Villanova Olympian could spoil Senior Day for Orangewomen, men have easier road
After three rough Big East outings, the last thing the Syracuse swimming and diving team wants to do is compete against an Olympian.
But that’s exactly what it’ll do against Villanova on Saturday at noon at Webster Pool.
Villanova senior Maddy Crippen finished sixth in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2000 Olympics. She and the rest of the Wildcats will make SU’s final meet before the Big East Championships one of the season’s most challenging.
This is the third home dual meet in as many weeks for Syracuse, which lost to Connecticut on Jan. 25 and split with Seton Hall on Feb. 1.
‘Villanova is outstanding,’ Syracuse head coach Lou Walker said. ‘One of the top swimmers in the world will be leading the show for them. Any time that your leading swimmer is a finalist from the last Olympic Games, certainly (those are) pretty impressive credentials.’
But those credentials won’t stop the Orangewomen from trying to make senior Jen Jonusaitis’ final home meet a huge upset. Jonusaitis is SU’s only senior swimmer this year. In keeping with Senior Day tradition, she’ll be showered with gifts by her teammates and recognized in a ceremony before the meet.
Chances are, that will be the only celebrating the Orangewomen do all day. Early in the season, Villanova beat UConn and placed ahead of Big East competitors St. John’s and Boston College at the Princeton Invitational.
‘The females have always done very well,’ junior Spencer Raymond said of the Wildcats. ‘They’re a very strong team.’
But unlike SU, which has endured a packed Big East schedule this semester, the Wildcats have only competed in two meets since December.
Jonusaitis has more challenging plans for the future than simply winning Saturday’s meet, though. The biology major is currently applying to dental school.
The men’s side of Saturday’s meet should be easier for SU.
“They’re not going to be much competition,” Raymond said.
‘I think we should be, in terms of depth, a bit stronger than they are,’ Walker said. ‘That’s how it shapes up.’
Published on February 6, 2003 at 12:00 pm
