Predictions

[timetoswimnow]

Now that the season is underway and everyone has had at least one meet, what are some end of season predictions? Has anything changed from before the season started? Drury still looks strong as always, can anyone challenge them?

[allgunsblazing]

Now that the season is underway and everyone has had at least one meet, what are some end of season predictions? Has anything changed from before the season started? Drury still looks strong as always, can anyone challenge them?

Actually, I think Drury is a lot weaker right now than they have been in that past. That could very well change come second semester, but if this was all they had in March they would not win. Most likely their second semester team will be good enough to win though.

Missouri S&T, UCSD, Incarnate Word, and Henderson all look quite strong right now. We'll see how they do come championship season. It's hard to make predictions off just a couple duel meets. Teams have different training styles and set their seasons up differently, so just because somebody looks great now doesn't mean they'll be in the mix come March and just because a team isn't blowing the doors off everybody doesn't mean you should write them off. Add in the second semester additions and it's dang near impossible to make any kind of accurate prediction. First semester is basically preseason.

[DivIISwimmer]

Now that the season is underway and everyone has had at least one meet, what are some end of season predictions? Has anything changed from before the season started? Drury still looks strong as always, can anyone challenge them?

I agree with you timetoswimnow. Drury is not looking the same team that won the past 4 NCAA championships. Now, UIW, HSU, WAYNE, UCSD and UINDY are looking strong for the beggining of the season.
I am sure that OBU, MS&T and DRURY will come up with something for the second semester championships.
As for right now my prediction for nationals is:

1- UIW
2- UCSD
3- DRURY
4- MS&T
5- WAYNE
6- UINDY
7- OBU
8- HSU
9- GVSU
10- AU

[timetoswimnow]

After doing a little research, it appears many of the top 10 teams from last year are not nearly as strong as they were in March 2009. Wayne State, S&T, and Tampa look good but don't have many new swimmers. This hurts WSU the most since they lost so much last year. Not taking into account who may join at the semester, so far it appears to me the most impressive teams are:

1.Drury (still very fast and very deep)
2.S&T (still very fast, but 0 good freshmen)
3.HSU (very good freshman class)
4.OBU (very fast but no depth. Radu and Silva can't carry this team)
5.Indianapolis (again, fast but not deep. kogel is a beast)
6. UIW (great distance freestylers)

OBU went to missouri and swam Drury and S&T this weekend. Thats a tough back to back schedule.

I havent seen results from all teams (UCSD, Wingate, Clarion are always fast). And Lewis University has 2 stud distance guys but thats it.

[timetoswimnow]

Now that the season is underway and everyone has had at least one meet, what are some end of season predictions? Has anything changed from before the season started? Drury still looks strong as always, can anyone challenge them?

I agree with you timetoswimnow. Drury is not looking the same team that won the past 4 NCAA championships. Now, UIW, HSU, WAYNE, UCSD and UINDY are looking strong for the beggining of the season.
I am sure that OBU, MS&T and DRURY will come up with something for the second semester championships.
As for right now my prediction for nationals is:

1- UIW
2- UCSD
3- DRURY
4- MS&T
5- WAYNE
6- UINDY
7- OBU
8- HSU
9- GVSU
10- AU

WOW! Thats a bold prediction for UIW to win it all and Drury at 3. While I agree Drury doesn't look nearly as strong as previous years, I don't see anyone that can challenge their depth yet. Again, I agree this is difficult because you never know what additions will be made second semester. Based on what I have seen so far HSU would have to be ahead of OBU, Drury is still #1, and Wingate should be top 10

[Holmes]

My how quickly they forget! Drury will have Bilov back at semester and when the other 3 newcomers get cleared everyone will "wonder" where they came from. UIW is very strong on the top end as is Wingate. Those will be the 2 newcomers to the podium this year. Look for S&T, UCSD, and Wayne to battle for the hardware.

[timetoswimnow]

My how quickly they forget! Drury will have Bilov back at semester and when the other 3 newcomers get cleared everyone will "wonder" where they came from. UIW is very strong on the top end as is Wingate. Those will be the 2 newcomers to the podium this year. Look for S&T, UCSD, and Wayne to battle for the hardware.

Why is Bilov not swimming first semester? Who else does Drury have coming in? Theres no point keeping it a secret, there really is no threat to their title this year. I would have to say UCSD will be ahead of UIW and Wingate though.

[allgunsblazing]

After doing a little research, it appears many of the top 10 teams from last year are not nearly as strong as they were in March 2009. Wayne State, S&T, and Tampa look good but don't have many new swimmers. This hurts WSU the most since they lost so much last year. Not taking into account who may join at the semester, so far it appears to me the most impressive teams are:

1.Drury (still very fast and very deep)
2.S&T (still very fast, but 0 good freshmen)
3.HSU (very good freshman class)
4.OBU (very fast but no depth. Radu and Silva can't carry this team)
5.Indianapolis (again, fast but not deep. kogel is a beast)
6. UIW (great distance freestylers)

OBU went to missouri and swam Drury and S&T this weekend. Thats a tough back to back schedule.

I havent seen results from all teams (UCSD, Wingate, Clarion are always fast). And Lewis University has 2 stud distance guys but thats it.

Missouri S&T is the deepest team in the country as of right now. Grooms is a great coach and really has a good thing going in Rolla. I don't think they will quite have the fire power to win nationals, but they will be in the mix for 2nd. Schranck just keeps getting better and I think Trowbridge will really step up and swim well at nationals this year. They'll probably get top 8 on all 5 relays and be top 3 on at least a couple. If their second tier guys step up then they are gonna be very tough to beat.

