A Very Busy and Productive Spring It’s been a busy and productive spring season. The swimmers and divers did well maintaining a consistent and aggressive training program. Two of them won awards at the annual all-sports Black Knight Award ceremony. Two former swimmers were selected for the Army Sports Hall of Fame. Graduation and the commissionings were inspiring. We hired a new coach. And, I had the opportunity to take the trip of a

lifetime to the Middle East with the superintendent and the athletic director.

All of the coaches were pleased with the performance of our athletes this spring. Morale was high and the training was consistent and productive. Several swimmers competed at local events and two, Tom Ottman (’19) and Sabrina Mortell (’18), swam in the open water nationals in Florida. Over a dozen swimmers stayed on post for summer classes and most of them are in the water training. Our Olympic Trials qualifiers, Chris Szekely (’16) and Joe Daniels (’17), have trained well and are looking forward to competing in Omaha.

At the annual Black Knight Award ceremony, this year’s co-captain, Kate Kinley (’16), received the community service award for her many acts of selfless service, and Sabrina Mortell (’18) was recognized as the women’s yearling of the year. I recall vividly when she came from behind at the Patriot League championships at Navy to win the 1650 with the superintendent, commandant and command sergeant major standing beside me.

The two additional swimmers in the Hall of Fame are Tony Clay (’65) and Colleen (Criscillo) Adams (’91). A write-up of both is on pages three and four. The number of swimmers and divers in the HOF stands at 10…and counting.

Graduation week culminated with the commissioning ceremonies and bar pinnings, which we did mostly as a team. I’m still inspired every time I see one of our athletes take the oath and become an officer. The 47-month developmental process is an amazing thing to be a part of. On the Monday after graduation, many of us had the chance to attend Jess Fabrizio’s (’16) wedding on Long Island.

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ARMY SWIMMING & DIVING Summer 2016

In this Issue:

2016/2017 Schedule……...…2

Two More in Hall of Fame…...3

New Swimmers and Divers.…5

Biggest Dual Meet Win.……...7

Alumni Connection….………..9

Key Links

• All-Time Top-10:

Men Women

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By: Mickey Wender, head coach

Nicki Stanley is our new assistant coach. She replaces Haley Mitchell, who accepted a job at Davidson University. Nicki comes from Ohio Wesleyan University and has extensive experience in collegiate coaching. She is a former head coach and was a standout competitor at Fairmont State University. Most important, Nicki is the right fit for our program and West Point. I recruited her for the job and I’m very happy that she accepted.

In early June I traveled to Kuwait and Iraq for eight days with the superintendent, the athletic director, and the men’s lacrosse coach. To have a chance to spend quality time with our soldiers and hear firsthand about what they’re doing (and why, and how) was inspiring and enlightening. I can tell you that morale is high and that all of the people I encountered feel really good about the mission and their role in it. They are very smart, brave people who are involved in the complex and dynamic mission of bringing stability to the Middle East and keeping America safe. I am very grateful and humbled by their service.

While there, I met with dozens of grads including four former swimmers: Chuck Ciliske (’10), former team captain and commander of an engineer dive detachment, Ayman Andrews (’13), a standout butterflier who finished 20th at the 2012 Olympic Trials and is currently serving in Chuck’s unit, Danielle Myers (’13), an air defense artillery officer and former sprinter, and Wes Trumbauer (’14), a butterflier who was weeks away from completing his deployment.

The staff and athletes are optimistic and excited as we await the arrival of the class of 2020. We have an excellent incoming class that ranks as one of, if not the best in my tenure. All of the recruits and their best times are listed on pages five and six.

Our returning classes are ready to take their performances to the next level. The firsties are ready to lead. We envision a model program with the men and women working together in a stressful and competitive environment and producing extraordinary results.

