UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – A talented core and exciting group of rookies has the energy high right now for John Carroll Men's Swimming & Diving.
The Blue Streaks have a great group returning from last year's strong North Coast Athletic Conference debut season. And coming off a solid performance at the NCAA Division III Championships, the Blue Streaks are looking to take strides forward this year.
"This is a good building year since we are returning all of our Nationals qualifiers from last year," said Head Coach Mark de Swardt. "The freshman class has good depth. We want to steal a few more wins at the NCAC Championships, send more swimmers to Nationals, and take a big step forward this year."
Indeed, plenty of exciting talent returns ready to form the foundation of the program this season.
Namely, Cameron Cook, Jacob Florio, and Bart Kubis all return after punching tickets to Nationals last year.
Cook starred in the freestyle last year, clocking NCAC A final finishes in the 50, 100, and 200 Free, earning All-American and All-NCAC finishes in the 200 Free. The Fredericksburg, Virginia native figures to be a key relay swimmer this year as well in his junior year.
Kubis is back after winning two All-American medals last year in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke. The Park Ridge, Illinois native shocked the conference by winning the 200 Breaststroke at the NCAC Championships. The senior will be a critical leader for the team this year.
Florio enjoyed a breakout rookie season. A CSCAA Scholar All-American like Cook and Kubis, Florio punched his ticket to Nationals in the 100 and 200 Backstroke. Glory on the national stage is the next step for the sophomore, who will lead JCU in the backstroke.
The breaststroke should be the team's strongsuit, led by Kubis. Ian Hofmann and Alex Gallagher are back as well. The two juniors have flashed great speed and will be expected to grow, as Gallagher narrowly missed out on medals in both breaststroke events at the conference meet a year ago.
In the butterfly, look for Michael Vertikoff to anchor the Blue Streaks. The sophomore got to the 200 Fly A final and won the 100 Fly B final a year ago. Mason Shantz is another name to know, as the incoming freshman was a state champ and All-American in high school.
Distance was an area of focus in the offseason, and as de Swardt notes, the Blue Streaks have bulked up this year in that arena. The incoming first years will look to bulk up the Blue Streaks on the distance side, including three-time state qualifier Tyler Klein.
Relays are always a point of emphasis. Over the course of the season, de Swardt expects the Blue Streaks to improve and find success.
The schedule begins early on Saturday, October 3 with a non-conference meet with Heidelberg. The Grove City meet is also circled on the calendar early. The Magnus Cup in November is a big indicator, as competing against Division I swimmers is a good prep for the tough meets in January and February, such as the Kenyon dual. The NCAC Championships are set for February 10-13.
