Oct. 1, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. -- Come take a sneak peak at your 2010-11 ODU swimming & diving teams as they kick off the season with the annual Blue/Gray Intrasquad Meet on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the J.C. Scrap Chandler Pool in the student recreation center.
The Old Dominion men's swimming & diving team finished last season fourth at the 2010 CAA Championships and concluded the season with a 7-1 mark.
Returning for water for the Monarchs this season include a pair of All-CAA honorees in junior Arni Arnason (Msfellsbaer, Iceland) and senior Mikael Ramkvist (Bjarred, Sweden).
Arnason picked up two all-conference honors in the 100 and 200 breast. The 200 breast saw Arnason crowned the men's champion for the second straight year as he swam his way to an NCAA "B" cut time. In the 100 breast, he placed second in the event with a another "B" cut time. Arnason has picked up nine All-CAA honors in his career with the Monarchs.
Ramkvist won the 200 back as the Monarch won the event. It was Ramkvist's second All-CAA honor in the 200 back bringing his total to eight all-conference accolades during his career with Old Dominion.
On the boards, ODU will once again look to senior David Skorupa (Richmond, Va.).
Captaining the 2010-11 Monarchs are junior breaststroke/freestyler Ryan Peart (Fort Washington, Pa.) along with Skorupa and Ramkvist.
Last season, the Old Dominion women's swimming and diving team finished sixth at the 2010 CAA Swimming & Diving Championships and ended the season with a 5-5 mark.
Among those returning to the pool for the Lady Monarchs are junior Erla Haraldsdottir (Njardvik, Iceland) and senior April Barrientos (Va. Beach, Va.).
Last season Haraldsdottir picked up five All-CAA honors for her performances in the 100 and 200 breast, 200 individual medley, and as a member of the 200 and 400 medley relay squads.
Haraldsdottir earned up all-conference honors in the 100 and 200 breast, 200 individual medley, and as a member of the 200 and 400 medley relay squads. Her individual events saw the Lady Monarch claim three NCAA "B" cut times and three ODU records.
Barrientos, a two-time CAA 100 back champion, was named all-conference in three events.
During the prelims of the 100 back at the CAA Championships, Barrientos set a new CAA and ODU record with a time of 54.75, while she took the top spot with a time of 54.96 and a NCAA "B" cut time in the finals. She was also bestowed All-CAA honors for performance as the lead in the both the 200 and 400 medley relay.
Also returning to the water is junior Emma Forbes (Peekskill, N.Y.), who garnered All-CAA honors as the anchor member of the 200 and 400 medley relay squads. The 200 medley relay team saw Forbes and her teammates post not only an NCAA "B" cut time, but also collect the second fastest time in the Lady Monarch record books. The 400 medley relay team that Forbes was a part of managed to reset the ODU benchmark.
On the boards, the Lady Monarchs return senior Kelsey Thompson (Chesapeake, Va.), as well as sophomore Megan Dross (Oakton, Va.), sophomore Haley Kaehler (Vienna, Va.), and senior Nicole Kranyak (Clifton, Va.).
Captains for the 2010-11 ODU women's squad are senior Lauren Fiskus (Yorktown, Va.), who swims in both breaststroke and individual medley events for the Lady Monarchs, and Barrientos.
The Old Dominion men's and women's swimming and diving squads open up the regular season next Saturday. The men will take on nine-time CAA champion, UNC-Wilmington, while the women compete against the Seahawks, as well as the University of Richmond.