The best is yet to come…

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2016-2017 Proposed Schedule Oct 14 UMASS Amherst, NY

Oct 21 Yale West Point, NY

Nov 4 Columbia/Penn West Point, NY

Nov 18-20 Terrier Invitational Boston, MA

Dec 3 Navy West Point, NY

Dec 4 Time Trials West Point, NY

Jan 6 Lehigh West Point, NY

Jan 14 Bucknell Lewisburg, PA

Jan 16 Boston University/George Mason West Point, NY

Jan 28 Bucknell Invitational Lewisburg, PA

Feb 15-18 Patriot League Championships Lewisburg, PA

Feb 24-25 Army Invitational West Point, NY

Mar 15-18 Women’s NCAA Championships Indianapolis, IN

Mar 24/26 Men’s NCAA Championships Indianapolis, IN

TBD Zone Diving Championships TBD

Former swimmers Tony Clay (’65) and Colleen (Criscillo) Adams (’91) are among nine picked this year to be inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held at West Point on October 21. (A list of the other eight Hall of Fame members associated with Army swimming and diving is on the next page.)

Tony was part of former Head Coach Jack Ryan’s second recruiting class that played a major role in boosting Army from a solid Eastern team to one that captured national attention. Jerry Merges, Buddy Bucha, Steve Bliss and Tony set an NCAA freshman record (this was back when freshman could not compete on varsity teams) in the 400 free relay. The four of them along with fellow plebes Ray Schaltenbrand and Bob Lee had a part in 10 Academy records.

As a sophomore in 1963, Tony became Army’s first individual All-American in six years when he was ranked sixth in the country in the 100 free. He and his teammates beat Navy for the first time in four years. Steve, Jerry, Tony and Bill Landgraf (’64) concluded the meet with a new NCAA record in the 400 free relay, lowering the standard Michigan State set at the NCAA championships the year before. Tony

would repeat as an All-American in 400 free relay his junior and senior years and help Army achieve two more wins over Navy. The combined score against Navy his three years on the varsity team was 199 – 86.

“He inspired his teammates, led by example, and helped the entire team develop a can’t-lose mindset,” says Jerry Merges. “And, he was always extremely motivated to beat Navy.”

“A class act, a great teammate, and an all-around good guy,” adds Steve Bliss, Tony’s roommate for two years at West Point. “It didn’t matter how big the meet was, he was always ready and wouldn’t back down.”

Tony’s active-duty time was shortened by rheumatoid arthritis, a debilitating disease before biologics came on the scene in the 1990’s. He went on to get an MBA from Columbia and had a career in commercial banking. He lives in Long Island and Florida with his wife, Calla. They have a daughter and a grandchild.

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Two More in the Hall of Fame

Tony Clay (right) meets up with former teammate Buddy Bucha at the induction of their head coach, Jack Ryan, into the Army

Sports Hall of Fame last fall.

Colleen (Criscillo) Adams and her daughter, Clare.

Colleen was lightly recruited out of high school in Connecticut but made an immediate impact at West Point, winning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles in the 100 and 200 breast and earning Division II All-American honors her first year. By the time Army moved to the Patriot League -- and the women to Division I -- her senior year, she had collected six individual and five relay All-American certificates.

As a senior, Colleen was the swimmer-of-the-meet at the Patriot League championships and finished third at the Easterns in the 200 breast with a time that would stand as an Academy record for 22 years. She’s still ranked seventh among Army swimmers in the 200 breast and 10th in the 100 breast. Last August she was chosen for the Patriot League’s all-time women’s team.

“She was very quiet, but very competitive,” says Ray Bosse (’77), the head coach during her final three years at West Point. “A hard worker and so easy to coach.”

Colleen was commissioned in military intelligence and spent 12 years on active duty, which included tours in Saudi Arabia in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2010. (She had two breaks in service). She lives in Minnesota with her husband, classmate Martin Adams, and their two teenage daughters. Colleen works as a critical care nurse for the Minneapolis VA and remains in the reserves as the head nurse of an intensive care unit in a combat support hospital.

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Two More in the Hall of FameOthers in the Hall of Fame

Tony and Colleen join eight other alums of the swimming and diving program in the Army Sports Hall of Fame.

Chelsea (Haviland) Treboniak (’06) - The most accomplished female diver at Army and in Patriot League history. The only eight-time league champion. Lives in Illinois with her husband and three boys. Owns her own company.

Jen Grzbek Buckner (’90) – A Division II national champion in the 200 back. Accumulated 10 other All-American certificates. Commands the Army’s cyber school at Fort Gordon, Georgia. On the list for promotion to brigadier general.

Ann (Wycoff) Bagshaw (’89) – Nine individual Division II national titles. Graduated with four Academy records. Her 1000 free and 400 IM records lasted for 25 and 26 years, respectively. Teaches middle school math in Colorado where she lives with her husband. Two grown daughters.

