Bates Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Summaries

Clark at Bates, Nov. 23 - Coach Dana Mulholland's swim teams got the season off to a terrific start by defeating Clark University handily. The women won 169-70, while the men took a 171-60 decision. Bates women came in first in every race, led by first-year swimmer Laura Harderster's (Sparks, Nev.) three wins in the 200 butterfly, 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. While Clark managed to sneak in one victorious race, the Bates men claimed a Tarbell pool record in the final race of the day. Sophomore Paul Urbanczyk (Washington, D.C.) and a trio of first-year swimmers, David Blaney (Bar Harbor, Maine), Miles Cobb (Bethesda, Md.) and Mike Jensen (Bedford, N.H.) set a record in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:29.79.

MEN
200 Medley Relay - 1. Bates (McCoy, Orpilla, Simmons, Cobb) 1:45.15, 2.
Bates, 3. Clark. 
Bates 15, Clark 2
1000 Free - 1 Mike Jensen, Bates (10:52.78), 2. S. Kolton, Clark, 3. David
Sek, Bates, 4. Mike McCarthy, Bates, 5. K. Moran, Clark, 6. D. Pelland,
Clark. 
Bates 29, Clark 7
200 Free - 1. David Blaney, Bates (1:54.75), 2. Todd McCoy, Bates, 3. P.
Kayran, Clark, 4. L. Poyak, Clark, 5. Takeshi Miyamoto, Bates, 6. I. Braz,
Clark. 
Bates 43, Clark 12
50 Free - 1. Miles Cobb, Bates (22.58), 2. Paul Urbanczyk, Bates, 3. C.
Boyle, Clark, 4. David Roth, Bates, 5. D. Hart, Clark, 6. A Kucuku, Clark.
Bates 58, Clark 16
200 IM - 1. Damon Bowe, Bates (2:05.61), 2. D Shea, Clark, 3. Chris
Orpilla, Bates, 4. G. Yiano, Clark, 5. David Sek, Bates. 
Bates 71, Clark 22
1M Diving - Corey Smith, Bates (197.75), 2. Mike Yee, Bates, 3. W. Aybar,
Clark. 
Bates 84, Clark 25
200 Fly - 1. Steve Simmons, Bates (2:07.40), 2. Mike McCarthy, Bates, 3.
S. Katon, Clark. 
Bates 97, Clark 28
100 Free - 1. Paul Urbanzcyk, Bates (51.34), 2. David Blaney, Bates, 3.
Tod McCoy, Bates, 4. C Boyle, Clark, 5. David Roth, Bates, 6. L. Polyak,
Clark, 7. D. Ferrier, Clark 
Bates 113, Clark 31
200 Back - 1. D. Shea, Clark (2:07.96), 2. Damon Bowe, Bates, 3. David
Sek, Bates, 4. C. Yiano, Clark, 5. Takeshi Miyamoto, Bates, 6. P. Farley,
Clark. 
Bates 121, Clark 42
500 Free - 1. Mike Jensen, Bates (5:14.30), 2. Steve Simmons, Bates, 3. S.
Kolton, Clark, 4. P. Katran, 5. K. Moran, Clark, 6. Tyler Barnes, Bates.
Bates 134, Clark 48 
3M Diving - 1. Corey Smith, Bates (200.75), 2. Mike Yee, Bates, 3. W.
Aybar, Clark. 
Bates 147, Clark 51
200 Breast - 1. Damon Bowe, Bates (2:23.43), 2. Chris Orpilla, Bates, 3.
P. Hart, Clark, 4. D. Shea, Clark. 
Bates 160, Clark 56
200 Free Relay 1. Bates (Jensen, Urbanczyk, Cobb, Blaney) 1:29.79, 2.
Clark 
FINAL: Bates 171, Clark 60

