Oct. 25, 2001
By Student Assistant: Sara Swenson

Bulldog Swimmers Jump into Season with Tough Competition

The Bulldog swimming teams are wasting no time in taking on tough teams this season. With the women coming back from reeling in Truman's first-ever national title last season and the men returning with a well-experienced core of swimmers, the teams are not afraid to come out of the blocks working hard.

On Saturday, both squads head to Wheaton, Ill., to open the 2001-02 campaign with Lewis University, which boasts a women's team that took 11th-place at the NCAA Division II Championships last spring. When the 'Dogs met Lewis last year in a tri-meet, the women finished first and the men claimed second.

Later on Saturday, the women's team will face University of Illinois (Champaign), a Big X competitor.

"We're trying to set the tone for the season on this first weekend," head coach Seth Huston said. "We're raising the bar with some really solid competition, trying to step up and be very competitive, very fast."

With the exception of last season, Huston said the teams typically would not start off with such stiff competition so early in the year. However, given the success of last season, he's ready to keep raising the bar.

"I think last year turned out to be a pretty good year for us, so I say we try that all over again," Huston said.

Although the 'Dogs lost prize freestyler Jess Martin, who topped the national charts in four freestyle events, was named NCAA Division II women's swimmer of the year and became the Honda NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year, they still return a roster full of national qualifiers. Junior Kelli Dudley (Topeka, Kan./West) leads the way after claiming her own national title in the 100-yard backstroke, among other top finishes. She is joined by sophomore Katie May (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central), junior Sara Hatcher (Kingdom City, Mo./North Callaway) and junior Liz Hug (Maryville, Ill./Collinsville), who helped produce two national champion relay teams.

Other returning national qualifiers include sophomore Alison Blyth (Cliva, Iowa/Dowling), junior Meghan Osborn (Tipton, Iowa), sophomore Krista Pray (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) and senior Bridget Riley (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South).

Newcomers Sarah Dance (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast), Sue Ellen Thoma (Jefferson City, Mo.) and Michaela Osborn (Tipton, Iowa) are expected to be contributors this season, as well.

On the men's side, junior Matt Pray (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) returns as Truman's highest national finisher ever with his second-place showing in the 100-yard butterfly. Sophomore Robby Cooper (Holden, Mo./Holden) was the only other Bulldog at the national meet, earning honorable-mention all-America for the first time.

Huston also expects senior Kyle Sterup (Fremont, Neb./Frement), junior Drew Yemm (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley NW), and sophomores Brian Teson (Kansas City, Mo./St. Pius X) and Andy Harken (Liberty, Mo./Liberty) to lead the way in upcoming meets.

Huston returns for his eighth year at the helm of the team, earning the National Swim Coaches Association of America's women's coach of the year for the third straight year last season.

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