip on the 200 breast program record (2:11.72) after clocking 23rd at the NCAA Championships. Her 100 breast time of 1:01.31 set at the SEC Championships qualified her for the ‘A’ Final and places her second place in school history behind Trepp’s SEC record 58.94.
“As a freshman she came in and set a couple of team records, so we’re excited for her coming back for her sophomore season,” Geyer said. “We’re looking for her to take that experience from the NCAA level that she gained, bring that back and score some more points.”
The Abita Springs, La., native Kopcso claimed 19th at the SEC Championships in the 100 breast with a personal best ‘B’ cut time of 1:02.89 that placed her at sixth on the program annals. She also will compete in the 200 breast after delivering a sixth place finish in the 200 breast at the Cougar Classic.
“Kopcso is an in-state talent and I like to try to grab any in state talent that comes through here,” Geyer said. “We want to set up our walls as swimming grows within the state. She had a pretty successful season last year. She threw down some of her best times.”
Schwabe enjoyed a stellar freshman season and finished 15th at the SEC Championships in the 200 breast en route to contributing points and a fifth-best program mark (2:15.33).
BUTTERFLY
The Lady Tiger’s are in good hands in the 100 fly with Kendall, but the dynamic 200 fly duo of Haley and Lawson will look make headway after impressive leaps in their performances from freshman to sophomore year. Carter will look to crack the 100 fly and 200 fly lineup in her first season in competition.
Kendall and Trepp battled last year for the top spot in program history in the 100 fly, with Trepp setting the program record at the Cougar Classic with a time of 52.11 and Kendall earning a bronze medal at the SEC Championships only .03 seconds behind to place her second all-time.
Haley became the program record holder in the 200 fly at the SEC Championships with a bronze medal performance and a time of 1:56.82, which qualified her for the NCAA Championships where she placed 19th. Her 100 fly time (53.17) from her freshman campaign puts her third in program history.
Lawson made strides her sophomore season registering points at the SEC Championship in the 200 fly (2:00.29), which placed her sixth in program history.
“Lawson and Sara Haley are kind of that dynamic duo with the 200-yard butterfly,” Geyer said. “They’re both from the same class as well. She had a frustrating freshman year, and we used the summer between freshman and sophomore year to refocus. She came back and had a dynamic sophomore year. She had a terrific long course season, and I think she will try and keep that momentum going into her junior year.”
Carter arrives on campus with a lifetime best 100 fly time of 55.91, which should improve with increased training and development her freshman season.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
The individual medley squad returns four competitors in Bussey, Wood and Ruimerman who have the opportunity to score points at the SEC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Championship.
Bussey ranked seventh at the SEC Championship in the 200 IM with a program best time of 1:58.23. She also competes in the 400 IM and took first place in that event against Florida State last season.
Wood also participates in both IM events and maintains her spot as sixth in program history in both the 200 IM (2:01.75) and 400 IM (4:19.08). Her top times in both events earned her NCAA ‘B’ cuts.
“Wood had a phenomenal summer season,” Geyer said. “She is motivated, excited and driven right now. As far as any dark horse athletes on our team go that will step up at the SEC Championships and possibly the NCAA Championships, she could be it.”
Ruimerman, primarily an excellent backstroker, contributed in the 400 IM at the SEC Championships and notched the seventh best time in program history (4:19.91).
RELAYS
Following a season that witnessed new program records in three of the five relay events, the 200 freestyle relay (1:28.98), 800 freestyle relay (7:12.73) and the 400 medley relay (3:37.29), the Tigers will work all season to figure out the right relay combination.
“If we look at what I talked about last year going into the season with how we thought relays were going to be, by the time we got to November, they changed,” Geyer said. “By the time we got to the SEC Championships, they changed again.”
The 200 free relay notched a 10th place finish at the NCAA Championships and captured the bronze medal at the SEC Championships. The 200 medley relay (1:36.91) cranked out a silver medal at the SEC Championships as well as finishing 10th at the NCAA Championships.
The incoming freshmen will need to replace Trepp and Betzen in the 200 free relay and the 800 relay, but three of the four positions in the program record setting 400 medley are returning in Ruimerman, Haley and Kendall. Someone will need to step in and fill the shoes Trepp has left in all three relays.
“We talk about this all the time with our program, nothing is really given,” Geyer said. “None of our relay teams are really set. With the different freshman coming in such as Sepp, Niemi and Carter, the relays are definitely wide open. Everyone is going to have to prove themselves in the water to see what happens with who is swimming in the relays.”
DIVING
The Tigers diving duo of junior Elle Schmidt and freshman Alex Bettridge will be a force to be reckoned with in dual-meets, conference championships and likely the NCAA Championships.
The Mansfield, Ohio native Schmidt put together a solid season in which she recorded career highs in all three of her diving events. She scored in two of three events at SEC’s and qualified for NCAA Zone ‘D’ Diving Regional. Her 1-meter dive score of 295.35 against Incarnate Word was good enough for 10th in program history. She dove to 15th in both the three-meter (263.55) and platform competition (207.45) at SEC’s.
“Schmidt has done a good job in her career at being competitive at our dual-meet level and scoring at our conference championships,” Shaffer said. “I think she has the ability of being a contender at our conference championships. With her development going into her junior year, I’m looking for her to step up in that capacity.”
Bettridge brings national level experience after competing in this past summer’s AT&T US Diving Championships. She was one of the best divers in the state of Texas during her high school career and finished in the top four all four years of high school at the Texas High School State Championships.
“Bettridge has a solid competitive background coming out of the Junior Olympic and the Senior US National competitions,” Shaffer said. “She is going to be a force in our dual-meet competitions. I think she is a good candidate to be a finalist at SEC Championships and is a good candidate for securing the SEC Frehsman Diver of the Year award. I look at Alex as someone who can qualify for the NCAA Championships.”