2006-07 season preview

December 1, 2006

NORTON, MA- As top-10 finishes at the United States Collegiate Championship have become standard for the Wheaton College synchronized swimming team - the Lyons have rattled off 18 straight since 1989 - head coach Anna Eng has begun working toward smaller goals for her team in hopes of ultimately improving Wheaton's showing at the national meet.

The Lyons came in fourth at last year's Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship, and Eng's first goal for her team is to be among the top two squads this season. Canisius College and Keuka College held down the first and second spots last year, respectively, and a move toward the top at the ECAC meet would bolster the Lyons' chances of ascending into the top five on the national stage.

"Fifth at nationals is a lofty goal, but it's possible," said Eng, pointing out that Keuka was fifth in the nation last season, and Canisius was sixth. "With the team we have this year, we could give them a run for their money."

Now in her fourth season at Wheaton, Eng finds herself with a modest nine-member team, one that didn't graduate any seniors and returns seven athletes with college experience. A quartet provides upperclassman leadership after the Lyons placed ninth at last year's collegiate championship. Eng has been imparting lessons to her student-athletes that stretch from the pool into the realm of academia. Such an example is each individual critiquing her own classroom assignments and deciding whether she has put in enough effort to get a high mark or just a good grade.

"The little things can really add up," said Eng, "and it's the same thing in swimming. They don't want to settle with scoring an eight, they want to strive for scoring a 10. I don't want them to set a ceiling for themselves. They know that everything they do affects what happens to the team and affects our overall goal."

Eng has instilled the ideas that off-season training and self-motivated improvement of weaknesses are crucial components to the success of her student-athletes and, come time for the collegiate championship, her team. "On the first day of practice, the thing I always stress to them is every decision they make affects the team," added Eng. "What they do over the summer affects what happens in March. What they do between the first day of class and the first day of practice affects what happens in March."

Eng is encouraged by her three seniors, each of whom has been in leadership roles since their sophomore years. Elizabeth Corman (Saint Paul, MN/Hill-Murray School) is serving as a team captain for the third straight season, while Renata Paglio (Portland, ME/Deering) and Sarah Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) have each been Wheaton Athletic Mentors (WAMs) since their second year of college.
Corman and Swinkin are joined by junior Megan Kinney (Los Angeles, CA/Marlborough School), a second-year captain, in providing upperclassman experience to the A team. Sophomores Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) and Sylvia Syracuse (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore West), and freshmen Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) and Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) round out the team.

Paglio and sophomore Kelly Maby (Woodhaven, NY/Richmond Hill) make up the B team, which took a hit in numbers due to students studying abroad. The pair will not take part in team competitions, but instead perform the Lyons' duet routine.

Montes, who enters college with a good amount of international competition under her belt, is Wheaton's soloist, and the Blue and White will have a pair of trios. Syracuse and the Swinkin sisters have already been chosen for one of the teams, while three of the four remaining A team members will join for a trio routine.

Among their five B figures competitors, the Lyons boast Corman and Kinney as athletes who each won C figures titles as freshmen at the collegiate championship. Kinney placed 14th nationally in the B figures a season ago but was just 1.089 points out of third place. Montes, Strasmore and Syracuse complete the quintet.

The Swinkins will take part in C figures, while Maby and Paglio are competing in D figures. Sarah Swinkin was the C figures runner up last spring at the collegiate championship, as she placed only 0.256 points behind the champion.

For the third time in 16 years, Wheaton has been selected to host the U.S. Collegiate Championship. The event will occur from Thursday through Saturday, March 22 to 24 in Balfour Natatorium. Incidentally, the Lyons' best finish at the last seven collegiate championships was a fifth-place showing in 2002, when the school last hosted the meet.

"Last year we had a decrease in numbers because it was at Stanford, and a lot of the small club teams, especially from around here, couldn't afford to go," said Eng, adding that parents, fans and alumni from around the nation are expected to be in attendance. "I know this year it will be bigger because all of those teams can stay at home.

"I'm excited for it to come here and for the community to see it," added Eng. "There are former and soon-to-be Olympians swimming, so it's amazing what the level is now. The big teams don't come here very often, so to see a home meet and to see us compete against teams like Ohio State, fans see what we're up against on a national stage."

Wheaton hosts a trio of events this season, beginning with the New England Figure Meet on December 9. On January 13, the Lyons will compete in a figure meet during their training trip to Puerto Rico, where they will likely oppose athletes from Aruba, Curacao and the Dominican Republic. The Blue and White hosts the Wheaton Invitational on February 10 before making a three-meet road swing, which kicks off at Stanford on February 17. After the East Collegiate Regional at Boston University on March 3, Wheaton travels to the ECAC Championship at the University of Pennsylvania on March 17-18. Should any Lyons qualify, the U.S. National Championship takes place on April 25-29 in Indianapolis.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 2/21/07.
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News Headlines

Wheaton runs top-10 streak at Collegiate Championship to 20 years (more)

Two figures wins propel Wheaton to third at ECAC Championship (more)

Lyons place third among seven teams at East Collegiate Regional (more)

Upcoming Schedule

7-Dec Sat New England Figure Meet H TBA
9-Jan Fri Puerto Rico Routines A TBA
12-Jan Mon Puerto Rico Figures A TBA