Colorado State University Athletics
Swimming & diving preview: CSU closes fall season with invitational
11/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Nov. 19, 2014
Georgia Tech Invitational
Georgia Tech Invitational
Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 20-22
Meet Notes | Schedule | Live Swimming Results | Live Diving Results
CSU CLOSES FALL SEASON WITH GEORGIA TECH INVITATIONAL
After a week break, the Colorado State Rams will jump in the water one last time during the fall season, traveling to Atlanta, Ga., for the Georgia Tech Invitational. The Rams are expecting a challenging weekend, including some of the top teams in the country during the three-day invitational, which begins Thursday.
On the swimming side, 12 teams will compete – Arkansas, Bowling Green, Campbell, CSU, Indian River, No. 11 Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami and Vanderbilt. Eight teams – Auburn, CSU, Clemson, College of Charleston, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tulane and Utah – will be represented on the boards.
Several events will take place each day, with prelims beginning at 8 a.m. MT, and finals starting at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. A complete schedule can be found here.
RAMS DOMINATE AGGIES IN DUAL MEET VICTORY
After showing strong performances during the first few weeks of the season, the Colorado State swimming & diving program put it all together on Nov. 8, handily beating New Mexico State, 180-117, at Moby Pool.
“It felt good to see strong performances all across the board,” Head Coach Christopher Woodard said. “I think we saw the type of team we’re capable of being.”
The Rams, now 3-3, won 11 of the first 12, to take a commanding lead. In total, five athletes won eight of the individual swimming events. Junior Cristina Bassani (100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke), freshman Katie Kicklighter (50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle) and junior Jessica Shepard (100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke) each won both of their specialty events.
The freshmen yet again showed to be a driving force for the Rams with Katie Kicklighter winning two events fellow classmates Colleen Olson (200 Freestyle) and Hailey Spratte (1000 Freestyle) earned their first collegiate victories.
“I think today can be a shot in the arm for them to see that they’re still performing well, despite being really tired,” said Woodard.
MILONE MAKING HER MARK
An all-conference performer a year ago, junior Ariana Milone has made it a habit of earning points for the Rams on the boards. Nothing compared to her Nov. 8 meet against New Mexico State, however. Milone’s 3-Meter score of 322.50 was a personal best and the second-best performer in school history. The school record of 324.16 was set in 2002. In the 1-Meter event, Milone was just a few points from a career high, scoring 288.45, the fifth-highest score in CSU history.
KICKLIGHTER MAKING A SPLASH
Just a true freshman, Katie Kicklighter is making an immediate impact for the Rams. In her collegiate debut, she won both of her individual events (50 Freestyle, 23.41; 100 Freestyle, 51.60). She currently holds the fifth- and fourth-fastest times, respectively, in the Mountain West, and the top times on the team. She is also part of each of CSU’s fastest relay teams.
“She is going to be a key contributor throughout her career here, maybe even moreso than we thought,” Woodard said. “She is highly motivated in her events and she is definitely a force to be reckoned with.”
While Kicklighter has been exceptional, CSU’s entire freshman class has been very solid. Colleen Olson holds the team’s top mark in the 200 Freestyle, Gianna Salanitro in the 500 Freestyle and Hailey Spratte in the 1000 Freestyle.
SHEPARD PACES RAMS VS. WYOMING
Jessica Shepard was one of the bright spots in the Rams’ home opener vs. Wyoming on Oct. 24. The junior had the team’s lone first-place finish, winning the 100 Backstroke (57.05). Additionally, Shepard finished second in the 200 Backstroke (2:06.86) and 200 IM (2:10.49), earning 17 points in her three individual events. She currently holds the team’s fastest marks in the 100 and 200 Backstroke events.
“Jess trains very well, and you would not expect her to have this killer instinct that she has,” Woodard said. “She swam very smart in her races today.”
SEASON OUTLOOK
The Colorado State swimming & diving team has nothing but good vibes coming into the 2014-15 season. For the first time in four years, the Rams are coming off a winning dual-meet season. Add that to a lineup which returns more than 80 percent of its letterwinners, and CSU has placed expectations upon itself to be a driving force in the Mountain West.
