Guilford Picked Sixth in ODAC Swimming Poll

Greensboro, N.C. (10/26/07) -- Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) swimming coaches picked Guilford College sixth in the league's preseason poll Tuesday. Washington and Lee received six first place nods and 62 votes to narrowly edge out Randolph-Macon, the defending ODAC champion, in the eight-team poll.

Head coach Steve Kaczmarek returns six letter winners from last year's squad that set nine school records during the season. Guilford looks to overcome the loss of seniors Kate Talbot ‘07 and Nikki Mallmann ‘07, who helped anchor the team during its first three years.  However the Quakers still return a strong group of swimmers, including senior captains Genevieve Holmes, Melissa Narro, and Amanda Oehlert, who will be the Quakers' first four-year letter winners in swimming. Oehlert and Holmes each spent a semester abroad last season and competed in just half of the season. Justine Merritt returns as Guilford’s top swimmer from 2006-07. She set six (five individual and one relay) of the nine school records that were broken during the record season for the Quakers.

Guilford opens the year on the road November 4 at defending ODAC champion Randolph-Macon along with Randolph in a dual meet. The Quakers' first home meet is November 17 against ODAC newcomer Bridgewater in the Ragan-Brown Field House Pool.

This year’s ODAC Championship is slated for February 22-24 at the Dedmon Center on the campus of Radford University in Radford, Virginia

2007 ODAC Preseason Swimming Coaches' Poll

(first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Washington and Lee (6)

2. Randolph-Macon (2)

3. Randolph

4. Sweet Briar

5. Hollins

6. Guilford

7. Emory & Henry

7. Bridgewater

62

58

43

36

31

28

15

15