Men's swimming ready to dive into 2011-12
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – A strong mix of senior experience and underclassmen excitement leads the Bryant University men's swimming team into its seventh season under the tutelage of Katie Cameron in 2011-12.
The Black and Gold turned in a solid performance at the ECAC's last year are looking to build off of that as they begin their new season this Friday, Oct. 14, when they host Boston College at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.
Bryant will look to a plethora of underclassmen talent as it enters its final year of reclassification to the Division I level but will rely on an experienced six-member senior class. One senior that stands out is Alex Kosenski (Lavallette, N.J.). He enters his final year in Smithfield the holder of three program records and is the reigning 100-yard freestyle champion at the ECAC Championships. Kosenki set all three school records at the meet last February, including a time of 45.58 seconds in the 100 free. He's not only looking to repeat that performance this year, but he is attempting to qualify for the Olympic Qualifiers. In an effort to do so, he will be attending the U.S. Nationals in Atlanta, GA, in December. Classmate, and co-captain, Brendan Heller (Naugatuck, Conn.) also returns for his final year with the Black and Gold. Heller set personal best times in the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle and 1000-yard freestyle last year at the Dartmouth Invitational.
The Bulldogs will mesh that veteran experience with 13 underclassmen that are ready to put their foot print on the swimming program. Two names that quickly stand out are freshmen Graham Beck (Danvers, Mass.) and Keagan Boshoff (Munich, Germany). Beck comes to the Bulldogs with a great deal of promise in the breaststroke and individual medley events. His classmate Boshoff comes with an international pedigree. He spent four illustrious years at the Bavarian International School in Munich, Germany, establishing himself as one of the best breaststrokers in the country. He has already made his Olympic Trial cuts in South Africa, his home country. Boshoff was a record-setter in the 50, 100 and 200-yard breaststroke before Bryant and also competed in the German Nationals.
Those two rookies are not the only young talent that the Bulldogs feature this year. Two sophomores, Cameron Hessler (Southbury, Conn.) and Nicholas Karadimas (New Milford, Conn.), are both prepared for outstanding years. Hessler had a fantastic rookie campaign setting program records in the 50-yard backstroke and the 100-yard backstroke, and has his eyes set on a third this year- the 200 back. Karadimas is also a school record holder, setting a new mark in the 50-yard fly at the ECAC's. He was also a part of four record-breaking relay teams at the final meet of the year. Karadimas helped the 200-yard free relay, 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard free relay and the 800-yard free relay set program bests.
After Saturday's opener with BC, the men will head to Connecticut for the Central Connecticut State University Invitational on Saturday (Oct. 15). Back-to-back home meets with the University of Maine (Oct. 23) and Providence College (Nov. 9) follow, and the Bulldogs finish their first semester with the Terrier Invitational and the URI Invitational. Bryant will compete in five dual meets in the second semester as well as the Dartmouth Invitational in preparation for the ECAC Championships Feb. 24-26 in Annapolis, Md.