Swimming & Diving Opens Season Oct. 14
10/11/2000 4:16:35 PM | Swimming / Diving
The diving portion of the meet will begin at 9 a.m., while the swimming starts at noon.
Head swim coach Lou Walker is in his 25th year coaching the Orangewomen, who have compiled a 142-83-3 record under his tutelage. Walker has served as the head mens swimming coach at Syracuse for the past 21 years and the Orangemen are 137-70-1 during that time.
Walker and his staff welcome back 10 letterwinners on the mens side and 11 letterwinners from the womens team. The Orangemen return eight point scorers from the 2000 BIG EAST Conference Swimming and Diving Championship, including junior Djordje Filipovic (Belgrade, Yugoslavia) and senior Josko Vucetic (Split, Croatia).
Filipovic has won four BIG EAST individual titles during his career at Syracuse. Last season, he won the 200 butterfly with a school-record time of 1:47.71. He also captured the 200 individual medley title. Vucetic has three BIG EAST championships under his belt and was the 100 and 200 backstroke champion a year ago. In 1999, Vucetic was the BIG EAST champion in the 100 backstroke.
The Orangewomen welcome back seven BIG EAST point scorers from the 2000 championship meet, including senior Eleanor Thoet (Bath, ME), who turned in a fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle. The coaching staff has high hopes for sophomore Jennifer Jonusaitis (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada), who placed fourth in the consolation final (12th overall) of the 200 breaststroke at the BIG EAST Championship last season.
Syracuses diving unit will be led this year by junior Adam Earle (Camillus, NY), senior Sara Mastropole (Milford, CT) and sophomore Julie Van Deusen (Bear, DE).
The first home meet for the SU swimming and diving team will be Saturday, October 21, against Seton Hall at Webster Pool. Once again, the diving portion of the meet will begin at 9 a.m. and the swimming will commence at noon. The Orange host Pittsburgh the following Saturday, October 28.
