Buckeyes Host OSU Invitational This Weekend

Three day event at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State swimming and diving teams will host the OSU Invitational Friday through Sunday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. In the women’s field, the Buckeyes will host Purdue, Penn State, Michigan State and Notre Dame. The Ohio State men will face Penn State, Purdue and Michigan State.

The Buckeye women, ranked 13th in the CSCAA’s first poll of the season, are 5-0 this season in dual meet competition, and finished first in a field of six at the Pitt Invitational. The Ohio State men, ranked 11th by the CSCAA, are now 7-0 in dual meet action during the 2011-12 campaign.
 
Among the opponents, the Notre Dame women are 3-3, and finished first of five teams at the Dennis Stark Relays. The Purdue women are 4-0 this season, and placed first of four in the Indiana Intercollegiate meet. Michigan State’s women have a 4-2 record, while Penn State is 2-3.
 
The Penn State men are 2-3 this season, and the Purdue men are 3-2, with a first-place finish among four teams at the Indiana Intercollegiate meet. Michigan State’s men are 4-2 thus far.
 
Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 (Prelims/Trials: 11 a.m.): 500 Freestyle; 200 Individual Medley; 50 Freestyle; One-Meter Diving; (Friday Finals: 6 p.m.): 200 Freestyle Relay; 500 Freestyle; 200 Individual Medley; 50 Freestyle; One-Meter Diving; 400 Medley Relay
 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 (Prelims/Trials: 10 a.m.): 400 Individual Medley; 100 Butterfly; 200 Freestyle; 100 Breaststroke; 100 Backstroke; Three-Meter Diving; (Saturday Finals: 5 p.m.): 200 Medley Relay; 400 Individual Medley;               100 Butterfly ;  200 Freestyle;  100 Breaststroke; 100 Backstroke; Three-Meter Diving; 800 Freestyle Relay
 
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4 (Prelims/Trials: 9 a.m.): 200 Backstroke; 100 Freestyle; 200 Breaststroke; 200 Butterfly; Platform Diving; 1,650 Freestyle Timed Finals; (Finals: 3 p.m.): 1,650 Freestyle; 200 Backstroke; 100 Freestyle; 200 Breaststroke; 200 Butterfly; 400 Freestyle Relay
 
Big Ten Award Winners
 
Buckeyes Andrew Elliott and Megan Detro won Big Ten swimmer of the week honors for their most recent performances.
 
Elliott, a senior from Granger, Indiana, set Iowa pool records with his first-place finishes in the 100 backstroke (48.04) and 200 backstroke (1:46.29) in an Ohio State victory over Iowa and Purdue on November 18. That time in the 200 back was the fastest time in that event by any Big Ten swimmer yet this season. Elliott also was part of the winning entry in the 200 medley relay (1:29.12) at Iowa.
 
Detro, a junior from Carmel, Indiana, was part of six first-place finishes for the Buckeyes at the Pitt Invitational November 18-20 in Pittsburgh. Detro was the individual winner of the 50 freestyle (23.06) and 100 freestyle (49.96), as well as part of the winning quartets in the 200 medley relay (1:39.15), the 400 freestyle relay (3:21.50), the 400 medley relay (3:39.73) and the 200 freestyle relay (1:33.06) races. She finished second in the 200 freestyle (1:48.22). This was the third Swimmer of the Week award of Detro’s career.
 
Earlier, sophomore Shane Miszkiel was honored as the Big Ten Diver of the Week for his performance versus Cleveland State, Denison and Virginia Tech. Miszkiel won the 1-meter diving event with a score of 379.20 and placed second in the 3-meter competition with a score of 389.65. Both scores were NCAA Zone Diving qualifying marks. This was the first time during his career that Miszkiel has been honored by the Big Ten.
Senior Bianca Alvarez was recognized as the Big Ten Diver of the Week for her winning efforts in a quad meet against Cleveland State, Denison and Virginia Tech. Alvarez won the 1-meter competition with a score of 336.60 and also took top honors in the 3-meter (400.35) event in her first competition of the Buckeyes' 2011-12 season. Both event scores were NCAA Zone Diving qualifying marks. Alvarez earned her first Big Ten weekly award of the season and the sixth of her career.
Wadley To Coach Duel In The Pool
When 36 top U.S. swimmers, including 21 Olympians, battle against a squad of European swimmers at the 2011 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool in Atlanta December 16-17, Ohio State’s Bill Wadley will be one of the assistant coaches for Team USA.
 
The competition takes place at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center and will be broadcast on NBC. The U.S. roster is comprised of the fastest swimmers selected from four meets in 2011 - FINA World Championships, ConocoPhillips National Championships, World University Games and Pan American Games. Additional spots were filled through coach selection. The European All-Star team will be comprised of up to 22 men and 22 women, and has already seen commitments from World Championship swimmers from Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Belarus, Denmark, Austria and Lithuania.

The men's head coach for the Duel in the Pool will be SwimMAC head coach David Marsh while the women will be led by 2008 Women's Olympic Coach and University of Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle.

The bi-annual Duel in the Pool is a made-for-TV event, designed to showcase the sport's most exciting swimmers in a short course meters format. This is the fifth Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool in the history of USA Swimming. Past Duels were held in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. Three of the events pitted all-star teams from the U.S. against Australia and the event in 2009 saw the first competition between the U.S. and the squad of European all-stars. The U.S. is 4-0 in the history of the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool.
Williams Selected For NCAA Academy
Ohio State associate head women’s swimming coach Stefanie Williams is one of 42 participants selected to attend the NCAA’s prestigious Women Coaches Academy (WCA) in Denver December 13-17. During that time, Williams will have the chance to learn from established coaches and experts in a number of areas to enhance their personal and team success, as well as interact with other up-and-coming coaches from all sports and NCAA divisions.

 

The WCA provides skills training for coaches at all levels to assist them in being more efficient, productive, resourceful and successful. The academy is designed for women coaches who are ready and willing to increase their individual effectiveness by learning advanced skills and strategies that directly affect their personal and team success. The participants learn skills that are not sport specific, yet ones that are relevant and necessary for coaching responsibilities, beyond the Xs and Os.

The WCA is designed to give coaches the opportunity to understand their expanding role as a coach, along with perspectives and skills to help them make the most of their situation. In the company and understanding of other coaches, they have the opportunity to talk and listen with others to gain support and learn new tools and strategies.

The first component is the Core Curriculum offered in a five day format. The WCA program is structured into four educational tracks: Philosophy and Fundamentals; Management Skills; Communications Strategies; and Career Development.
Williams is just the second Ohio State coach selected in the 21 previous sessions of the Women Coaches Academy; rowing coach Midge McPhail was a 2004 participant. A four-time NCAA national champion and 24-time All-American at Georgia, Williams originally joined the Buckeyes in June, 2008, as an assistant coach.