Pirates Jump Into Season With Purple-Gold Meet
October 05, 2005 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Oct. 5, 2005
GREENVILLE, N.C. --- The East Carolina men and women's swimming and diving teams will jump into the pool for their first competitive meet of the season Thursday, October 6, during the annual Purple-Gold meet. The meet is scheduled for a 3 o'clock start at the Minges Aquatic Center.
The diving teams will also host the ECU Diving Invitational on Friday, October 7. Among the teams competing are North Carolina, NC State, Duke and UNC Wilmington.
The ECU lady divers has been transformed into a talented veteran group as they return five letterwinners led by senior Lucy Hicks and Abbey Hillen. The team will look toward them to provide high scores and leadership, while counting on 2005 Conference USA Freshman Diver of the Meet Christie Icenhower for a repeat performance of her record-setting rookie season. Icenhower set ECU varsity records in a trio of events.
Expectations for a successful diving season by the ECU men's team have been elevated by the return of varsity record holder Robbie Derr. The lone senior on the squad, Derr returns for his swansong after sitting out last season due to shoulder surgery. During his first two years with the Pirates he broke all but one freshman and varsity record. Sophomore Ryan Hunt earned all-conference honors as a freshman and earned the Pirates' Most Outstanding Diver Award at the end of the season.
The women's swimming squad has the potential to be one of the fastest in Coach Rick Kobe's 24-year tenure. Senior Adrienne Williams is the varsity record holder in the 50-meter freestyle, while fellow senior Holly Williams is the varsity record holder in the 400-meter IM. ECU also returns its core components from its record setting 200 and 400-meter Medley Relay teams, including sophomore 500 and 1,000-meter freestyle varsity record holder Meghan Pulaski.
In addition, Greenville native Rebecca Perry has joined the team for her sophomore season after swimming her freshman campaign at NC State. Her personal best time in the 50-meter freestyle is already better than the ECU varsity record.
The men's team is a very young group, void of any senior swimmers. The team consists of nine juniors and 19 freshmen and sophomores.
Recognized as the team's most improved swimmer last season, sophomore Josh Barthlow could be its most outstanding this season. As a freshman, he set varsity records in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke and earned all-conference accolades.
Bathlow's classmate Charlie McCanless, also an all-conference performer, will also be counted upon to post faster times in 2006. Barthlow and McCanless were each a part of the Pirates' record-setting 400-meter Medley Relay team. Sophomore Greg Neville is the lone remaining all-conference performer that returns to the roster.
Friday's intrasquad meet is the first of four home meets for the Pirates this season. ECU will also host Marshall and Gardner-Webb on November 12, Virginia Tech on January 15 and Duke on January 28.
