Duquesne University Athletics

Dec. 18, 2002

After finishing last in the Atlantic 10 Conference for the fourth straight year, the Duquesne University women's swimming program can only improve and second-year head coach David Sheets is seeing to it. With a solid core of upperclassmen and a talented incoming freshman class, the 2002-03 Dukes are prepared to start making strides in the Atlantic 10 standings as early as this year.

Signs of improvement became apparent last season as the Dukes broke four school records and set 22 career-best times at the season-ending Atlantic 10 Championships. Armed with just one senior and three juniors, Sheets laid the groundwork for what was to be expected and set the tone for upcoming seasons.

"Last year was a great learning experience for everyone in the program," said Sheets. "By the end of the season the kids believed in themselves, which had not happened in this program in a long time. Our plan this year is to take one meet at a time and continue to work hard in the water, the weight room and the classroom. If we can do this on a consistent basis everything will take care of itself at the end."

This year's leadership will come from team tri-captains juniors Annie Baldassari and Stacey Porter and the team's lone senior Susan Steinberg. All three had successful seasons last year and look to improve both their individual times and team successes this year.

FREESTYLE - One of the team's most successful swimmers, junior Kathy Smucler will lead the way in the freestyle distance events. The DU record-holder in the 500 with a time of 5:07.64 at last year's A-10's, also had her hand in the three relay records set last year. In addition, she turned in top-five times in the 50, 100, 200 and 1,000 as well as both IM events. She will receive assistance from freshmen Amy Gersbach, Elena Pollock and Casey Malone. The 200 event will be headed by sophomore Deidre Rodeheaver. Rodeheaver turned in Duquesne's top time for the season at the A-10's with a 1:56.34. Helping her will be Baldassari, Smucler, Gersbach, Pollock and freshman Elizabeth Barba. Barba will lead the sprint events with help from Steinberg, Baldassari, Porter, Smucler, Rodeheaver, sophomores Laura Kephart and Jacquelyn Schnatter and freshman Anne Manfroni. Porter turned in last year's top time in the 50 with a 25.43 at A-10's while Rodeheaver had the top 100 time.

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY - A pair of freshmen should lead the way in the individual medley events in Sarah Breisinger (200) and Gersbach (400). Breisinger will get help in the 200 from Gersbach as well as junior Alicia Smith, sophomores Lauren Twombly and Michelle Erwin and fellow freshman Jillian Rupinski. In the 400 event, contributions will be made by Smith, Erwin, Twombly and Smucler. Last season, Smith edged Smucler for the top time in the 200 IM with a time of 2:17.20 at the Akron Invitational while Erwin posted the top 400 IM time, swimming a 4:56.11 at A-10's.

BUTTERFLY - Four Dukes will produce the majority of the top times in the butterfly. Kephart leads the way in the 100 event after posting last year's top performance with a 1:00.52 at A-10's. She will receive help from Porter and freshman Erin McEvoy. McEvoy will control the 200 fly with Kephart and Gersbach contributing as well.

BACKSTROKE - The backstroke is a quality event for the Dukes with Smith heading up both events. Last year, she posted Duquesne's top time in the 100 with a 1:00.2 at A-10's and in the 200 with a 2:17.20 at Akron. Also contributing in the 100 will be Steinberg, Baldassari, Kephart, Schnatter, Breisinger and Manfroni. Kephart is slated to be the second 200 backstroker with Breisinger adding more strength to the event.

BREASTSTROKE - Rupinski will lead the 100 breaststroke with Twombly and Erwin scoring quality points as well. Twombly will lead the way in the 200 followed by Rupinski and Erwin. Twombly and Erwin turned in the top two times in each event last year with Twombly turning in a 100 time of 1:11.45 and Erwin a 1:12.08 at A-10's. The 200 saw Twombly with a 2:32.68 at Akron and Erwin with a 2:35.25 at A-10's

SCHEDULE - Duquesne will face traditional Atlantic 10 rivals St. Bonaventure, Fordham, Xavier and Rhode Island as well as St. Francis (PA), Niagara, Youngstown State, West Virginia, Cleveland State, Clarion and Towson. The Dukes will also compete in the Akron Invitational and close the season with the Atlantic 10 Championship.