George Washington University Athletics
GW Swimming Opens 2010-11 Season at Potomac Relays
9/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Sept. 30, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC - George Washington men's and women's swimming teams kick off the 2010-11 season on Friday, Oct. 1 at the Potomac Relays against DC-rivals American and Catholic at AU's Reeves Aquatic Center.
The team will participate in an alumni meet on Saturday, Oct. 2, as part of the GW Alumni Weekend festivities.
The GW men's and women's swimming programs welcome 18 talented newcomers and the 22 returners for the 2010-11 season. Head coach Dan Rhinehart also welcomes new assistant coaches Shea Manning and Lauren Fuchs to help prepare the squads for the 2011 Atlantic 10 Championships in the spring.
WOMEN'S SQUAD-
The women's swim team is ready to bounce back from a 10th-place finish at theAtlantic 10 Championships last season. The team will look toward their senior co-captains, Sarah Beggs and Noelle Miesfeld, along with team-record holder senior Paola Leor, to lead the resurgence in the A-10. Rhinehart said this group of senior leaders are "a strong, positive force that has a sense that the groundwork they will lay will have great implications for the future of GW Swimming."
The experience of the eight returners to the women's squad will prove vital to the development of the 13 freshmen women that join the Colonials this year. Coming into their rookie season, each newcomer has achieved times in at least two events that would have earned them a place in either finals or consolations at last season's A-10 Championships. "The class of 2014 is very talented and has displayed a work ethic and attitude that transcend their talent levels," said Rhinehart.
MEN'S SQUAD-
The GW men's swim team comes into the 2010-11 season following an 8th-place finish at the 2010 Atlantic 10 Championships. Losing only one senior to graduation, the men are primed to build on their performance last year. Leading the men will be co-captains senior Andrew Maguire and sophomore Niklas Glenesk. Glenesk, whom was awarded the 2009-10 team MVP award after finishing fourth in the 500-yard freestyle at the Atlantic 10 Championships, will head up a dominant sophomore class. "Maguire and Glenesk will provide strong leadership for a team that is full of leaders," said Rhinehart.
The men's squad returners also welcome a very talented group of newcomers. Phillip Graeter, a sophomore transfer from the University of New Orleans, will be an immediate podium contender for the Colonials at the A-10s in the individual medley and backstroke events. Additionally, the team ushers in four freshmen, Jacob Mortenson, Spencer Neff, Steven Ross, and Niccolo Wilson. Their previous prep experience will make them all significant scoring threats in each of their events at the championship meet. Rhinehart said he is excited for "the second very strong class in as many years. They will complement the sophomore class well in building a strong future for the program."
SCHEDULE-
The Colonials have 11 dual meet and invitational opportunities to prepare themselves as they approach the 2011 Atlantic 10 Championships on February 23-26 in Buffalo, NY. Additionally, the squads will travel to the Rhode Island Invitational on January 14-15 to compete against several of their A-10 foes. The meet will be a great opportunity to race and see other A-10 teams in action prior to tapering for the championship meet. Thanks to an abundance of solid competition in Washington, DC metro area, most other meets will take place at home or close by. The teams will be able to focus mainly on training and competing locally rather than taking on the additional stresses and fatigue of a heavy travel schedule. This will serve as the best way to perform well at the 2011 Atlantic 10 Championships, which is the ultimate goal. "Every other meet will be used as a measure of our progress," Rhinehart said. "Our focus will be climbing the ladder at the A-10 Championships."
Players Mentioned
