United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Men's Swimming

After graduating two classes in 2007 and 2008 which had a combined eight NCAA championship swimmers, and three straight NEWMAC championships, the Bears, who had their highest finish at the NCAA’s in 13 years last season, hopefully will continue the pattern for success again this season.

The Bears will be led by captains Jim Okorn and Chris Woods, both of whom were conference championship finalists and served to bolster a strong sprint group. Okorn was a multiple event qualifier for NCAA competition for the second year in a row, and swam on relays at the national meet. Woods is a butterfly and sprint freestyle specialist who had his strongest year last season, with lifetime best swims in all his races.

Another NCAA championship meet invitee, Jack Sauve returns as the key breaststroke leg on the 400 medley relay and conference runner up in the 100 breaststroke. Also returning are seniors Ryan Newmeyer, from a year plagued with injury along with Craig Nilson, who will shore up a strong backstroke group. Ryan Taylor will look to return to conference finalist form in both backstroke event and butterfly after his most successful swimming season last season.

Coast Guard will have its work cut out for them in the conference championship and in their challenging dual meet schedule. Luckily, a strong recruiting class will help to bolster an already strong program with five returning NCAA qualifiers.

Strong challenges in the dual meet season will come from top 15 program New York University in November, an improved Springfield College team (top 20 at NCAA’s in 2008), and MIT (conference runner up in 2008) in January. The Merchant Marine Academy will visit in January and will prove a great test of the Bears, who will look to avenge a closely contested loss from January 2008. These meets in the regular season should serve as the proving ground for another run at defending the conference championship in February at Wheaton College. The Bears have the tough task of defending for their fourth conference championship in a row, which has never been done in the history of the NEWMAC, and will be hard pressed to do so.

The Bears will also attempt to continue their track record of success in the classroom, with 10 Scholar All-American’s over the past two years and a team grade point average over 3.0 in the spring 2008 semester.