Henderson does look very good right now. They brought in a great class and will definitely be a top 10 team this year. Interrante is a stud and James will do well in the backstroke and I.M. events, as well as really helping their relays out. Obviously, Grant Beahan is a complete stud and should do even better this year than last. They also have a decent amount of young sprinters that could step up and do some damage on relays. I think the one thing that might hurt Henderson is that they are very deep in sprint freestyle, which are toughest events to score in at nationals. It's great for the relays though. It will interesting to see of Valery Ladrat will return to the form he had in Indianapolis. If he does, then their medley relays could be very, very good. I think having them 3rd might be a bit high, but they will definitely be top 10 and challenge for a top 5 position.

In regards to OBU, they have the fastest 100 freestyler in the country so far, and his name is not Radu Badalac. They also have 3 of the top 8 200 breaststrokers in the country so far and none of them have the last name of Silva or Badalac. On top of that, I believe they have the fastest Medley relays, the fastest 200 free relay, and the second fastest 400 free relay. Unless Silva and Badalac swam two legs a piece (you never know, they are studs), then I'd say they have a little more depth than you are giving them credit for. I'm not saying they are gonna win nationals or anything, but saying that they only have Badalac and Silva is a bit misleading. They'll be in the mix for top 5.

UIW has some big time studs. Chede and Yatsko are gonna do some serious damage in the distance events and their 800 free relay should be great. Belousov also seems to be a very good IMer. The question is what will the rest of their guys do. Cardenas swam very well last year and should be top 8 in 200 and score in the 500. Blake McKay swam very well last year and even got engaged during the meet, so if he is on form they will get individual points from him. They have some other potential scorers that could step up and make them a very strong team. I've also heard they have quite the diving contingent. I think they'll land somewhere in the top 5, depending on how their second tier guys do.


Anybody know anything about Wingate? Haven't seen anything about them so far. Based upon last year I would think they will be in the top 5 mix also.

[allgunsblazing]

My how quickly they forget! Drury will have Bilov back at semester and when the other 3 newcomers get cleared everyone will "wonder" where they came from. UIW is very strong on the top end as is Wingate. Those will be the 2 newcomers to the podium this year. Look for S&T, UCSD, and Wayne to battle for the hardware.

Why is Bilov not swimming first semester? Who else does Drury have coming in? Theres no point keeping it a secret, there really is no threat to their title this year. I would have to say UCSD will be ahead of UIW and Wingate though.

Bilov is academically ineligible. Should be back for second semester though. Drury has a very fast distance swimmer that might be coming in at semester.

I don't think anybody is forgetting anything. Everybody knows that 1st semester Drury, and second semester Drury are two totally different teams. Any what's wrong with wondering where they came from? I like learning about other cultures.

[Loki]

Look out for Ashland people. Two weeks ago, they beat both Wayne State and Indianapolis. It wasn't close. I still think that Drury, Missouri S and T, UIW, UCSD, HSU and Wingate are the DII powers right now, but Ashland will be in the mix at the end and competing for hardware.

[Holmes]

Drury has a couple of guys listed on their roster that are very talented just haven't gotten thru the clearinghouse yet. Is that what is going on with the Spaniard at Wayne? S&T does not have enough studs to make an impact on the top 3. The way D-II Swimming has developed of late requires big time studs to make top 8 points! Wingate, UCSD and UIW have studs which is why I see them making a move this season.

[Water is Wetter]

Drury has a couple of guys listed on their roster that are very talented just haven't gotten thru the clearinghouse yet. Is that what is going on with the Spaniard at Wayne? S&T does not have enough studs to make an impact on the top 3. The way D-II Swimming has developed of late requires big time studs to make top 8 points! Wingate, UCSD and UIW have studs which is why I see them making a move this season.

And exactly which "big time studs" did they lose from a team that placed 3rd last year? Not a single top 8 place, if I'm not missing anything.

[Holmes]

They didn't lose any but other teams appear to have added lots of firepower. Depth isn't nearly as important as 4-5 years ago....

[timetoswimnow]

They didn't lose any but other teams appear to have added lots of firepower. Depth isn't nearly as important as 4-5 years ago....

Exactly.

The way I see it, the teams are in three groups: teams that stayed the same, got better, or got worse (not exactly rocket science, i know).

Stayed the same:
Drury (Lost a lot but brought in a lot too)
S&T (still very fast, but where are the freshmen??)
OBU (freshman balance out those that graduated)
UCSD??

Got Better:
UIW (Should own the distance events)
HSU (Can freshmen carry this team? )
Lewis (Distance studs but not much else)
Ashland (Looking good so far, good win over WSU)

Got Worse:
WSU (Graduated most of the swimmers that scored in Houston)
Indianapolis? (or stayed the same)
Tampa (Still have distance guys but do they have a breaststroker)

Not enough information yet:
Wingate
Clarion
GVSU

[DivIISwimmer]

Wayne State and Drury are no swimming right now with the same team they will have for conference and nationals.....They both are bringing big time studs for the second part of the year. It has already became an every year thing for Drury and WSU to bring swimmers for only a semester and then ship them back to wherever they come from.

Wingate brough in a good freshman class and also an all american from WSU Veiga. They also have Chagas coming back for his Senior year. Maybe he will repeat his freshaman year performance when he won the 200 free at nats.

UIW has a good distance group but I would not overlook their mid-distance and sprint group. Coach Davis did recruit a very fast fresh class coming in. They are also bringing some studs for the second semester championships.

Tampa even with the lost of hertland still have Olinger and now Sereda tranfering from DSU. They will still be top 10 at nats. They now have a strong fly and IM but a weak breast. We need to agree that TAMPA does an excellent job for a team with only 1 athletic scholarship.

Missouri S&T didn't have an fast start this season like the others seasons but we all know that Doug will get them ready for the meets that really matters. They will win conference like they have done for the past 4 years and will be top 5 at nationals.....their depth counts a lot....