Friday, December 10, 1999
Cincinnati girls swimming preview
Ursuline reloads with state qualifiers
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The list of returning swimmers at Ursuline is impressive. Coach Tim Beerman's team has six individual state qualifiers back, plus the nucleus of the three relay teams that dominated last year's state meet. No wonder coaches picked the Lions No.1 in the Enquirer's preseason poll.
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PRESEASON POLL
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1. Ursuline (7) 99
2. Sycamore (1) 76
3. St. Ursula 61
4. Anderson 53
5. Oak Hills 52
6. Mercy 42
7. Lakota West 32
8. Milford 23
9. Princeton 13
10. Mount Notre Dame 12
Others: Lakota East 8, Mason 7, Fairfield 6, Seton 5, Mariemont 5, Turpin 4, Wilmington 1
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“We have a strong team back, but we'll have to deal with how the state has set the tournament up this year,” Beerman said.
For the first time in the 23 years of the girls state swimming competition, the meet will be broken into two divisions (Division I and II). This came about because more than 200 schools had teams last season.
As a result, Gates Mills Hawken, the defending state champion and winner of three of the past four titles, will swim in Division II, ending a longtime rivalry with Cincinnati schools.
“Gates Mills has been the dominant team during the '90s,” Beerman, who's Ursuline team finished second behind Hawken last year and in 1996, said. This will be a different state meet without them in there.”
Ursuline appears to have a lock on the Division I state title with returning qualifiers Tami Ransom, Maggi Bulla, Kelli Krallman, Lesley Meade, Katie Greiner and Kelly Hagen.
But the Lions have even more talent in freshmen Whitney Myers, Meredith French and Jenny Kunkle.
“Whitney is a pistol and has everything you want in a freshman,” Beerman said. “She's a dynamite freshman who adds a lot of energy to the team.”
Myers can swim any of the freestyle events or the 200 individual medley.
Another freshman who will contribute immediately is Margy Keefe, a distance freestyler.
“Unfortunately, Margy's best events aren't contested in high school,” Beerman said. “But she will be a strong contributor in the 500 freestyle.”
Sycamore, ranked No.2, returns Lindsey Commons and Lori Bednarchik but will miss Mandy Commons, who graduated last year.??
“Last year we had enough depth to field three strong relays. This year, we'll be strong at only two of the relays,” Sycamore coach Mark Sullivan said.
Returning Individual State Qualifiers
200 Freestyle
Kelly Hagen, Ursuline
Brandy Keever, Lebanon
Meredith Olson, Mariemont
Vanessa Beary, Mount Notre Dame
Katie Greiner, Ursuline
Julie Waizenhofer, Mason
200 Individual Medley
Lesley Meade, Ursuline
Lindsey Kroeger, Oak Hills
Maggi Bulla, Ursuline
Kelli Krallman, Ursuline
Tami Ransom, Ursuline
Jennifer Koch, Mercy
Betsy Jo Brockman, Williamsburg
50 Freestyle
Katie Severson, Lakota West
Lindsey Commons, Sycamore
Carolyn McHugh, Oak Hills
Diving
Chrissy Lachman, McAuley
Nicci Fusaro, Anderson
100 Butterfly
Katie Carey, Indian Hill
Lori Bednarchik, Sycamore
Jill Ursini, Sycamore
Emily Tomes, Anderson
Michelle Reynolds, Fairfield
Randi Vogel, Mount Notre Dame
Casey Mangano, St. Ursula
Kelli Krallman, Ursuline
Jacque Fessel, St. Ursula
100 Freestyle
Lindsey Commons, Sycamore
Angie Hinrichs, McAuley
Rachel Tepe, St. Ursula
Carolyn McHugh, Oak Hills
Julie Waizenhofer, Mason
Tami Ransom, Ursuline
500 Freestyle
Kelly Hagen, Ursuline
Meredith Olson, Mariemont
Katie Greiner, Ursuline
Venessa Beary, Mount Notre Dame
Michelle Reynolds, Fairfield
Jennifer Koch, Mercy
Hillary Strong, Turpin
100 Backstroke
Brandy Keever, Lebanon
Rachel Tepe, St. Ursula
Randi Vogel, Mount Notre Dame
Jacque Fessel, St. Ursula
Lindsey Kroeger, Oak Hills
Katie Carey, Indian Hill
Ashley Miller, Lakota West
100 Breaststroke
Lesley Meade, Ursuline
Tricia Rye, Oak Hills
Betsy Jo Brockman, Williamsburg
Casey Mangano, St. Ursula
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