WOMEN
200 Medley Relay - 1. Bates (Shelley, Fey, Murchie, Mirick) 1:58.68, 2.
Clark, 3. Bates. 
Bates 13, Clark 4
1000 Free - 1 Denby Johnson, Bates (11:08.19), 2. D. Deforge, Clark, 3. K.
Maxcy, Clark, 4. Molly Keehn, Bates, 5. S. Crowley, Clark. 
Bates 24, Clark 12
200 Free - 1. Laura Hardester, Bates (2:06.49), 2. S. Krista, Clark, 3.
Wendy Zimmerman, Bates, 4. B. Walker, Clark, 5. Brittney Wilburn, Bates,
6. S. Martinez, Clark. 
Bates 37, Clark 18
50 Free - 1. Gudrun Mirick, Bates (26.11), 2. S Baraboni, Clark, 3. Kara
McKeever, Bates, 4. J. Rindone, Clark, 5. Nicola Mayer, Bates, 6. Eliza
Scott, Bates, 7. S. Finch, Clark. 
Bates 50, Clark 24
200 IM - 1. Pam Murchie, Bates (2:22.75), 2. T. Nedval, Clark, 3. Liz Fey,
Bates, 4. L. Firth, Clark, 5. L. Mauricio, Clark. 
Bates 62, Clark 31
1M Diving - Kate Gibson, Bates (163.05), 2. Stacey Berkowitz, Bates, 3. R.
Nehme, Clark, 4. Andrea Emshoff, Bates, 5. Jennifer Merlis, Bates.
Bates 77, Clark 34
200 Fly - 1. Laura Hardester, Bates (2:23.48), 2. Pamela Murchie, Bates,
3. L. Mauricia, Clark, 4. C Firth, Clark, 5. S. Slack, Clark, 6. Julia
Coes, Bates. 
Bates 90, Clark 40
100 Free - 1. Gudrun Mirick, Bates (56.55), 2. D. Deforge, Clark, 3. Kara
McKeever, Bates, 4. J. Rindone, Clark, 5. B. Walker, Clark, 6. Molly
Keehn, Bates, 7. Nicola Meyer, Bates, 8. L. Adamiek, Clark. Bates 102,
Clark 47
200 Back - 1. Denby Johnson, Bates (2:18.39), 2. Meghan Shelley, Bates, 3.
S. Barbiani, Clark, 4. Susan MacBride, Bates, 5. L. Eisenstadter, Clark.
Bates 117, Clark 51
500 Free - 1. Laura Hardester, Bates (5:35.33), 2. T. Naevdal, Clark, 3.
S. Krista, Clark, 4. Wendy Zimmerman, Bates, 5. S. Crowley, Clark, 6. E.
Bigham, Clark. 
Bates 128, Clark 59 
3M Diving - 1. Kate Gibson, Bates (173.30), 2. Stacey Berkowitz, Bates, 3.
Andrea Emshoff, Bates, 4. Jennifer Merlis, Bates. 
Bates 144, Clark 59
200 Breast - 1. Liz Fey, Bates (2:41.44), 2. K. Paradis, Clark, 3. Wendy
Zimmerman, Bates, 4. K. Macxey, Clark, 5. A. Giovanello, Clark. 
Bates 156, Clark 66
200 Free Relay 1. Bates (Shelley, McKeever, Keehn, Johnson) 1:49.07, 2.
Clark, 3. Bates, 4. Clark 
FINAL: Bates 169, Clark 70

Bates at Williams w/Wesleyan, Dec. 6

Bates at Babson, Jan. 17 - The Bobcats got back on the winning Jan. 17 by sweeping Babson in Wellesley. The men won in dramatic fashion, winning the final relay event of the day, the 200-freestyle, to take a 126-115 decision. The team of sophomore Paul Urbancyzk (Washington, D.C.) and first-year swimmers David Blaney (Bar Harbor, Maine), Miles Cobb (Bethesda, Md.) and Mike Jensen (Bedford, N.H.) won the race by two seconds with a time of 1:29.40, breaking the Bates record. The had established a Tarbell pool record in the event last semester against Clark. For Jensen, it was his second entry into the school record books of the day. In the second raceof the afternoon, Jensen swam the 100-yard freestyle in 10:29.44, breaking the oldest Bates swimming record. He also won the 500 free, making him the only multiple winner in individual swimming events. Junior David Burke (Andover, Mass.), making his return to the pool after a semester abroad, easily outdistanced his competition to sweep the diving events as well.

For the women, the meet was a bit easier, as Bates won all but three events on the way to a 168-73 victory. Senior co-captain Denby Johnson (Chanhassen, Minn.) led the way with individual wins in the 50 and 500 free. She set a personal best by nearly five seconds in the 500, posting a time of 5:17.39, just off the pace for NCAA championship qualification. Johnson also swam the last leg of the winning medley relay team, completng the freestyle in 25 seconds flat. Also a multiple winner on the afternoon was sophomore Liz Fey, who took the 1000 freestyle in 11:46.44, 15 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor, and the 100 back in 1:05.9

Both teams move to 2-2 on the season.

Norwich at Bates, Jan. 9 - Dure to inclement weather, the meet with Norwich was cancelled

Middlebury at Bates, Jan. 10 - Due to inclement weather, the meet with Middlebury was cancelled.

Colby at Bates, Jan. 24 - The Bobcats opened up CBB competition in impressive fashion, topping Colby in both meets. The men came from behind to win the final three events of the day. In the 3-meter diving, junior David Burke (Andover, Mass.) won handily, recovering from his first collegiate dual-meet loss in the 1-meter diving. Next, classmate Chris Orpilla (Seaside, Calif.) won the 200-yard breaststroke. Finally, the 200-yard free relay team of Miles Cobb (Bethesda, Md.), David Blaney (Bar Harbor, Maine), Mike Jensen (Bedford, N.H.) and Paul Urbancyzk (Washington D.C.) had another record-setting time, tying the school record and setting a pool record with a time of 1:29.11. For the women, who won more handily by a score of 149-94, the story was Bates Female Athlete of the Week Denby Johnson (Chanhassen, Minn.), who won the 50-, 100- and 1000-yard freestyle. In the 1000, Johnson knocked 11 seconds of the previous school record with a time of 10:45.32. The Bobcats moved to 3-2 on the season.