“I am very optimistic about this year.” Woodard said. “We have the sophomore class that knows what to expect and how to compete at this level, and they are a great compliment to our upperclassmen. We also have very capable freshmen.”
ON THE BOARDS
The Rams also return a tremendous group of divers. Led by junior Ariana Milone and senior Melissa Bollig – who both scored at last season’s conference championship meet – the talented group of divers is expected to carry the program to another successful season.
“Once again, our diving team will be among the best in the conference,” Woodard said. “Ari is our strongest diver, and she’ll steal a lot of first places, which helps our team win dual meets and puts points on the board for us. Our diving team is very experienced and strong.”
Milone finished fifth in the 1-meter diving event at the Mountain West Championships last February, the Rams’ highest finish. She also earned ninth place on the 3-meter springboard, while Bollig placed eighth in the 1-meter event.
Those two, in addition to Paige Greely and Mary Kate Hardy, qualified for NCAA Zones in 2013-14, the most represented by CSU in more than a decade and tied for the most in the Mountain West.
VETERAN AND SKILLED LINEUP
In addition the strong diving group and veteran presence, the Rams are also optimistic because of their balance.
“We have a much more-rounded team this year,” Woodard said. “Megan Lloyd is a force in the Mountain West and Karin Roh, our freestyler, has really come into her own and is extremely motivated this year. Jessica Shepard and Tess Simpson are also lynch pins to what we do. They have a lot of diversity, and they know how to swim tough.”
Shepard earned All-Mountain West honors last year, finishing fifth in the 100 Backstroke, while Simpson placed 10th in the 100 Breaststroke.
Woodard and his staff added seven freshmen to its roster this year, highlighted by four Colorado athletes and High School All-American Katie Kicklighter.
“I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen from our freshmen,” Woodard said. “They’re clicking well, and I expect them to make an immediate impact for us. They understand what it means to be Ram tough.”
UP NEXT
Following an extended break for the fall season, CSU will continue its competition season on Jan. 18, a home meet against New Mexico.
Meet Notes | Schedule | Live Swimming Results | Live Diving Results
CSU CLOSES FALL SEASON WITH GEORGIA TECH INVITATIONAL
After a week break, the Colorado State Rams will jump in the water one last time during the fall season, traveling to Atlanta, Ga., for the Georgia Tech Invitational. The Rams are expecting a challenging weekend, including some of the top teams in the country during the three-day invitational, which begins Thursday.
On the swimming side, 12 teams will compete – Arkansas, Bowling Green, Campbell, CSU, Indian River, No. 11 Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami and Vanderbilt. Eight teams – Auburn, CSU, Clemson, College of Charleston, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tulane and Utah – will be represented on the boards.
Several events will take place each day, with prelims beginning at 8 a.m. MT, and finals starting at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. A complete schedule can be found here.
RAMS DOMINATE AGGIES IN DUAL MEET VICTORY
After showing strong performances during the first few weeks of the season, the Colorado State swimming & diving program put it all together on Nov. 8, handily beating New Mexico State, 180-117, at Moby Pool.
“It felt good to see strong performances all across the board,” Head Coach Christopher Woodard said. “I think we saw the type of team we’re capable of being.”
The Rams, now 3-3, won 11 of the first 12, to take a commanding lead. In total, five athletes won eight of the individual swimming events. Junior Cristina Bassani (100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke), freshman Katie Kicklighter (50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle) and junior Jessica Shepard (100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke) each won both of their specialty events.
The freshmen yet again showed to be a driving force for the Rams with Katie Kicklighter winning two events fellow classmates Colleen Olson (200 Freestyle) and Hailey Spratte (1000 Freestyle) earned their first collegiate victories.
“I think today can be a shot in the arm for them to see that they’re still performing well, despite being really tired,” said Woodard.
