Sunshine State Conference Swimming Focusing on Training

By Abby Boone, Swimming World College Intern

LAKELAND – After a week busy with six meets, the next two weeks only has three meets for the Sunshine State Conference swimming teams: St. Leo, Lynn, Tampa, Rollins, and Florida Institute of Technology. Florida Southern College and Nova Southeastern are idle.

Looking back

Florida Southern (FSC) fell to Florida State University on Friday, but still managed to get 11 men’s DII B cuts and 8 women’s DII B cuts at the meet. Alli Crenshaw led the women, with individual cuts in the 200, 500, and 1000 (1:50.39, 4:55.36, and 10:06.72 respectively) and helped with the 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free relays alongside Alex Ballard, Lauren Reynolds, Cassie Ley, and Kelsey Gouge. Reynolds got a B cut and a win in the 200 back (2:01.33), and Gouge in the 50 (23.67). For the men, Jesus Marin, Juan Tolosa, and Marco Palacios all took wins; Marin in the 200 free (1:39.66), Tolosa in the 500 free (4:31.74), and Palacios in the 100 back (50.07).

Nova Southeastern had a close meet against Indian River State College. Alexis Diaz and Eddie Zacka started the individual events with 1650 freestyle times of 17:47.85 and 16:27.38, placing first and second in their respective events. Courtney DeVeny swam 4:32.05 in the 400 IM, a time that stands fifth nationally. Emma Wahlstrom placed second in the 100 back (59.20) and won the 200 free with a B cut of 1:53.80. Thiago Sickert logged B cuts in the 100 back (50.25) and 50 free (20.67), and Shane Kleinback placed first in the 200 free (1:41.36) and 500 free (4:40.38).

Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) won against both Florida Atlantic and Rollins. FIT’s Dar Raz broke FIT records in the 200 free (1:53.68) and 100 fly (57.58). Her teammates Bridgette Murphy won the 100 free (54.95), and Paulina Bjorkbacka won the 200 back (2:10.56). Rollin’s Taylor Wilks won the 100 breast (1:07.72) ahead of FIT’s Samantha Conger (1:07.77). For the men, FIT’s Camden Johnston claimed the 200 fly (2:01.76). FIT’s Brian Dumont took the 100 breast (1:00.30) over Rollin’s Raoul Rajani (1:00.96), and FIT’s Tyler Phelps won the 200 back (2.00.12).

St. Leo

Nicole Weber should lead the 200 breast (2:15.98), but the 200 IM will be close between her (2:09.14) and Tampa’s Sophie Long (2:10.78). Natalia Garriock and Tampa’s Marisa Barton will battle in the 100 free (54.06 and 54.09 respective), and Stephanie Martinez (10:48.11) and Tampa’s Brittany Bayes (10:44.39) will be close in the 1000 free.

The 50 free will be close between Leo’s Matheus Assis (21.10) and Tampa’s Khalid Aldaboos. The 100 butterfly will be a similar competition, with Assis and Aldaboos seeded at 51.39 and 51.25 respectively. Daniel Bis and Jacob Evans will provide one another with completion for the 200 butterfly, with Bis 1:53.06 and Evans 1:54.91. Evans also has a comfortable lead in the 200 breast (2:08.94) and 200 back (2:01.66). Hunter Bains should also lead the 200 free (1:40.97), three seconds ahead of Tampa’s Jeremy Parker.

Lynn

Rebecca Matthews’ seed time marks her first in the 200 free (1:53.70) and 200 IM (2:05.74), but St. Leo’s Nicole Weber will be close behind in the 200 IM (2:09.14). In the 200 back, Julie Pedersen (2:13.65) will be neck and neck with Tampa’s Allison Chandler (2:13.23) and Nelly Hansson (2:13.56), and Tieri Erasito is currently the SSC top time in the 200 fly (2:13.38). Tyne Potgieter will be close in the 100 breast (1:06.22) against St. Leo’s Nicole Weber (1:04.61).

