By Chris McLaughlin
Taking a larger group into this season, CCSU swimming Coach Bill Ball thinks his improved depth will lead to a better year.
“We want to be better, we know we didn’t have a good year last year but we think we have the depth to get back on track,” said Ball.
Part of the depth comes in the form of five new recruits.
“All five girls are very talented, and I feel that all five will get us points throughout the season,” said Ball.
Of the five new recruits, Ball sees Kasey Chilton and Kellyn Goldberger making immediate impacts.
“Kasey and Kellyn are both extremely talented and have adjusted very quickly,” said Ball.
The other three recruits, Kristina Gulia, Kathryn Kiely and Erin Massey, are all very talented but will have to go through more of a transition.
“Erin, Kathryn, and Kristina all have quite a bit of talent but will have to get adjusted to the volume better. It will be a bit of a transition,” said Ball.
Although the incoming class factors into Coach Ball’s plans of improvement, it will be in the returning class where he expects to see the most. All of his girls have trained extremely hard during the summer, and their improvement is already visible.
“They really got ahead of the game with all the work they’ve put in during the offseason,” Ball said.
Among the girls returning is Taylor Friedmann, who was named both NEC Co-outstanding Swimmer and Co-outstanding Rookie last year.
“Taylor had a really great off-season, she worked really hard and has set herself up for an even bigger year,” said Ball.
The rest of the returning girls have all put in work during the off-season and Coach Ball is excited with what he sees.
“Kaite Lang looks great, Allison Rasile is way ahead of where she was last year, and Jenn O’Leary trained all summer and it shows,” said Ball.
Despite not winning the NEC Title last year, Coach Ball still feels he team has a target on his back.
“Our rivalry with Wagner is still there but now there’s one forming with St. Francis the defending champs. We always have that target on our backs because of our history but it’s not something we really worry about,” said Ball.
In the past 12 years, CCSU Swimming has won 113 individual titles and 26 relay championships. The next closest school is Wagner with just 16 individual titles. CCSU has won almost 50% of all relay and individual titles so that target is something Coach Ball has gotten used to.
“Our conference has gotten better and we have a budding rivalry with St. Francis now that they’ve won the NEC Championship but were used to the competition,” said Ball.
While winning is always the goal in sports, Coach Ball feels that increasing speed is the key to his team’s success.
“As long as everybody gets faster I will feel that we had a successful season,” said Ball.
In the sport of swimming speed and time is very important to the swimmers, possibly just as important as winning.
“Swimming is a very truthful sport. The times determine whether or not we were successful. As long as you’re faster you’re successful. I know our girls could go out and win every meet but if they had slower times than last year they would all be disappointed,” said Ball.
The CCSU Swim Team was voted second in the NEC Coach’s poll and opened their season Oct. 9 at the Annual Pentathlon. The team returns to action on Saturday Oct. 16 when they host Maine in the Jack Suydam Natatorium in Kaiser Hall at 2 p.m.