Huskers Kick Off Season at Big 12 Relays in Ames

Lincoln -

The University of Nebraska swimming and diving team will open the 2003-04 season this week at the Big 12 Relays in Ames, Iowa, Friday, Oct. 17, beginning at 10 a.m.

The Huskers come into the meet with a much improved team. NU comes into the meet with 15 retunring letterwinners, a stark contrast from last season when the Huskers opened the season with just three returning letterwinners on the squad.

Team captains Rachel Schlatter and Angie Matheu bolster an NU lineup that is solid in all strokes.

"We are always looking to get better," Assistant Head Coach Doug Humphrey said. "We have a full team of extremely talented athletes and look forward to see what they can accomplish this year.This team is focused, and with a young team it suprises me how much they want to improve and are willing to do what it takes to get there."

With just one senior in Matheu, and one junior in Diana Torres, the Huskers are loaded with young talent. Twenty five freshmen and sophomores will provide great depth for the future of the program, something which has been head coach Pablo Morales' goal since he arrived in Lincoln in August, 2001.

Matheu is one of the most versitale swimmers on the squad. The senior from Sacramento, Calif., was NU's top sprinter last season as well as a key swimmer in the 100-yard fly and breast events. Matheu also contributed greatly to NU's relays.

Torres picked up the pace last season as the year progressed. Slowed early in the year by an infection that hampered her summer training, Torres was able to right the ship and finish as NU's top flyer and a key cog in the medley relays. Torres also contributed in the back events as well.

A member of the Colombian National Team who hopes for an Olympic berth this season, Torres' international swimming experience should help her this season as the NCAA Championships will be contested in meters, since 2004 is an Olympic year.

The Huskers picked up their first dual win last season with a 141-100 win over Wyoming in Lincoln, Morales' first victory as NU's head coach. NU also picked up a win against Louisville, 237-48, and a third dual-meet victory against in-state rival Nebraska-Omaha, 141-101, late in the season.

Morales and Humphrey have begun to see depth forming across the board.

"We will be able to be much more competitive due to the numbers we have as well as their strengths," Humphrey said. "We still have some weak areas but that will come along."

Now that depth has been established, the coaching staff will have an easier time setting lineups for meets in each of the four strokes. The loss of Laura Landgreen and Susan Walker to graduation is minimalized by a stellar freshmen class.

In the freestyle events, the coaching staff has the luxury of having four of NU's top distance swimmers back. The 500- and 1,650-yard free are two of NU's deepest events with the return of sophomores Mackenzie Clark, Emily Becker, Alex King and Esmie Holderman. The loss of Walker could hurt the Huskers in the distance events, but freshman Kate Wheeler could see some action, hopefully picking up where Walker left off. In addition, freshman Lauren Bailey will be one of NU's top competitiors in the 500- and 1,650-yard free, after qualifying for the Junior National meet in both events. In addition, freshman Casey Schnack will be able to provide depth for the coaches in the distance and middle-distance events.

In the middle-distance and sprint freestyle events, the Huskers return Matheu and sophomores Kate Dulgar, Danielle Erickson and Katrina Sandeberg. Freshmen Michelle Criss, Julie McCauley and Megan Sampson will all contribute in the freestyle events as well.

Torres returns to anchor the fly events, along with sophomore Courtney Petersen and Matheu. Despite losing Landgreen, the Huskers have three solid freshmen to contribute in the fly events. McCauley will see action in the fly races along with fellow freshmen Keathley and Ingles.

Sophomore Lana Baker leads the Huskers in the breaststroke events. Baker, who placed sixth at the Big 12 meet last season in the 100-yard event, is backed by Matheu, sophomores Katrina Sandeberg and Rachel Schlatter. Freshman Michelle Criss also adds depth in the breaststroke events.

Although Baker is NU's top returner in the 100-yard breast, Schlatter was the top Husker last season in the 200-yard event.

The loss of Walker and Landgreen will hurt the Huskers in the individual medley events, but NU does return a pair of IMers who stepped up last season. Petersen will be among the Husker leaders in the IM events. The sophomore is NU's top competitior in the 200- and 400-yard events, but Torres also could see action, as well as Erickson.

Freshmen Bailey Ingles, Criss, Schnack and Bailey will add depth to the IM events.

The backstroke is another event in which Nebraska has solid depth. Erickson will anchor the back events, as she was NU's leader last season, but the versitality of Torres and Dulgar along with Petersen gives Nebraska four solid sophomores to compete in the event.

In addition to the returners, freshmen Emilee Crawford and Mallory Keathley are among the newcomers who can also contribute in the event.

Despite the loss of four-year letterwinner Jeni Fortino, there is no shortage of talent in the diving well for the Huskers this season. Three sophomores return for the Big Red, and all three qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Competition last season, as well as placing among the top in the Big 12 conference.

Entering his first season at Nebraska, diving coach Jeff DiNicola inherits a roster filled with athletes looking to contened in the Big 12 conference.

Sophomore Amie Buoy is the top returner for the Huskers. Buoy placed fourth on the one meter at the Big 12 meet last season and third on the three meter. She also picked up four wins in the three meter during the season.

Becky Johnson and Laura Lunn round out NU's top three, who will also be three of the top divers in the Big 12 Conference. Johnson, a walk-on, really came on strong at the end of last season, placing ninth on the three meter and seventh on the platform at the conference meet.

Lunn also had a tremendous rookie campaign, taking fifth on the one meter, 10th on the three meter and 10th on the platform at the Big 12 Championships. She improve as the meets got bigger, placing sixth on both the platform and the one meter at the Zone meet.

Freshman Danielle Stansbury will also factor into the mix this season for the Huskers. A high school academic all-state and a three-time all-state selection out of Lincoln Southeast, Stansbury will help solidify the diving corps this season.