Fresno State Athletics
Swimming and Diving Preview
10/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 10, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - Head coach Jeanne Fleck will lead a team of newcomers through Fresno State's first season after the return of the swimming and diving program. The team aims to re-build a foundation and strength for Fresno State, reviving the program and working to re-establish a name for Fresno State swimming and diving, both in the Western Athletic Conference and in the world of college swimming and diving. The `Dogs set their goals high for the future.
Freestyle
In the freestyle event, a strong group of swimmers will lead the `Dogs through their first returning swimming season. Rebecca Atchley, a sophomore transfer from Cal State Bakersfield, will be solid asset in the distance free event.
"Rebecca is very distance oriented and a great leader," said Fleck.
In the sprint free event, freshmen Dedee Torres and sophomore Stephanie Hatayama will lead the way with junior Marissa Cecil and Becky Geisinger backing them up. Rebecca Strmiska, a junior, will back Atchley in the freestyle events, along with junior Kelli Sargent, in the distance free. Freshmen Heidi Gjoen, of Oslo, Norway, and Jordan Morillo will add depth to the freestyle events, along with junior transfer Mary-Tess Taylor.
Butterfly/Backstroke/Breaststroke
With a team comprised entirely of newcomers, Fresno State looks to the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke and backstroke for strength.
Freshman Heidi Gjoen of Oslo, Norway, will be a vital force in the backstroke.
"Heidi will really excel here in both the 100 and 200-yard," said Fleck. "She will be the go-to girl, and she is a very hard worker."
Gjoen's medley relay team placed first at the Norwegian Nationals this summer and set a national record. Her experience and success in backstroke will aide the Bulldogs in this event.
Leading the way in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke will be Junior Mary-Tess Taylor and freshmen Jordan Morillo, a strong and experienced duo.
Taylor's two-year experience in college swimming and water polo will give her an edge over opponents.
"Mary-Tess will have a huge impact," said Fleck. "She has a great attitude and will be the team leader, both in and out of the water."
Along with Taylor in the breaststroke events will be Morillo, a talented underclassman with strong leadership abilities.
"Jordan is going to be a great asset for us in the breaststroke events and the IM events she has so much potential it will be great to see how she does this year," said Fleck. "She is a great breaststroke and has already improved her backstroke it will be great for her IM."
Junior transfer Kelli Sargent will be a leader in the butterfly, an event that will be a work in progress for the Bulldogs. With a year of college swimming under her belt and strong leadership, the `Dogs look to Sargent to build strength and a foundation in butterfly.
"Kelli will be very important to the team this year," said Fleck.
Assisting Sargent in the fly events will be Stephanie Hatayama, a sprint flier.
"I can't wait to see how great Stephanie will do," said Fleck.
Relays
A combination of strong individual event swimmers will mold together to boast competitive teams in the relay's, putting their strongest events together. Gjoen and Morillo, contenders in backstroke and breaststroke, will help in free relays backing up Sargent and Junior Becky Geisinger, another swimmer with experience in college level swimming and imperative talent. "Becky is going to be a great help in the middle distance free events," said Fleck. "She will also help us with the free relays." Looking toward the season, the strength in relays will lie in the 200 and 400-yard relay, as well as the 400 medley relay, a relay Gjoen holds experience in.
Diving
As with swimming, head dive coach Taryn Ignacio will lead an entirely new group of student-athletes through a brand new era in Fresno State diving, while keeping success both in the classroom and in the pool.
"Each student-athlete brings something to the table," said Ignacio. "I think all of the divers will be strong on the one-meter and three-meter. Divers with a gymnastics background will have the ability to learn dives easier and faster which will bring them to success sooner."
All four divers will compete in the one-meter and three-meter events in dual meets. Skills and techniques developed in gymnastics will push the divers even further ahead to improved and perfected dives.
The majority of team divers have gymnastics experience that will further aide in perfecting dives.. Junior Blair Hopkins will be ahead of the game with her gymnastics experience.
"Her experience is helping her tremendously on the diving board," said Ignacio. "She spins like a top and has a great diving body."
Another strong asset to the team is sophomore Jamie Krause, another experienced gymnast and high school diver.
"Jamie is so strong and can jump as high as anyone," said Ignacio. "Her experience is helping her with spinning and spotting in the air."
The team's one and only freshman, Jillian Mason, has strengths in body positioning and the smaller details to her dives.
"Mason is really good at getting hollow and vertical before she dives into the water," said Ignacio.
Junior Kendra Weeks has already shown she holds the components to be a solid diver. "She has strong form, good toe point, and spins fast in her somersaults," added Ignacio.
Although the `Dogs will not compete in platform events this season, they will work to learn new dives while perfecting form and technique, and increasing their degree of difficulty.
"I want them to succeed in school and be positive role models and representatives of Fresno State athletics," said Ignacio.
Players Mentioned
