Nov. 1, 1999

By Dave Lohse
Director of Media Relations for Olympic Sports

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - As the University of North Carolina swimming and diving program prepares for the dawn of a new millennium, it faces new challenges. But the attitude around Koury Natatorium is quite optimistic and the Tar Heels seem excited about the task ahead.

For the first time in a while, Carolina enters a season without the burden of being the favorite in the Atlantic Coast Conference race. That mantle now belongs to the University of Virginia as the Cavaliers begin their quest to win a third successive Atlantic Coast Conference women's championship and a second straight ACC men's title. After winning six successive ACC titles from 1991-96, the women's program has had to settle for second place finishes in the league each of the past three seasons. That is something that the competitive swimmers who make up the Tar Heel program are simply not satisfied with. And after winning six straight league titles from 1993-98, the UNC men were dethroned last season, finishing third behind Virginia and Florida State.

So as Carolina begins to embark on another this year's teams know they have their work cut out for them. "Early this fall, we challenged both of our teams to be as good as they can be this year," says UNC head coach Frank Comfort, now in his 23rd year at the helm of the Tar Heels.

"With the large senior class we had last year for both the men and the women, it will be difficult for us to be as talented as we were a year ago. But neither team developed the chemistry we seek last season. The results showed that.

"In all honesty, we may have similar results this season, but if this year's teams take to heart the concept of being as good as they are capable of being I think everyone at the end of the season will have a much more satisfying experience. That may mean we won't win championships this year, but improvement on the part of all 62 student-athletes in our program and a solid team chemistry will have shown that we made tremendous progress in 1999-2000."

Last year the Tar Heel men turned in a fine performance during the dual meet season but by their own admission they struggled in the post season. UNC finished 10-2 overall in dual meets and 4-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. After the third-place finish at the ACC Championships, Carolina placed 30th at the NCAA Championships for the second successive year. On the women's side, it can be argued that after an arduous dual-meet season, the Tar Heels got their act together to turn in two commendable post-season performances. UNC finished 7-4-1 overall in dual meets and 2-3 in the ACC, the first time a Carolina had ever had a losing record in league dual meets. But UNC rallied to finish second at the ACC Championships and actually finished closer to the winning Cavaliers than they had in 1998. The Tar Heels then followed with a 20th place finish at the NCAA Championships, the team's 22nd NCAA Top 25 finish in the past 24 seasons.

Leadership for this year's team will come from a small in number, but talented group of seniors on both side of the practice pool. On the women's side, senior co-captains are Jen Strasburger, a three-time All-America selection, and Kelly McLaughlin, a past NCAA qualifier. The only other senior competing this year is Ilana Kavadlo, who this past summer made her cut to participate in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials.

A fourth senior, three-time All-America Erika Acuff, is taking a red-shirt year. The loss of the 2000 Olympic Trials qualifier is a blow to this year's team but her return for the 2000-2001 season certainly help set up Carolina for a potentially outstanding season the following year.

Even without the presence of Acuff, the Tar Heels certainly expect to be a much-improved team in 1999-2000 and it would be hard to get a more devoted and talented senior class than the troika of Strasburger, McLaughlin and Kavadlo.

On the men's side of the warm-up tank, Carolina is equally inexperienced. Only three seniors return to the Tar Heels in 1999-2000. One is tri-captain David Weeks, a butterflier from Raleigh. The other two are also Raleigh area natives and the anchors of an improving Tar Heel men's diving corps--Christian Zuburg and Kevin Mangum. With the addition of three freshman divers and the return of this dazzling senior duo, look for the Tar Heels diving program to improve by leaps and bounds this year. Second-year head diving coach Nunzio Esposto has certainly righted the ship in that area and he is well on his way to building a very solid program.

Joining Weeks as tri-captains are two juniors with tremendous leadership skills--Brad Kline of Charlotte, probably the team's most versatile swimmer and a NCAA qualifier last year, and distance freestyler Seth Laughlin of Bethesda, Md.

After losing 18 seniors combined between the two teams to graduation and with only six seniors returning for 1999-2000, it is likely the Tar Heels will experience some growing pains this season. That seems inevitable with this young a cast of characters. But there exists a profound attitude difference around the pool this year. These will be more cohesive, hard-working Tar Heel units. Coaches Comfort and Bill Tramel, the program's assistant head coach, have relayed the message as to what they want the Tar Heels to be this year, It appears that message was received loud and clear.

