Swimming and Diving Season Preview: Butterfly and Backstroke

10.07.2009 | Swimming and Diving

By: cyclones.com

This is the second article of a four-part series previewing the Iowa State swimming and diving team going into the 2009-10 season. The season kicks off Friday at the annual intrasquad meet at 6 p.m. at Beyer Pool. Admission is free.

AMES, Iowa- Like the 50 free, the 100 fly is a senior-led group led by the duo of Nan Liu and Abby Glaser. Liu took down Glaser's school-record in the event in a time-trial meet before the Big 12 Championships, becoming the first Cyclone to go under the 54 second mark in the event with her time of 53.98.

“Sprint butterfly uses the same muscle groups as the sprint freestyle, so Abby Glaser and Nan Liu are our top-two people,” head coach Duane Sorenson said. “Nan set our school-record last year and Abby's time is just a little behind that. Hopefully they will push each other all year and continue to excel in that event.”

With the two fast seniors at the top, Sorenson is not concerned about the current lack of depth behind them, but he will be looking for people to step up.

“We are hoping someone will step up but as of now, it's wide open,” Sorenson added.

One of the Cyclones' weaker events last season was the 200 fly. At the majority of meets, the Cyclones were being led in the event by two or three freshmen. With a year of experience under their belts, Sorenson is looking to them for improvement.

“We were young in that event last year with three freshmen taking the lead, now they are three sophomores,” Sorenson said. “They have a lot more experience and have been training nicely this fall. We are hoping that Meredith Doran, Taylor Vieau and Hannah McCulley just keep improving. Last year it was kind of a weak event for us and hopefully it will become a strong event with a year of experience.”

The backstroke might be Iowa State's deepest event this season. In the 100, Liu took down the school record in her time-trial meet. The Cyclones also bring into the fold the 2008 Iowa Swimmer of the Year and state champion in the event, freshman Dani Harris.

“We have some new people coming in with Nan, who set a school record in the 100 back,” Sorenson said. “Dani Harris, she was Iowa Swimmer of the Year, set the state record in the event and she went even faster in the winter so we are looking for big things out of her. Incoming freshman Sarah Norris is looking really good as well.”

Another Cyclone to watch in the 100 is junior Megan Thompson. Thompson, who had only swam the event twice in the 08-09 season before the Big 12 Championships, went on to finish 12th with a time of 55.98, almost five seconds faster than her previous best.

“Megan was an afterthought last year at the Big 12 Championships and swam out of her mind,” said Sorenson. “We are now spending a little more time training the backstroke so she will come through also.”

Liu is one of three Cyclones to ever go under the 2:00 mark in the 200 back and leads another deep group. ISU returns four swimmers who are in its all-time top-10 in the event. The Cyclones could also see Harris and Norris contribute in the event in their freshman seasons.

“Dani hasn't really swam that many 200's but her times are very good,” Sorenson said. “Chelsea Tomek's 200 looks really good and we might try Megan there. Like Dani, Sarah Norris has never swam the event, but we have been looking at trying her there in some of her training. Jenny (Vondenkamp) can swim it as well, so we have a lot of options there.”