WATERVILLE, Maine (Colby Sports Information Release)--- The Colby College swimming and diving teams each had impressive performances at the New England Small College Athletic Conference meet a year ago and will look for more success as the 2009-10 season begins Saturday with a home meet at 2 p.m. against Amherst College.
Women: The Colby women’s swim team came on strong at the end of the season last year finishing in fifth place at the NESCAC Championships and winning the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) title for a sixth straight year. Along they way, the women set 6 school records.
The Mules, under head coach Tom Burton, do lose All-American Kelsey Potdevin to graduation; however, a big and skilled first-year class will join a solid group of returning swimmers. Chelsea Heneghan is the school record holder in the 200 freestyle (1:54.11) and Danielle Carlson also returns after setting the school mark in the 400 individual medley (4:34.34). Heneghan, Carlson, and Mandy Ferguson all joined Potdevin in setting the school record in the 800 freestyle relay (7:44.30).
The Mules will again look to build into a strong second half of the season as a number of women’s swimmers are studying abroad during the fall semester, including Heneghan. All will miss the first three meets.
Carlson, Alice Evans, Franny Izzo, and Aimee Sheppard will be the team captains for the 2010 campaign.
Men: 2009 was also a successful one for the men's swimming program and saw the men set 5 new school records. Two of these records were for relays and three of the four swimmers return this season. Last season Coach Tom Burton gelled a small young team leading the Mules to an eighth place in the NESCAC Championships. Where they finished ahead of both Bowdoin and Bates avenging a loss to Bowdoin earlier in the season.
Ben Gross, Mason Roberts, and Peter Williams all return after teaming up with Sam Wampler for school records in the 200 medley relay and the 400 medley relay. Gross was part of the 200 freestyle relay record that was set three years ago. Williams is studying abroad this year.
Gross, Kevin Smith, Reilly Taylor, and David Hirsch will be the captains of the squad. Smith, who returns after a year of study at Oxford in England, holds school records in the 500 freestyle (4:38.89), 1,000 freestyle (9:47.12), and 1,650 freestyle (16:17.08).