MILONE MAKING HER MARK
An all-conference performer a year ago, junior Ariana Milone has made it a habit of earning points for the Rams on the boards. Nothing compared to her Nov. 8 meet against New Mexico State, however. Milone’s 3-Meter score of 322.50 was a personal best and the second-best performer in school history. The school record of 324.16 was set in 2002. In the 1-Meter event, Milone was just a few points from a career high, scoring 288.45, the fifth-highest score in CSU history.
KICKLIGHTER MAKING A SPLASH
Just a true freshman, Katie Kicklighter is making an immediate impact for the Rams. In her collegiate debut, she won both of her individual events (50 Freestyle, 23.41; 100 Freestyle, 51.60). She currently holds the fifth- and fourth-fastest times, respectively, in the Mountain West, and the top times on the team. She is also part of each of CSU’s fastest relay teams.
“She is going to be a key contributor throughout her career here, maybe even moreso than we thought,” Woodard said. “She is highly motivated in her events and she is definitely a force to be reckoned with.”
While Kicklighter has been exceptional, CSU’s entire freshman class has been very solid. Colleen Olson holds the team’s top mark in the 200 Freestyle, Gianna Salanitro in the 500 Freestyle and Hailey Spratte in the 1000 Freestyle.
SHEPARD PACES RAMS VS. WYOMING
Jessica Shepard was one of the bright spots in the Rams’ home opener vs. Wyoming on Oct. 24. The junior had the team’s lone first-place finish, winning the 100 Backstroke (57.05). Additionally, Shepard finished second in the 200 Backstroke (2:06.86) and 200 IM (2:10.49), earning 17 points in her three individual events. She currently holds the team’s fastest marks in the 100 and 200 Backstroke events.
“Jess trains very well, and you would not expect her to have this killer instinct that she has,” Woodard said. “She swam very smart in her races today.”
SEASON OUTLOOK
The Colorado State swimming & diving team has nothing but good vibes coming into the 2014-15 season. For the first time in four years, the Rams are coming off a winning dual-meet season. Add that to a lineup which returns more than 80 percent of its letterwinners, and CSU has placed expectations upon itself to be a driving force in the Mountain West.
“I am very optimistic about this year.” Woodard said. “We have the sophomore class that knows what to expect and how to compete at this level, and they are a great compliment to our upperclassmen. We also have very capable freshmen.”
ON THE BOARDS
The Rams also return a tremendous group of divers. Led by junior Ariana Milone and senior Melissa Bollig – who both scored at last season’s conference championship meet – the talented group of divers is expected to carry the program to another successful season.
“Once again, our diving team will be among the best in the conference,” Woodard said. “Ari is our strongest diver, and she’ll steal a lot of first places, which helps our team win dual meets and puts points on the board for us. Our diving team is very experienced and strong.”
Milone finished fifth in the 1-meter diving event at the Mountain West Championships last February, the Rams’ highest finish. She also earned ninth place on the 3-meter springboard, while Bollig placed eighth in the 1-meter event.
Those two, in addition to Paige Greely and Mary Kate Hardy, qualified for NCAA Zones in 2013-14, the most represented by CSU in more than a decade and tied for the most in the Mountain West.
VETERAN AND SKILLED LINEUP
In addition the strong diving group and veteran presence, the Rams are also optimistic because of their balance.
“We have a much more-rounded team this year,” Woodard said. “Megan Lloyd is a force in the Mountain West and Karin Roh, our freestyler, has really come into her own and is extremely motivated this year. Jessica Shepard and Tess Simpson are also lynch pins to what we do. They have a lot of diversity, and they know how to swim tough.”
Shepard earned All-Mountain West honors last year, finishing fifth in the 100 Backstroke, while Simpson placed 10th in the 100 Breaststroke.
Woodard and his staff added seven freshmen to its roster this year, highlighted by four Colorado athletes and High School All-American Katie Kicklighter.
“I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen from our freshmen,” Woodard said. “They’re clicking well, and I expect them to make an immediate impact for us. They understand what it means to be Ram tough.”
UP NEXT
Following an extended break for the fall season, CSU will continue its competition season on Jan. 18, a home meet against New Mexico.
Players Mentioned
Breaststroke, Butterfly, IM
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