The Clark men’s swim and dive team staked its claim to three dual-meet victories despite a shortage in numbers during the first half of the season. With three veteran swimmers (Brian Walsh, Mike Smith, Tim O’Keefe) abroad first semester, the youthful Cougars posted victories over Gordon College, Elms College and Bridgewater State College on their way to a 3-8 overall mark.
Clark placed third with 228 points at the Worcester City Meet held at Holy Cross after semester break. Junior Drew Jackson led the way with a first place finish in the 200-yard backstroke. That would set the stage for Jackson’s two new Clark backstroke records at the NEWMAC Championship meet. He set a new mark in the 50-yard backstroke (25.67) on the lead-leg of the 200-yard medley relay and broke his old Clark record in the 100-yard backstroke (54.87). The team finished sixth overall (244 points) at NEWMAC’s for the third straight year.
Senior captain Shyamal Asher represented the men’s team on the NEWMAC All-Academic squad. Additionally, Asher was awarded the athletic department’s inaugural Senior Scholar Athlete Award, created to recognize the senior athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average over four years or one who will have completed their undergraduate requirements in three years. Asher completed his degree in biochemistry and molecular biology in three years with a 4.11 grade point average.
Entering the 2007-08 campaign with just five letter-winners from a team that finished with a 5-6 dual-meet record and sixth place at the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship meet, the Clark University’s men’s swim and dive team are committed to maintain their climb up the conference ladder.
“Last year, we had our best NEWMAC meet since I have been here,” said head coach Paul E. Phillips. “We scored the most points, set a couple of new school records and had 11 all-time top-five performances. I was extremely pleased with our effort.”
While 2006-07 was certainly a year to remember, the fifth-year head coach must set about the task of plugging the holes left by team leaders Brian Walsh ’09, Mike Smith ’09 and Tim O’Keefe ’09 – all abroad for the first half of this year – and blend the talents of seven newcomers with returning veterans.
“The absence of those three swimmers is going to impact us quite a bit in the first half,” Phillips said. “They will rejoin the team second semester, so until then we have to hold down the fort.”
“This group has some room to grow, and they are working hard,” he added. “The guys we have now are going to develop as the year goes on, and their hard work will pay off.”
Phillips will look to the team’s lone senior captain Shyamal Asher, a two-time NEWMAC All-Academic selection, to provide enthusiasm and steady leadership this winter. Junior school-record holder Drew Jackson returns to lead the Cougars in multiple events. Last season, Jackson set new school marks in the 100-(55:28) and 200-back (1:58.66), while moving into 5th on Clark’s all-time list in the 200 IM (2:02.54).
Sophomore Taylor Morono, a member of the 800-yard freestyle relay team who, along with Walsh, Jackson, and Smith, recorded Clark’s second-fastest time ever en-route to a fifth place finish at NEWMAC’s, returns to anchor the Cougar sprinters this winter. Classmate Curtis Reid, the team’s most improved swimmer last winter, and fellow sophomore Clark Reeves will provide valuable depth for the Cougars in multiple events, while first-years Alex Donnenfeld and Dan Howard will look to contribute in the breaststroke and butterfly events respectfully. Sophomore Kevin Williams (freestyle) returns to the team after a one-year hiatus, while first-years Alex Dunn, and Greg Wetmore have joined the fray and will be looking to contribute to the cause. Promising first-year diver, Colin Oldenburg should have an immediate impact on the Cougars fortunes this season.
In addition to an already imposing non-conference schedule, Phillips added defending conference champion Coast Guard Academy to the dual-meet line-up. “We needed to add more conference opponents before the end-of-the-year meet,” he said.
“It will be a tough match-up, but it will only make us better in the long run.”
Although many new faces surround the Kneller Athletic Center pool deck, the Cougars are optimistic about the year ahead. “The guys have been working really hard,” Phillips said. “If they commit to each other and come together as a team, I have every reason to believe we will have a very successful season.”