Sept. 4, 2008
NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion has released the men's and women's swimming and diving schedule for the upcoming 2008-09 season. Along with Colonial Athletic Association members, the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs will compete against George Washington, College of Charleston, Stevens Tech, Army, and American. Also included on the schedule are the Davidson College Invitational and Coral Springs College Invitational.
The squads will kick-off the 2008-09 season with the annual Blue/Gray Intrasquad meet on October 4th. The dual meet season gets underway with CAA rival William & Mary on October 18th in Williamsburg.
Following the meet with the Tribe, the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs will travel to the campus of James Madison to compete against several members of the CAA on October 31st and November 1st. The men's squad will square off against Drexel and William & Mary, while the women's team will take on the Dukes, as well as Northeastern, Drexel, and William & Mary.
The Old Dominion men's and women's swimming and diving teams will take to the pool for its first invitational meet November 21-23rd in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Davidson Invitational.
The Monarchs and Lady Monarchs final meet of the fall semester will be against George Washington on December 6th.
Before breaking for the holidays, the teams will travel to Florida for its annual training trip to Coral Springs. While in the Sunshine State, the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs will take to the pool competing in the Coral Springs College Invitational.
Returning to campus for the start of the 2009 spring semester, Old Dominion will take part in five meets in the month of January. The New Year kicks off with the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs taking on UNC-Wilmington, the defending CAA men's champions, on January 17th, followed by College of Charleston on January 17th, and Stevens Tech on January 23rd. Old Dominion will then travel north to New York for a quad-meet with Army, American, and George Mason on January 24th.
The dual meet portion of the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs' schedule will come to a close against CAA member Towson, the defending CAA women's champions, on January 31st.
The CAA Championship will take place February 25th-28th in Fairfax, Virginia on the campus of George Mason University.
The Monarchs captured a perfect 10-0 dual meet record a year ago. Among the returnees on the men's side include All-CAA performers sophomore Mikael Ramkvist (Bjarred/Sk Lodde, Sweden), senior Johan Lundberg (Fjaras, Sweden), and junior Chad Gangwer (Va. Beach, Va.). Ramkvist, Lundberg, and Gangwer all earned all-conference accolades in four events last season. Ramkvist picked up honors in the 100 and 200 back, as well as with the 400 and 800 free relay squads. Lundberg's All-CAA recognition came in the 200 breast and 200 individual medley, along with the 200 and 400 medley relay teams. Gangwer was named all-conference for his performances in the 200 free, as well as with the 400 and 800 free relay squads and 400 medley relay team. Lundberg and Gangwer were both members of the 400 medley relay team that placed second at the CAA Championship setting a new school record.
Last season the Lady Monarchs finished with a 7-5 dual meet record placing eighth at the CAA Championship. Among the returnees on the women's side include sophomore April Barrientos (Va. Beach, Va.) as well as three of the four members of the school record breaking 200 medley relay team. Barrientos earned All-CAA honors for her 100 back performance at the 2008 CAA Championships, breaking the Lady Monarch record for the third time last season. Barrientos was also a member of the 200 medley relay squad, which also featured sophomore Hannah Kess (Windsor, Canada) and junior Elizaveta Moiseeva (Moscow, Russia), which broke the eight-year old school record.