Swim team qualify 11 for nationals
Head swimming coach Gary Kinkead has established, arguably, the most consistently successful sports teams at the University of Indianapolis, as Indianapolis’ men’s team placed in the Top 15 nationally for the tenth consecutive season. In total, UIndy swimmers collected 13 All-American finishes during the four-day championships in 2009.
Nationals is All-America. You have to do your best time because that’s the end of the season, that’s the last event you’re going to swim.
And they look to be well on their way to adding to that streak, as the men’s team qualifies five swimmers for nationals prior to the conference meet. Alican Alacli, Austin Biefnes, Justin Klopp, Guy Kogel and Andrew Loshnowsky have cemented their candidacy in the national championships.
As of Reflector press time, the women’s team had qualified six for nationals: Meghan Donahue, Maura Donahue, Erica Smith, Jacyln Luscomb, Alex Norris and Shiran Abrahmson.
In their final meet before conference championships, the UIndy’s men’s final score was 114-87 against the Lewis, Flyers; meanwhile the women’s outcome was 122-82.
Comparably, the Greyhounds have also enjoyed a largely successful decade, as they achieved their ninth consecutive top 12 finish in 2009.
However, according to Klopp the successful decade isn’t discussed often amongst the team.
“We don’t bring it up much to stay focused and keeping our expectations up,” Klopp, a freshman, said. “Just keep working toward the goal of doing well at nationals and hopefully it’ll all come together in the end.”
Coach Gary Kinkead attributed the early qualifications to scheduling.
“Our rest (taper) meet was earlier this year. The meet that we normally rested for last year was changed to early November and I did not want to rest that soon. So we waited until mid-November. That’s the reason why we had people qualify earlier,” he said.
More swimmers have the opportunity to qualify for nationals as well in the conference meet Feb. 10-13.
Qualifying for nationals prior to the conference meet affects how Coach Kinkead tapers, or diminishes gradually, his swimmers’ practice regimens.
“People that qualified for nationals already rest a little bit before conference. We’re going to swim them through conference because they’re good enough to place at national championships and so we want them to have their best meet at the national championships,” Kinkead said.
Klopp agreed.
“I won’t taper as much so I don’t swim my best times before nationals. I’ll do a longer taper as it gets closer to nationals so hopefully I’ll get my best times,” he said.
Coach Kinkead emphasizes doing well in the classroom as well. The women’s team hasn’t disappointed.
The women’s overall GPA last year, second semester was No. 2 in Division II women’s swimming in the country. They averaged a 3.41. This year, first semester, the overall GPA was 3.57.
“I think it’s a level of expectations. My level of expectations are the same every year. We never reach my expectations. Sometimes those are unrealistic goals but if I let those goals go away, then we won’t reach what we are,” Kinkead said.
Every season, the expectations remain the same.
“You’re always trying to have the ultimate goal in mind,” Coach Kinkead said. “And the ultimate goal in mind is being a champion, whether it’s an individual or as a team.”
Junior Alican Alacli comments on the significance of the opportunity earned to compete against the best in the country,
“Nationals is All-America. You have to do your best time because that’s the end of the season, that’s the last event you’re going to swim,” Alacli said. “You’re really, really focused on that event and just eat, sleep and swim.”
