June 8, 2005
Washington, DC--The Georgetown University swimming and diving team enjoyed a fantastic year in the 2004-2005 season. Head Coach Bethany Bower, in her eleventh year of coaching on the Hilltop, guided the men's team to repeat as Northeast Conference Champions, and helped the women's take an impressive fourth place finish. The women's team also went on to place seventh at the ECAC championships, while the men finished 16th. In addition to the impressive team finishes, the squad also set an impressive 12 new school records, with the men breaking three and the women claiming nine.
The men were led by senior captains Kevin Walsh and Brendan Griffin. Griffin and Walsh guided the team to a 5-4 dual meet record, where the Hoyas claimed wins over Fairfield (68-45), Providence (94-21), Mary Washington (115-89), VMI (139-95), and Howard (50-38). Walsh, Jon Hayden, and Heath Walden all set school records over the season as well. Walsh set the school record in the 200 Fly which now stands at 1:54.11. Hayden, a junior on the squad, set the school record in the 1000 freestyle, swimming to 9:50.77. Walden, a junior backstroker for the Hoyas, also set a school record, swimming 53.51 in the 100 backstroke.
The men's team also garnered several awards throughout the season. At the Northeast Conference Championships, Walsh was named the Men's Outstanding Swimmer, Doug Curran was named the Men's Outstanding Diver, and Michael Turchiano and Chris Ball were named Co-Rookies of the Meet. At the end of the year banquet, Walsh was named the Most Valuable Swimmer, and Peter Nguyen was named the Most Improved, while senior Brad Perez was given the Coaches Award. Doug Curran was named the Most Improved Diver.
The women, who finished the season with a dual record of 8-3, were led by senior captain Cori Raffaelli and junior captain Corinne Rhodes. The women claimed wins over Fairfield (68-45), Providence (80-33), St. Francis-PA (116-22), Mary Washington, (106-98), American (113.5-90.5), Radford (127-124), Howard (175-72), and Drexel (184-116). The women also set an impressive nine school records, five individual and three relays, where junior Katie Amaro, freshman Caitlin Colling, Kelcey Moore, sophomore Liz Nugent, and freshman Claire Nugent, freshman Kelcey Poulson, sophomore Laura Stynk, Raffaelli, and Rhodes all played a part. Amaro set three individual records over the season, breaking times in the 200, 500, and 1000 freestyle. In addition, she was also a member of two relay squads, the 400 freestyle relay, and the 800 freestyle relay. Colling, who set an individual record in the 200 individual medley, was also part of the record setting 400 freestyle relay. For the final individual record, Laura Stynk set the record in the 200 butterfly. Amaro, Colling, Poulson, and Rhodes swam to a record breaking time in the 400 freestyle relay, and Amaro, Colling, Poulson, and Raffaelli swam impressively, setting a new record in the 800 freestyle relay. L.Nugent, C. Nugent, Rhodes and Colling added another record to their resume, breaking the 200 medley relay record. In diving action in the 2004-2005 season, Moore set the one meter record.
At Georgetown's end of the year banquet, Amaro was the Most Valuable Swimmer, junior Cara Manlandro was named the Most Improved, and senior captain Cori Raffaelli received the Coaches Award.
The Hoyas graduated 11 seniors at the end of the 2004-2005 season, nine men and two women: Michael Bayer, Alan Fong, Brendan Griffin, Daniel Heynen, Peter Nguyen, Brad Perez, Will Sehestedt, Mike Taylor, Kevin Walsh, Cori Raffaelli, and Annie Moore. Although the seniors will be missed, the Hoyas swimming looks to take at third straight men's NEC championship, and move up to the top of the NEC in women's in the 2005-2006 seasons.
