St. John's University Athletics
2003-04 Swimming Preview
11/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming
While the members of the Red Storm enter the season knowing it will be the last in program history, they also enter with enthusiasm and goals in mind.
"I'm going to approach it like any other year," Skudin said. "We've got mostly everyone back. There were a few, obviously, who decided not to come back, and that will hurt us, as did not recruiting a full class."
"But our goals remain the same as they are every year. How the team does will just happen, but we are always hoping to improve each year, each week. What happens with the team we can't really control, but we can control ourselves."
St. John's will face a tough test this season, as the men's squad lost four key members to graduation and had others transfer.
Senior Michal Szapiel and juniors Marcin Filipowicz and Pawel Sokolowski will be back to lead the way in the freestyle and the sprints. Last year at the 2003 BIG EAST Championships, Szapiel posted a runner-up finish in the 1650 free with a time of 15:32.43 and followed that up with a third place finish in the 500 free with an NCAA B cut time of 4:26.08. Sokolowski broke three school records at the Championships that he had previously set himself. He posted a 20.37 in the 50, 44.28 in the 100, and 1:38.00 in the 200 free.
"We're very strong in our distance freestyle with Michal and Marcin," Skudin said. "In the sprints, we have one of the top in the conference in Pawel and that gives us some confidence there."
The relay teams should be very competitive, but losses in graduation and transfers have hurt the squad. The Red Storm won the 800-relay last year at the BIG EAST Championships and three of the four members of that relay a school record setting team, are back.
"We lost Milos (Cervovic) from that squad," Skudin said, "and he was a big part of it, but they want to defend that title."
In the breaststroke, Skudin is looking for big things from senior Arek Znachowski and newcomer Yuriy Bugayev.
"They're very good in that event," the coach said. "I think they're going to be very competitive in the league."
Skudin also welcomes junior transfer Danilo Krvavac who will swim the backstroke, and freshman sprinter Benardas Velikonis.
In addition, the team will have the services of freshman Andy Cummings (the nephew of Fr. Andy Cummings) also in the backstroke.
"He's a kid I'd love to train for four years," Skudin said, "because you can see that he's really going to develop. He reminds me a lot of Greg Danner (former Red Storm swimmer who developed into one of the best all around swimmers in St. John's histoy). With four years of training, he could really make an impact."
Sophomore Tim Salter will also compete in the backstroke and junior David Harrow and freshman Yusef Sleem will compete in the sprints.
On the women's side, Skudin welcomes back nearly every swimmer from last year's squad and is hoping to see consistent improvement from this group.
"We're a good team," Skudin said. "It's probably one of the better teams we've ever had here.
"Laura Nuudi will be back competing as a graduate student, and she's a great all-around swimmer, and Beth Malinowski is primed for a great senior year."
Last year, Nuudi and Malinowski played integral parts in the teams success both individual and on the relay teams. Nuudi was a member of the record breaking 200 free relay team and 400-medley relay team. Malinowski has been strong for the Red Storm in the distant events throughout her career holding the SJU record in the 1000 and 1650 free and is member of the record holding 800 free relay team.
Another senior, Michelle Kurtz, will challenge in the breaststroke, while classmate Darinka Savcic will compete in the middle distance and freestyle.
Six sophomores who enjoyed solid initial seasons last year should provide the backbone for the team.
Junior Adi Segal broke the school record in the 200-fly, while sophomore Gosia Rodzik set a new school record in the 100-fly in 58.48.
Caitlin Rainey will be back in the sprint free, Jenny Brunette and Amanda Test will compete in the breaststroke. Christine Myers, who was part of a 200-free relay team that took ninth at BIG EAST, will be back in the individual medley. In addition, Lisa Molinaro and Maya Ziolkowski are expected to contribute in the free and back, respectivelty.
Juniors Erika Carbajal and Simone Foo will add depth in the sprints.
A pair of freshmen, Annette Hoye, from Norway, and Long Island native Jennifer Nucci, who is from the same club as former Red Storm standout Melissa Kolacovsky, will compete in the breast and the sprints, respectively.
While the team enters the season with a different feeling from the past, the hope for accomplishments and record-breaking swims does not end.
"It's a weird season," Skudin admits. "It's a year where everyone is a senior and it's everyone's last year, no matter what."
"They can rise to the occasion, and grab the bull by the horns or they can just watch it go by. If I know this team, we're in for a great ride."