So while the Tar Heels may not be the ACC favorites in 1999-2000, they are still expected to be a force on the national season. The women are ranked 18th and the men 22nd in the preseason College Swimming Coaches Association of America coaches poll.

The Tar Heel women's team may not have the depth this year that it has had in years past, but there is some top line talent that should lead the team to a more than credible season. Swimmers with credentials as either returning All-America performers or past Atlantic Coast Conference champions or NCAA qualifiers include Strasburger in the middle distance freestyle, McLaughlin as a butterflier and individual medleyist, junior Kristin Lozeau as a butterflier and individual medleyist, junior Summer Mack as a backstroker, butterflier and freestyle sprinter, sophomore Melissa Fiss as a butterflier and distance freestyler, sophomore Katie Hathaway as a breaststroker and individual medleyist, sophomore Stefanie Rulis as a freestyle sprinter and sophomore Molly Sullivan as distance freestyler.

While that corps group of eight swimmers will be the leaders of the Carolina team, there are other returning upper class swimmers who add tremendous depth as conference finalist swimmers. This group of letter winners includes sophomore Jennie Gardner in the middle distance freestyle, Kavadlo in the butterfly, junior JoAnn Overton in the breaststroke and individual medley and sophomore Heather Stiles in the backstroke.

Other returning letter winners for Carolina are junior Erica Vrana and sophomores Sarah Givan and Emily Huber. Carolina's freshman class is an outstanding one and Comfort is expecting good things from swimmers like backstroker Laura Collier, distance freestyler Leigh Sanders, breaststroker Janna Turner and backstroker and freestyle sprinter Christie Watkins.

The Tar Heel diving corps will be inexperienced indeed on the distaff side as all three divers are freshmen at Carolina--Ashley Benner, Jenny Goodman and Val Rogers.

On the men's side, Carolina is expected to be a deep squad this year with an 18-man roster for the conference meet that is very competitive. But for the first time in many years Carolina enters the season with no one proven superstar swimmer. In short, this team will be looking for a leader to emerge.

At the top of the list of returning swimmers is a small cadre of performers who have been either NCAA qualifiers or Olympic qualifiers while at Carolina. This group includes tri-captain Kline, junior Mark Seidman, who specializes in the individual medley and backstroke, sophomore Chris Helin, primarily an individual medleyist and breaststroker and sophomore Kevin Erndl, a freestyle sprinter. But Carolina's depth is much greater than just that quartet and the goal for each swimmer will be to improve as much as possible during the 1999-2000 season. "I would love to see a truly spirited competition for the most improved swimmer on the men's team this year," confides Comfort.

Returning letter winners who will be relied upon include senior butterflier Weeks, one of the tri-captains, junior backstroker Matt Baldwin, sophomore freestyler Kert Johnson, sophomore distance freestyler Justin Rossi, one of three All-Atlantic Coast Conference selections for the Tar Heels last season and junior Dave Slawinski, one of the team's most versatile performers. Carolina did receive a blow in the preseason when tri-captain Seth Laughlin, one of the team's top freestylers, was lost for the season because of injuries in an automobile accident.

Other returning lettermen for Carolina are Andrew Biedrzycki, Willem Bok, Mike Callahan, David Green, Greg Johnson, Taylor Marks, Dave Meschke, Seb Moity, John Spaziano and Jonah Turner.

While the freshman class will not be counted on to carry this year's team, there are high expectations for swimmers like Sean Quinn, who has already qualified for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, and a pair of distance freestylers--Judd Glasco and Stephen Mohr. There is great potential among several other Tar Heel freshmen and it will be interesting to see who emerges from the pack as a top contributor this year.

One thing is for certain, coach Esposto has recruited the best depth for Tar Heel men's diving in many seasons. Joining Zuburg and Mangum will be a triumvirate of talented freshmen--Stephen Krebs, Rob McMillen and Jason Danforth.

"We don't go into this season with any preconceived notions about how good we are," says Comfort. "We will have to earn everything we get. It will be a challenge but I think in many ways this will be an enjoyable team to coach. I certainly hope the student-athletes step up and meet the goals they've set for themselves. We are ready to go. It should be exciting."