Tufts at Bates, Jan. 31 - The Bobcats lost both meets with Tufts, but had some impressive individual performances. For the women, who lost 176-123, senior co-captain Denby Johnson (Chanhassen, Minn.) set her second school record in as many meets. With a time of 1:57.03 in the 200-yard freestyle, Johnson not only set a school record, but she also met the 'B' standard for qualifying for Nationals. Johnson led the Bobcats with wins in the 200 and 500 free and 200 fly. Sophomore Megan Shelley (Potomac, Md.) won a pair of backstroke races, the 100 and 200. For the men, who fell 155-136, junior David Burke (Andover, Mass.) took the first step to returning the the NCAA championships, setting a school record in the 3-meter with a score of 281.50. He needs to exceed the qualifying standard one more time to return to Nationals. In addition to Burke's wins in the 1- and 3-meter diving, the Bobcats' only other mutliple winner was junior Damon Bowe (Houma, La.), who won the 400 individual medley and 200 butterfly. The Bobcats drop to 3-3 on the season.

Trinity & Conn. College at Bates, Feb. 7 - The Bobcats (5-3) had a relatively easy time with Trinity and College here. The both the men and the women defeated Trinity, 87-53, while the men topped Conn. College 105-35 and the women were victorious by a score of 106-34. The performance of the day was turned in by senior co-captain Denby Johnson (Chanhassen, Minn.) who set a school record and qualified for the NCAA championships in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 19:01.60. This was the second event in which she has qualfied for nationals, having met the standard in the 200 free a week ago. Johnson also won the 100 butterfly (1:02.08) and 100 freestyle (55.09) and led off the winning 200 free relay team. For the men, first-year swimmer David Blaney (Bar Harbor, Maine) won the 100 yard freestyle (50.45) and the 50 yard backstroke (26.78), while senior cocaptain Steve Simmons (Seaside, Calif.) took the 50- and 100-yard butterfly events (25.34 and 56.19).

Bates at Bowdoin, Feb. 10 - Both Bates swim team concluded the regular season in impressive fashion with wins over Bowdoin to claim their second ever CBB titles. For the men, who successfully defended their crown with a 129-50 victory, the result was never in doubt, as the Bobcats won all 12 events. First-year swimmer Mike Jensen (Manchester, N.H.) won two individual events, the 1000- and 500-yard freestyle (11:01.46 and 5:05.65) and was a mamber of the 200 free relay. Co-captains Steve Simmons (Seaside, Calif.) and Damon Bowe (Houma, La.) each won a pair of individual events. Simmons took the 200 free (1:53.65) and 200 fly (1:56.98), while Bowe won the 200 individual medley (2:06.65) and 100 back (58.59). Other winners for the Bobcats were first-year David Blaney (Bar Harbor, Maine) in the 50 free (22.41), junior David Burke (Andover, Mass.) in 3-meter diving (244.65 points), junior Todd McCoy (Mystic, Conn.) in the 100 free (51.13) and first-year Tate Curti (Kenilworth, Ill.) in the 100 breast (1:00.70).

For the women, the final score was much closer, 125-117, but the Bobcats won nine of fourteen events. Leading the way once again was senior co-captain and Bates Female Athlete of the Week Denby Johnson (Chanhassen, Minn.), who won three events in three disciplines - the 1000 free (10:53.76), the 200 individual medley (2:14.62) and the 100 backstroke (1:02.78). Johnson's fellow Chaska High School graduate, first-year Gudrun Mirick (Chaska, Minn.) also won three events, taking the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. Sophomore Marin magat (Chapel Hill, N.C.) took the 50 free (26.74), while first-year Pam Murchie (Westbrook, Maine) won the 100 butterfly (1:02.78). The 200 free relay team of Murchie, Magat, junior co-captain Wendy Zimmerman (Denver, Colo.) and first-year Kara McKeever (Wesport, Conn.) was also victorious, clinching the victory for Bates in the final race of the day. The women's CBB championship was their first since the 1990-91 season.

New England Div. III (Women) at Wesleyan, Feb. 20-22 - 7th of 34 teamsClick here for a full story

New England Div. III (Men) at Wesleyan, Feb. 27-28

NCAA Championships (Women) at St. Louis, MO, March 12-14

NCAA Championships (Men) at St. Louis, MO, March 19-21

For further information, please contact Adam Levin, sports information director.