Despite failing to capture the ACC championship for the first time since 2007, the Virginia men’s swimming and diving team felt confident heading into year two under coach Augie Busch. After performing well against improved conference competition throughout the regular season, the Cavaliers rose to the occasion when competing on the national stage, with the men placing 26th at the NCAA championships — one spot higher than last year.
But such preseason optimism took a major hit on Oct. 22, when the team announced that five major contributors — junior Luke Papendick and seniors Kyle Dudzinski, David Ingraham, Jake Pearce and Charlie Rommel — were suspended for the remainder of 2014. The quintuplet accounted for two broken school records, in addition to two ACC championships last season.
On an already-young team, most of the star power was gone. The Cavaliers could no longer rely on the few upperclassmen to carry the team, instead looking to new faces to carry the team. But to Busch’s delight, the controversy seemed to have uncovered the next Virginia great: sophomore Austin Quinn.
“Sometimes adversity is a great teacher,” Busch said. “It usually brings out good things in coaches and in athletes. Austin [Quinn] is just an example of that.”
The Chagrin Falls, Ohio native was a decorated high school athlete, racking up numerous state and national honors while also winning the state championship in the 200-yard individual medley.
But the 2013-14 season presented the usual growing pains for a freshman athlete. Overshadowed by proven veterans, Quinn quietly worked on his craft, improving as the season progressed.
Quinn earned event wins in the 500-yard freestyle against Duke in January and Pittsburgh in February before setting season-best marks at the ACC championship meet in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard IM.
Still, few could have predicted his success through the first three months of the 2014-15 season. Though he has yet to capture an event win, Quinn has secured three third-place finishes and five second place finishes, including three against NC State in the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke and 400-yard IM.
“I’ve always been one who’s been great in the training pool and not so great when it comes to competing,” Quinn said. “This year has been a huge step for my level of competition and being able to suit up for big races. I credit a lot of that to having to step up for the team.”
This weekend, Quinn will lead his comrades into battle as the No. 21 Virginia men (1-3, 0-0 ACC) square off against instate rival No. 12 Virginia Tech (6-1, 3-1 ACC). The No. 5 women’s team (2-1, 0-0 ACC) will also face their Hokie counterparts in the Virginia Tech women’s team (7-2, 3-1 ACC).
Both Virginia teams are oozing with confidence after a very successful outing in December at the Georgia Fall Invitational. Unlike a year ago, Busch was able to use this fall meet as a measuring stick for his athletes. His swimmers rested before the meet, producing season-best times that will be indicative of future performances in postseason championship meets.
The Virginia women placed third, behind only No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 California, while the men placed fourth behind No. 6 California, No. 12 Georgia and No. 19 Auburn.
In total, the women broke 10 school records, including two — junior Courtney Bartholomew in her leadoff 100-yard backstroke in the 400-yard medley relay and sophomore Leah Smith in the 500-yard freestyle — mere hundredths of a second away from all-time NCAA bests. Meanwhile, the men took down two school records — junior Yannick Kaeser in the 100-yard breaststroke and senior JB Kolod in the platform diving event.
While the Lady Cavaliers stole the show, Busch said the performance from his men, who lack the elite individual performers of the women’s team, was just as worthy of recognition.
“I thought our men were equally good, if not better, than our women,” Busch said. “If you look at our best time percentage, the men blew them out of the water in percentage of personal best time.”
Now, after a week of training in Florida, Busch has his team focused on Virginia Tech. A year ago, the Cavalier women crushed the Hokies in a 245-125 victory. As usual in ACC competition, few are worried the Saturday’s result will be much different.
“I expect our women to do well,” Busch said.
This does not mean Virginia Tech will not pose a significant challenge. The defending ACC champions have been impressive in dual meets this season, their only loss coming against powerhouse North Carolina in October.
Virginia will return Pearce and Rommel to the lineup — Dudzinski is out for the year due to injury, while Papendick and Ingraham have left the team — which should boost the relay teams.
Though the Cavaliers will still be undermanned this weekend, but as the season has proved, Virginia will make no excuses as a youthful movement hopes to bring the men’s team back to the top of the ACC.
“I think we want to come out and show the rest of the country what we can do with what he have,” Quinn said.
Diving action begins Friday at 1:30 p.m., while swimmers will compete Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m.
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