In a season of significant individuals accomplishment for the Greensboro College swim team members, first-year head coach Scot Budde was most proud of how his swimmers came together as a team late in the season.

Swimming shorthanded for much of the season, the team first fielded a full squad for its meet with Salem College on January 19.

“Finally putting six swimmers in the water was a great team highlight,” Budde said. In the meet GC earned its first win of the season 52-37.

Budde also was proud of how his swimmers blended as a group during Atlantic States.
“The girls really enjoyed the atmosphere at the championships,” he said. “It really gave me hope for the coming years.”

Some strong individual performances in the 2007-08 season also has Budde excited about the future of the program. Junior Alex Cooke won the 50 Freestyle at Atlantic States with a time of :24.91 and in the process broke her own school record of :24.99 she set as a freshman. At Atlantic States Cooke also won the 100 Freestyle with a time of :54.23. Against Salem Cooke set school records in the 500 Freestyle (5:39.21) and the 400 Individual Medley (5:05.95).

Against Randolph junior Megan Lupsha set a personal best in the 1000 Freestyle with a time of 12:00.56. In the same meet she also set a personal best in the 500 Freestyle.

At Atlantic States Taylor Layton, Katie Byrd, Rachel Brown and Mary Lackey all set personal bests in the 50 Freestyle with times of :27.02, :31.08, :35.31, and 36:46 respectively.

Coach Budde expects that a strong recruiting effort will lead to a full roster for the beginning of next year’s season. He also hopes to build on each swimmer’s progress for next season and improve on the team’s 2007-08 campaign.