August 31, 1998
There is definitely a lot of excitement in the air concerning the 1998-99 women's swimming and diving team. The Tigers put together arguably the best campaign in school history a year ago by posting a 6-2 dual meet record as well as a victory at the 13-team Miami, Ohio Invitational. In addition, the MU women wracked up 52 more points at the Big 12 Championships than they did the year before, thus bringing them closer to the pack in the highly competitive Big 12 Conference.
So what is the buzz all about? Most of last year's nucleus is back from last year's successful season. Add to that, Head Coach Brian Hoffer has assembled perhaps his best recruiting class yet, one that he believes could be the key to the Missouri Tigers' goal of entering the nation's top 25.
The schedule will not be easy for the Tigers, particularly the first two months. Missouri will face Big 12 Conference opponent Iowa State at home before traveling to the Illinois Extravaganza and Indiana Invitational. The Tigers will be faced with several ranked opponents at both meets including Big Ten powers Indiana, Michigan and Illinois. High powered Nebraska and Drury are slated on the second semester schedule as well as Southwest Missouri State before the Big 12 Championships.
Sprint Free
Even with the loss of one of MU's all-time great sprinters in Lori Sibbers, the sprint free events should be a strength for the Tigers in 1998. Sophomore Jeanna Willi placed 7th in the 50 free at the Big 12 Championships as a freshman. She will try and improve on a 23.54 time which the third fastest in MU school history.
Sophomore Kim Lambert swam the fourth fastest time in school history (23.80) at the Big 12 Championships while placing 11th. Senior Andrea Lemmink should be ready to contribute this season after rehabilitating a broken arm each of the last two seasons. Junior Whitney Nigh consoled in the 100 free last year at the Big 12 Championships in the third fastest time in school history (51.95).
The Tigers are also very excited about the addition of freshman Tara Brooks who finaled in both the 50 and 100 at the Canadian Nationals. Brooks should add plenty of punch of a deep sprint free team.
Mid Free
The middle distance events will be a much stronger event this season with the addition of freshmen phenoms Katie Fields and Molly Vetter. Fields will be expected to lead the Tigers in the 500 free. She has eclipsed the Senior National cut and owns career bests that top the MU all-time record in that event. The same can be said about Vetter in the200 free.
In addition to the freshmen, the Tigers return the talented Cristina Souza who owns the second fastest time school history in the 200 free (1:53.35) and third fastest 500 free time of 5:01.08. Sophomore Kara Bramer swam the fifth fastest time in the 200 free last year (1:54.17) and should knock a good chunk off of that time this year. Whitney Nigh should also be a factor in the 200.
Distance Free
The Tigers will have plenty of options when it comes to distance events this season. Gone is one of Missouri's all-time greats in Stacey Hall who has been the Tigers' top distance swimmer each of the last four years. Freshmen Katie Fields and Molly Vetter should help take the place of Hall. Also returning is senior Kristin Hoover who had some success at the conference championships throughout her career. Senior Christy Voelker began swimming in distance events last season and should add some depth. Cristina Souza is another option for Hoffer. Souza owns the Tigers second fastest time in the 1000 free (10:24.00).
Backstroke
The Tigers have had plenty of success in the backstroke over the past few seasons. Without a doubt, the backstroke events begin with the very talented Rikki Janes. The junior wasn't able to dazzle the competition last year as she did as a freshman, but Janes had a solid summer of training and will hopefully be back to form. Janes holds the school record in the 200 back (2:01.87) and the second fastest time in the 100 (56.81).
Junior co-captain Julia Alexander suffered from the same sophomore let down as Janes did last year, but like Janes, has had a tremendous off-season. The Columbia, Mo. native owns the third fastest 100 back time in school history (57.81) and could very well drop a lot of time off of that mark.
Junior Amanda Smiley was a big surprise at last year's Big 12 Championships as she consoled in both backstroke events. Her times were the fourth fastest marks in school history in both events. Transfer Erika Kalocinski had success in the backstroke while at the University of Wyoming during the last two seasons.
Hoffer will also have the luxury of senior's Christy Voelker and Bethany Biaett to plug into the backstroke events. Both swimmers were Big Eight finalists in backstroke as freshmen. As a matter of fact, Voelker still owns the fifth fastest 200 back mark in school history (2:05.54).
Breaststroke
Hoffer claims that the breaststroke was somewhat of a "make shift" event last year after the Tigers lost the talented Misty Laurich. Once again, Missouri will go without a "true" breaststroke swimmer although Hoffer as plenty of people who can swim the event.
One of those people happens to be the school record holder in the 200 breast (2:21.27) in junior Tawney Larm. Larm also owns the second fastest 100 breast record (1:05.85). She consoled in both events last year at the Big 12 Championships. Sophomore Kim Lambert is another option for Hoffer. Lambert consoled in both breaststroke events last year and swam the fourth fastest time in school history in the 200 (2:23.30).
Junior Kristin Ziemke swam lifetime bests in the breaststroke last season and should be a contributor this coming year. Senior Alicia Krabbe will also look to return to the promising form that she displayed as a freshman. Krabbe still owns the school's fifth fastest time in the 200.
Butterfly
The Tigers will be significantly better this year in the butterfly events. Jeanna Willi placed seventh at the Big 12 Championships in the 100 last season as a freshman and Cristina Souza has been solid in the 200.
This year, the Tigers will be blessed with the presence of freshman Krista Davis. Davis is under the school record in both butterfly events. The Tigers also will look to Erika Kalocinski to shore up the fly.
All in all, the Tigers will be much deeper in the butterfly this year and could be very strong in the 200.
Individual Medley
There is no question that the individual medley is one of the Tigers' major strengths. For the second year in a row, Tawney Larm broke both I.M. records at the Big 12 Championships. Look for Larm to improve on those times again this season.
After a year experience, Hoffer is expecting big things out of sophomore Kara Bramer. Regarded as one of the top high school I.M. swimmers in the country, Bramer got a taste of the collegiate competition last year and should be ready to become one of the elite I.M. competitors in the Big 12.
Senior Bethany Biaett will also deepen the I.M. events for the Tigers. Biaett owned one of the top five times in school history in the 200 I.M. a year ago before Bramer ousted her from the list. And if the Tigers need even more help, there is always Rikki Janes who established MU's second fastest times in both I.M. events in 1996.
Diving
The Tigers must find someone to replace Meg Dierkes, the team's leading diver the past four years. Diving Coach Pat McCord is hoping Missouri High School state champion Erin Wilke is the answer. With the anticipation of the beginning of her college career, Wilke has used the off-season to put together a program that will use all three boards, including the platform, an event the Tigers have not been able to enter for several years.
Senior Cortney Coats did attempt the platform last year at the Big 12 Championships to help the Tigers out point-wise. Coats has improved each season and will be extremely important to the success of the Tigers in the diving events. Newcomer Tori Denlinger will also be looking for experience in a hurry to help the Tigers this season.