Last weekend the Ohio University Aquatic Center hosted the Men's Mid-American Conference Championships. Ohio placed a much-deserved 3rd place out of 5 highly competitive teams.
From 2001 to 2005, the Bobcats have placed 6th, 5th, 5th, 4th and 4th respectively during this final meet of their season. This past weekend the Bobcats improved to an even better place of 3rd place. On March 6, I read the article about the men's results titled Bobcats sink to 3rd at MAC Championships. My first impression when reading this was awkward because I actually attended the meet and didn't notice any sinking. In fact, after the first day of events the Bobcats were in 4th place, then improved to 3rd throughout Friday and Saturday.
To my knowledge, the men's team, with the majority of the team being freshmen, has experienced difficulties with obtaining scholarships from the university. Even with a decline in scholarships, Greg Werner, head coach of the swimming and diving team, has been able to draw in a large recruiting class.
Although many might think such recruitment is excellent, which it is, it is quite difficult to make the change from a high school swimmer to a collegiate swimmer ... like in every other collegiate sport. There is more of a commitment, tougher academics, pressure from coaches and the university and finally a more competitive level. The Bobcats were coming into the MAC championship coming off of a dual meet tie with rivals Ball State, who finished 4th. Having the ability to overcome such a strong team and earning more points with surprising success of younger swimmers should be commended ... not sunk.
While I may be slightly biased with my large affiliation to aquatics, I do not agree with such a title to an article about an outstanding performance this past weekend. While the women's squad has been more successful then the men either placing 2nd or 3rd in their MAC Championships in past years, the men have continued with improvement year after year.
At more of a conference setting, the men's MAC only has five teams. In past years, men's teams such as Bowling Green, Akron and Toledo were forced to drop their programs slowly due to financial issues. Werner and the Bobcats have displayed a tradition of being highly competitive.
This past weekend, the men's squad did not sink to a 3rd place in the MAC Championships; rather they improved their status in the conference and in the national setting. For those who attended the meet this past weekend, you know exactly what I'm talking about. A come-from-behind victory with several triumphs coming from underclassmen and a heightened program with a great look at a successful future should be the impression I am getting from this article.
Instead of Bobcats sink to 3rd at MAC Championships I would change it to Bobcats sink close rivals in a route to 3rd at MAC Championships.
- Michael Jones is a senior political science and history major.
17 Archives
Letter to the Editor
