Teams: Men's Swimming & Diving: Press Releases

Thursday, March 6, 2003

DON MEGERLE NAMED NESCAC MEN'S SWIMMING COACH OF THE YEAR

WILLIAMSTOWN -- The Tufts Men's Swimming & Diving team posted a strong third place finish out of 11 teams at the 2003 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championships hosted by Williams College over the weekend. Their outstanding effort, compared with how they were expected to perform based on their times coming into the meet, became the buzz on the pool deck during the weekend. It also earned Conference Coach of the Year honors for 32-year mentor Don Megerle.

Megerle, who was a five-time New England Coach of the Year (1979, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2000), earned the NESCAC honor for the first time. The Jumbos finished 8-1 during the dual-meet season, with only a six-point loss to MIT. Though Tufts did not win any individual titles at NESCACs, they had strong depth of performance. Four team records were broken and Jumbos provisionally qualified nationally in four events. Williams College won the meet with the 1,624.5 points. Amherst was next at 1,551, while Tufts' 1,443.5 was third in front of defending-champion Middlebury at 1,300.5 points.

During the first day of the meet on Friday, freshman Jon Godsey (Dallas, TX/Jesuit College Prep) placed second in the 50 Backstroke with a school-record time of 24.16 seconds. He was 0.09 of a second out of first place. Sophomore Mike Rochette (Cumberland, RI/Mount St. Charles) took third in the 50 Breaststroke with a 27.15 touch.

Tufts also had two stellar relay efforts on Friday. The 200 Freestyle Relay team set a new team record with a 1 minute, 25.24 seconds finish for fifth place. That foursome was senior tri-captain Ed Edson (Rochester, MN/Rochester John Marshall), senior tri-captain Rich Halpert (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxborough), junior Nick Ghoussaini (Frankfurt, Germany/Frankfurt Int'l School) and freshman Andrew Burbach (Mission Viego, CA/Capistrano Valley). In the 400 Medley Relay that day, Godsey, junior Tyler Duckworth (Burnsville, MN/Academy of Holy Angels), freshman Brett Baker (Englewood, CO/Cherry Creek) and Edson swam a school-record 3:30 flat for fourth place.

Godsey was a runner-up again on Saturday in the 100 Backstroke. His finish of 52.38 seconds was the team's first National B qualifying mark of the competition.

Sunday was a big day for the Jumbos. Baker was second in the 100 Individual Medley with a 54.63 time. Both Godsey, who was third in the 200 Backstroke (1:54.08) and sophomore Seth Baron (Dallas, TX/Plano West), who was fourth in the 200 Butterfly (1:55.78), posted National B times. The Jumbos also showed off their depth in the 100 Freestyle, with Halpert finishing third in 47.12 seconds, Edson placing fifth in 47.49 seconds and Burbach taking sixth in 47.60 seconds.

The 400 Freestyle Relay posted both a National B cut and set a school record with its 3:07.62 on Sunday. Baker, Burbach, Halpert and Edson were the combination. That same foursome had been second in the 800 Freestyle Relay on Saturday with a time of 7:00.21.

Baker, Burbach, Halpert, Edson, Godsey and Rochette will earn All-NESCAC honors by virtue of their top-three finishes.

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