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Bloomsburg University 2002-2003 Women's Swimming Preview

BLOOMSBURG— Head Coach Dave Rider, last year's PSAC Coach of the Year, anticipates the Bloomsburg University women's swimming team to be strong once again this year. Last year's team placed 3rd at the PSAC Championships and 13th in the NCAA Championships. With the experience of twelve returning swimmers and the talent of seven incoming freshmen, the Huskies hope to be just as competitive this season despite the loss of three seasoned swimmers.

The Huskies have plenty of returning swimmers who qualified for the PSAC Championships. The Huskies hope to improve upon last year's PSAC performance with more swimmers scoring points in the meet.

The Huskies have two All-Americans leading the way. Senior co-captain Ashley Jones (Doylestown/Central Bucks East) earned All-American honors two years in a row. She has been working hard in the preseason and coach Rider expects her to have another good year. Jones will swim individual medley and freestyle events.

Junior Lindsay Wallace (Frenchville/Clearfiled) has also earned All-American honors for the past two years. She specializes in the sprint freestyle events.

Besides these All-Americans, Rider has plenty of experience returning. Senior Jamie Ludwig (Westminster, MD/Westminster) is the other co-captain. Rider will look to her to swim the individual medley and butterfly events. Ludwig was a PSAC qualifier in her freshman and sophomore year, but just missed qualifying last season. She is working hard to concentrate on qualifying once again this season.

Seven other returning swimmers qualified for the PSAC Championships last season. Junior Jodi Kaiser (Mullica Hill, NJ/Clearview Regional) placed 5th in the 1000 freestyle and 7th in the 1650 freestyle in the PSAC meet. She has been swimming very well and hopes to improve upon her performance last year.

Junior Becky Witwer (Harrisburg/Susquehanna Township) placed 5th in the 200 breaststroke at the PSAC meet for the past two seasons. She also placed 11th in the 200 IM two years ago. Witwer has had a strong preseason and is hoping to move up in the PSAC meet this year.

Senior Janelle Hose (Sacrament, CA/C.K. McClatchy) placed 7th in the 400 individual medley at last year's PSAC meet. She also qualified in the 200 IM and the 200 breaststroke. Rider is counting on Hose to have a big year.

Junior Kelly Gribbin (Richboro/Council Rock) has qualified for the PSAC meet for the past two years. Last year she qualified in the 1000 freestyle, 1650 freestyle, and the 200 breaststroke.

Junior Holly Hicks (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross), who qualified for the PSAC meet in the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle, has improved in the off-season. She will swim the distance freestyle events once again, as well as breaststroke.

Sophomore Kristin Grieble (Schnecksville/Parkland) also qualified in the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle events. She will swim mostly freestyle again this season.

Junior Katie Jeffers (Collegeville/Perkiomen Valley) has had strong preseason practices and will swim backstroke and the individual medley. She qualified last year for the PSAC meet in the 200 IM and the 100 and 200 backstroke.

Sophomores Rebecca Kadingo (Orwisburg/Nativity B.V.M.) and Emily Varley (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) round out the returners for the Huskies. Kadingo just missed qualifying for the PSAC Championships and has had good improvement in the off-season. She will swim freestyle events. Varley learned a lot last year and has improved greatly. She will swim the butterfly and freestyle events.

Rider has seven newcomers to the team. Kari Pokrzywa (Fairless Hills/Pennsbury) is a very versatile swimmer. She will swim butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle, with hopes of scoring in the conference meet. Erin Carey (West Chester/Henderson), a good all-around swimmer, will swim the individual medley, breaststroke, and freestyle events. Allie Groesbeck (Yardley/Pennsbury) is very talented and will swim sprint and mid-distance freestyle events.

Kristin Harrison (Chalfont/Central Bucks West) is the most inexperienced on the team, but has had great preseason workouts and is improving rapidly. She will swim freestyle and butterfly events. Jennifer Shank (Waynesboro/Waynesboro) is also relatively inexperienced, but has been a pleasant surprise to Rider. She is very strong and is swimming well in preseason practices. She will swim mid-distance freestyle events and butterfly.

Rounding out the freshmen are Eileen Garvey (Scranton/Scranton) and Ashley Koch (West Chester/West Chester East). Garvey has had some injuries, but once she recovers, Rider expects her to bounce back. She will swim backstroke and sprint freestyle, while Koch will swim backstroke.