2006-07 Media Guide - Washington & Lee - Washington and Lee ...

Washington washington and lee
MEN'S SEASON PREVIEW
The status quo does not interest
Head Coach Joel Shinofield.
After winning three-consecutive
Bluegrass Mountain Conference
Championships and taking home a
14th-place finish at the 2006 NCAA
Division III Men’s Swimming Championships,
one might think that the
Washington and Lee men’s swimming
team has arrived. However,
to Shinofield, there is more that this
program can accomplish – and this
may be the very year it happens, as
this year’s squad has some very high, but realistic goals.
“We want repeat as conference champions,” said the three-time BMC Coach of the Year.
“We want to build on that 14th-place finish at NCAA's and we’d like try to move into the top
10.”
In order to accomplish these goals, Shinofield is counting on several of his returners to
be as consistent as they have been in years past, including senior captain Mike Ginder.
There is a reason Shinofield calls Ginder an “elite swimmer.” Ginder finished second
overall in the 200 freestyle (1:39.36) and fourth in the 200 backstroke in school-record time
(1:49.82) at the 2006 NCAA Division III Men’s Swimming Championships, en route to earning
First Team All-America honors.
“I’d like to continue to see Mike be at the top echelon of Division III swimming,” said
Shinofield.
Joining Ginder in Shinofield’s plan to win the BMC Championship for a fourth-straight year
and improve on last year’s finish at the NCAA's are the five other returners who qualified for
nationals in 2006 – juniors Tim McGlaston and Alex Sweet and sophomores Paul Crook, Chris
Diebold and Brett Tatman.
Crook placed 22nd in the 500-yard freestyle (4:38.61), which is the second-fastest time in
W&L history, and 29th in the 200 freestyle. McGlaston finished 22nd in the 50-yard freestyle
to match a season-best time (21.03).
“I hope Tim can repeat as conference champion in his individual events and compete
individually at NCAA again,” remarked Shinofield. “And I’d also like to see Paul return to NCAA
in his individual events and well as in relay events.”
The relay events are an area where the Generals have had plenty of success. Crook,
Diebold, Tatman and Ginder placed sixth in the 800 free relay with a school-record time of
6:48.71, while both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays placed 14th. Additionally, the 400
medley relay team of Tatman, Crook, recent graduate Reed Evans and Sweet earned 15th
place.
Replacing Reed Evans, a three-time all-conference selection, in those relays and in
individual events will be tough, but Shinofield hopes junior Evan Fitzgerald will step up and fill
"the loss of Reed in the butterfly events."
Despite the loss of Evans and school-record holder Clark Barrineau, the Generals return
16 swimmers from last year's team and bring in 11 freshmen. Among the returners are several
swimmers that Shinofield feels have what it takes to make the jump to competing on the national
level, including seniors Dave Croushore and Kevin Hayes.
"Kevin made [NCAA] “B” cuts last year and broke the school record in the 400 IM," Shinofield
explained. "We are hoping that this year he can break through, break multiple school records
and place at the NCAA's. We also expect Dave to continue his success at the conference level
and we hope he can make the jump to being competitive on a national level."
Shinofield will count on the leadership of senior captains Hayes, Ginder and Maxwell
Pike, as well as seniors Ben Accinelli and Croushore, to make sure the team gels and stays
on target.
"We have five great seniors," said Shinofield. "While three of them are captains, I expect
them all to share the role of leading the team and to maintain the great chemistry that we’ve
had the last couple of years."
Assuming that happens and the 2006-07 Generals meet their goals, they will be able to
say they've arrived.
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