John VanSant (’87) – Army’s only NCAA Division I national champion (200 breast). His Academy records in the 100 and 200 breast still stand after 29 years. Lives in North Carolina with his wife and their four children.

Curt Alitz (’78) – Selected primarily as a distance runner. One of Army’s best ever. Swam for two years. Set an Academy record in the 400 IM.

Ted Kanamine (’77) – Army’s first ever four-time Eastern champion. Graduated with nine Academy records - seven individual, two relay.

John Fagan ’55 – As an orthopedic surgeon, he devised innovative treatments for knee injuries. Earned two varsity swimming letters.

Jack Ryan, head coach – Brought Army swimming and diving to national prominence in the 1960’s. Coached 28 Division I and II All-Americans during his 29 years (1959 – 1988) at West Point. Over 40 former swimmers attended his induction ceremony last fall. Passed away in 1997.

Men:

Brady Almand, Arlington, VA: 100 breast – 55.91; 200 breast – 2:05.34

Austin Beam, Powell, OH: 100 back – 50.18; 200 back – 1:47.36; 200 IM – 1:50.67

Andrew Blomquist, Baltimore, MD: 200 breast – 2:05.50; 400 IM – 4:00.29; 1650 free – 16:03.67

Ty Dang, Chandler, AZ: 100 breast – 56.13; 200 breast – 2:00.25; 200 IM – 1:51.88; 400 IM – 4:00.24

Kevin Doo, Princeton, NJ: 100 fly – 48.78; 200 fly – 1:49.77; 500 free – 4:34.44; 1000 free – 9:23.84; 1650 free – 15:39.64

Johnny Ellery, Valencia, CA: 100 fly – 48.78; 200 fly – 1:47.47; 100 free – 45.59; 200 free – 1:40.04; 200 IM – 1:51.33

Arthur Fan, Pittsford, NY: 100 fly – 50.21; 200 fly – 1:50.54

Hogan Harper, Charlottesville, VA: 200 IM – 1:52.24; 50 free – 21.28

Nathan Hein, East Grand Rapids, MI: 50 free – 20.81; 100 free – 45.50; 200 free – 1:40.06; 100 fly – 49.18

Edward Kang, Lake Oswego, OR: 100 fly – 49.77; 200 fly – 1:49.85

Hudson Kay, Goshen, IN: Finalist, Indiana high school diving championships

Grant Levasseur, Litchfield, NH: 100 back – 50.33; 200 back – 1:49.07

Peter Mikheyev, St. Albans, VT: 100 fly – 49.51; 200 fly – 1:49.76; 200 IM – 1:51.61; 400 IM 3:59.78

Vince Partlow, Avon, IN: 200 free – 1:39.77; 500 free – 4:31.83; 100 fly – 49.14

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Incoming Swimmers and Divers

Ty Dang (Chandler, AZ), Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200-meter breaststroke

Nathan Hein (East Grand Rapids, MI), junior national qualifier in four events

Larry Quintana, Chandler, AZ: 100 breast – 57.44; 200 breast – 2:04.42

Aaron Salinas, Spring City, PA: 100 breast – 57.45

Tommy Shaffer, Tampa, FL: 50 free – 21.56; 100 free – 46.42; 200 free – 1:42.09

Andrew Zhugayevich, Jamison, PA: 50 free – 20.66; 100 free – 45.45; 200 free – 1:40.52

Women:

Kaylie Breslin, Centennial, CO: 100 fly – 56.18

Mary Cerbone, Kunkletown, PA: 50 free – 24.47; 100 breast – 1:07.02

Serica Hallstead, Canandaigua, NY: Finalist, New York high school diving championships

Holly Hulett, Bellbrook, OH: 100 back – 56.54; 200 back – 2:03.05; 100 fly – 57.79

Jessica Jin, Solon, OH: 50 free – 24.18; 100 free – 52.72; 100 back – 59.80

Josephine Marsh, Middletown, DE: 100 fly – 55.95; 100 back – 56.21; 200 back – 2:00.91

Anna Mulvenna, Emerson, NJ: 500 free – 5:04.49; 1000 free – 10:27.07; 1650 free – 17:26.19

