It will be a standing room-only crowd at the Stern Center Pool at the College of Charleston this weekend when the Cougars women’s and men’s swimming and diving teams host Gardner-Webb and Clemson (diving only) on Friday and Saturday.
The CofC pool before the arrival of the Senior Day/Parents weekend crowds. Photo: Anne Lepesant
In addition to celebrating Senior Day and Parents Weekend, the meets at Stern Center Pool will mark the end of an era for the Cougars, who received notice in November that the College would be dropping the swimming and diving program and closing the 40-year-old pool.
SwimSwam dropped in on a CofC practice earlier this week and felt a real sense of camaraderie and optimism on the pool deck. Head Coach Bora Yatagan told us:
“It’s going to be a really emotional weekend for us all. We are celebrating our seniors and their four year contribution to our program. We have parents flying and driving in from all over the country to watch not only our seniors but all of our wonderful underclassman as well. This could not only potentially be the last meet for the College of Charleston swimming and diving teams, but it could very well be the last meet at the Stern Center Pool ever. Hopefully we will walk out of here with two victories, one on the men’s side and one on the women’s side.”
–Bora Yatagan, Head Coach, Swimming and Diving, The College of Charleston
Ironically, the last home meet for CofC’s divers will take place against Clemson University, another South Carolina public university whose program underwent funding cuts. Clemson announced in 2010 its intent to phase out men’s swimming and diving and women’s swimming over a two-year period. The Tigers maintained their women’s diving program, however.
CofC swimming records. Photo: Anne Lepesant
This weekend’s meets will be the last home performance for 16 seniors who, collectively, hold 15 school records. They include Mary Frances Babrowicz (Spartanburg, SC), Annie Berdusco (Bradenton, FL), Nicole Demarco (Shelton,CT), Sarah Graif (Phoenix,AZ), Jayme Groth (Bloomfield Hills, MI), Hailey Nievergelt (Norfolk, MA), Liz Mooney (Mauldin, SC), Audrey Rittenhouse (Fairview Village, PA), Madison Tarleton (Greenville,SC), and Sara Weddington (Fort Mill, SC) on the women’s side, and Bo Blythe (Louisville, KY), Elijah Bohon (Summerville, SC), Michael McCarthy (Marietta, GA), Pablo Ortiz (Mauldin,SC), Josh Shaffer (Winfield, VA), and Michael Topitzer (Cheshire, CT) on the men’s side.
“Once the meet starts, we are going to switch our focus to the meet, not the potential of this being the last home meet ever. We are prepared to swim just as we would any other meet and we are ready a victory. This meet, while it is tied to saving our team and our pool, is ultimately about celebrating the contribution of not only our seniors but also all of our athletes. We are preparing for record breaking numbers in the stands and hopefully we will walk away from this meet with not only two swimming victories, but with a victory for our program.”
–Bora Yatagan, Head Coach, Swimming and Diving, The College of Charleston
CofC diving records. Photo: Anne Lepesant
The weekend’s schedule is as follows:
Friday, 1/23/15, 6:00 p.m. – CofC swimming and diving vs Gardner-Webb, part 1
Saturday, 1/24/15, 11:00 a.m. – Presentation for the Senior Class
Saturday, 1/24/15, 11:30 a.m. – CofC diving competition vs Clemson
Saturday, 1/24/15, 1:00 p.m. – CofC swimming and diving vs Gardner-Webb, part 2