Fourth straight win comes against Hamilton

Author: Jake Cohen

The Middlebury swim and dive team successfully added yet another victory to its resume on Jan. 19, with both the men's and women's teams convincingly defeating Hamilton College to give each squad their fifth win of the season.

This meet was particularly important because of its timing - as the first competition after a training week in Florida, it serves as the mid-season performance barometer. "Beating Hamilton was a huge win for us," said captain Robbie Burton '08. "It just goes to show that we have a lot of potential for the NESCACs and that we are in a great position for the rest of the season."

The win caps a four-meet win streak after a tough loss to Amherst in the second competition of the season. Patrick Burton '10 has been impressed with the team's ability to bounce back from that loss. "We have all been training really hard and swimming even harder" he said. The performance this weekend speaks for itself.

Five Middlebury athletes qualified in individual events for the national competition in March against Hamilton. John Dillon '10 set a pool record and made the 'B' cut in the 200-yard butterfly, which makes him a likely national competitor. Catherine Suppan '09 also made the 'B' cut for the 100-yard backstroke by swimming a remarkable first leg in the 400-yard medley relay. Perennial powerhouse Marika Ross '08 made her mark once again by setting a pool record in the 200-yard fly and making the 'A' cut, which gives her a guaranteed spot at nationals. Divers Alanna Hanson '08 and Brooke Siem '08 also qualified for nationals in the one-meter platform.

Two dark horse candidates showed their true potential against Hamilton. Pam Chatikavanij '08 dominated the 100-yard freestyle and barely missed making the 'B' cut. On the men's side, Zach Woods '09 swam one of his fastest times ever in the 100-yard backstroke and beat Hamilton's Todd Johnson, one of the best backstrokers in the NESCAC conference.

Ryan Marklewitz '11 has continued to raise the bar in his rookie season. He won both grueling distance events, the 500 and 1000-yard freestyles, and is quickly climbing the ranks of notable NESCAC distance swimmers. Said captain Burton of this pivotal performance, "Marklewitz absolutely held down. He won both distance events and had his overall best times of the season."

The win against Hamilton was obviously an important one. Not only did everyone swim as if they had suddenly grown fins for the weekend, they seemed to win almost effortlessly. "We felt great out there," said Katie Remington '10. "We were winning and having a lot of fun doing it."

The Panthers finished the meet with a Patriots-esque aura of inevitability. If this win is any indication of what the rest of the season has in store, the swim team is one to keep your eye on. Next weekend Middlebury takes on Union College at home, followed by a road trip to Williamstown, Mass. to take on the Ephs, last year's NESCAC champions, in what will surely be a close competition. NESCAC competitors beware: Middlebury is hungry for victory and ready to win.