Tampa

Sophie Long should lead the 200 fly (2:11.51), flanked by teammates Charrissa Venice (2:13.69) and Paige Dunham (2:14.14). Long’s 200 IM (2:10.78) has a similar outlook, more than four seconds ahead of FIT’s Willa Huddleston (2:15.68), but St. Leo’s Nicole Weber (2:09.14) will prove a challenge. In the 50 free Marisa Barton and Erin Plachy (both 24.44) will be neck and neck with FIT’s Dar Raz (24.32).

Tampa’s Victor Philare will have competition in the 200 fly (1:56.52) against St. Leo’s Daniel Bis (1:53.06), Jacob Evans (1:54.91) and FIT’s Takashi Worrell (1:56.40) The 100 fly will be close between Tampa’s Kahlid Aldaboos (51.25) and FIT’s Nir Barneau (50.24). Aldaboos (21.20) in the 50 free against Barneau (21.01) and St. Leo’s Matheus Assis (20.76). Tampa’s Runar Borgen (47.10), Martin Hammer (47.20), St. Leo’s Assis (45.81) and FIT’s Thomas Steenberg (46.57) will be very close in the 100 free.

Rollins

Rachel Acers should be strong in the backstroke, her time of 2:18.3 is less than 4 seconds behind Tampa’s leader, Allison Chandler. Taylor Wilks will make a stand in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.72) and 200 breaststroke (2:28.89) alongside teammate Amy Hockman (2:29.63), who also will be important in the 200 IM (2:19.49).

Raoul Rajani (2:16.63) and Garrett Graham (2:16.81) should do well in the 200 breast against Tampa’s Danny Duhig (2:12.33). Daniel Mazur will be competition in the 1000 free (10:14.52), and Taylor Wright’s 50 free (22.69) will be close against Tampa’s Derek Krell (22.03) and St. Leo’s Rhet Rheinlander (21.88).

Florida Institute of Technology

Dar Raz should lead the 100 back, with her time of 57.27 more than four seconds ahead of Tampa. Raz also leads in the 200 free (1:53.68), and her 100 fly (57.58) is almost two seconds faster than Tampa’s leader, Sophie Long. Teammate Julie Coen’s 200 back (2:07.95) beats out Tampa’s Allison Chandler by 5 seconds, and her 100 back (1:00.61) marks her more than a second ahead of Tampa.

Brian Dumont is currently ranked first in the 100 breast (59.15), but only barely in front of Tampa’s Ed Williams (59.32) and Clayton Clements (1:00.01). His 200 breast gives him more of a lead (2:10.48). Nathan Hufnagel should have no competition in the 200 IM (1:57.62), where Tampa’s leader comes in at 2:01.68.

Schedule

November 15: St Leo and Lynn at Tampa
November 21: Tampa at FIT
November 22: Tampa at Rollins

SSC Swimmer of the Week Press Release

Juan Tolosa (So., Guipuzcoa, Spain) of Florida Southern College is named SSC Male Swimmer of the Week. Dar Raz (So., Ramat Gan, Israel) of Florida Institute of Technology is named Female Swimmer of the Week.

Tolosa & Raz were selected SSC Swimmers of the Week from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of November 3 – 9.

Tolosa hit NCAA Nationals provisional qualifying marks in the 200 Free (1:40.56), 500 Free (4:31.74), and 1000 Free (9:22.41) during a dual with Florida State. Tolosa’s time in the 500 Free is the top in the nation. His 1000 Free is third fastest and 200 Free is the seventh fastest in NCAA D-II.

Competing against Florida Atlantic and Rollins this past week, Raz hit the NCAA provisional “B” standard in the 100 Backstroke (57.27) and 200 Free (1:53.68). Raz broke the Florida Tech 100 Butterfly record against FAU and then broke it again the next day against Rollins. Raz currently holds the fifth fastest 100 Backstroke and eighth fastest 200 Free times in NCAA D-II.

Abby Boone is an English major at Florida Southern College, and has spent two years on NCAA Division II swim team in Lakeland. Before heading off to college, she trained at Cardinal Aquatics and Triton Swimming.

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