Nicole Parry, Mamaroneck, NY: 50 free – 23.62; 100 free – 51.92

Nneka Pilgrim, Randolph, NJ: 50 free – 23.67; 100 free – 51.94

Brianna Romaine, Hackettstown, NJ: 50 free – 24.19; 100 free – 52.02; 100 fly - 57.76

Kathryn Seyer, Keller, TX: USA Diving zone championship qualifier

Leah Turner, Haymarket, VA: Third place, Virginia high school diving championships

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Incoming Swimmers and Divers

Josephine Marsh (Middletown, DE), junior national qualifier in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard backstroke

By Kerry O’Hara, ‘67

The 1966 Army-Yale dual meet took place in the old varsity pool, which stood at the opposite end of Arvin Gym from where Crandall Pool is today. It was a bandbox – six lanes, 25 yards, with a gallery that limited spectators to a few hundred. But it was the perfect setting for what remains, in my biased opinion, Army’s most notable dual meet victory ever. Even after 50 years, the memory is still vivid. Those of you who swam in the varsity pool know exactly what I mean. The crowd was literally on top of the swimmers, and nearly all of them were rooting for an Army upset.

The genesis of this matchup dated to 1959, when Jack Ryan was hired as Army’s head coach. He immediately began building a powerhouse through recruiting and enhanced training. By 1964, Army had eight All-Americans and sent eight swimmers and one diver to the NCAA championships. It was much the same in 1965. The only dual meet losses in both seasons were to Yale, which for decades had been the dominant team in the East and one of the best in the country.

In 1963 through 1965, Yale finished second, third and fourth at the NCAA’s. Their roster included four Olympians and three gold medalists from the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Though the Olympians had graduated, Yale’s 1966 team still had its share of All-Americans. We knew we had a chance to beat them in 1966, but the odds were long.

The odds got longer in November when two of our returning All-Americans came down with pneumonia and another swimmer who provided depth broke his ankle running from the MPs during a football spirit mission. The pneumonia cases recovered soon enough and we won meets against Columbia, Harvard, and North Carolina in December. During Christmas recess, seven swimmers continued training at Fort Lauderdale’s Swimming Hall of Fame pool, which was just being dedicated. Following Christmas leave, the team returned to West Point and was ready for the crucial meet.

Yale knew it was in for a fight. Not only did they shave down, they traveled to West Point the day before. In other years, they left New Haven to arrive just before the meet started. Coach Ryan was impressed and said as much in the 1966 Swimming Review.

The tone of the meet was set with the first event. I led off the 400-medley relay, followed by John Landgraf (’67), Frank Pratt (’66), and Hap Trainor (’67). We touched out Yale in Academy record time. Yale put up their best swimmers and came away with nothing. We were ahead, 7-0, and though the meet was close throughout, we never trailed.

Jay Williams (’68) won the next event, the 200 free, in a time that tied a pool record held by Mike Fitzmaurice, the great Villanova swimmer who would coach at Army from 1969 to 1971.

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In the 50 free, Yale entered their best sprinter, All-American Doug Kennedy (he, too, would coach at Army from 1968 to 1970), who just a few minutes before had anchored the medley relay. He swam well enough to give Yale a sweep, narrowing the score to 13 – 12, but Charlie Gantner (’68) and Dick Kline (’67) swept the 200 IM to put us back in the catbird seat. Both had times that were under the Academy record.

We won four of the next five events. Wayne Schaltenbrand (’67) captured the one-meter diving, Frank Pratt won the 200 fly, and Jay Williams took the 500 free with his second Academy record of the meet. I won the 200 back in a time that broke my Academy record from the year before.

Still, Yale stayed close enough that they could win the meet by sweeping the next-to-last event, the 200 breast, and then winning the 400-free relay. We knew their freestylers were too strong, so it would all come down to John Landgraf in the breast. He had to get at least second to bring Army’s score to 48 points and ensure victory. He came through with the swim of the meet, dropping his best time nearly two seconds.

After the relay, the Army bench emptied. Swimmers, coaches, managers – we all were in the pool. I’m not sure if that was the best I felt about swimming at Army – we beat Navy all three years I was on the varsity - but it was right up there. No doubt the win made a huge statement for Army swimming and diving.

Sports Illustrated named Jay Williams as the meet’s outstanding performer and featured him its “Faces in the Crowd” column. Congratulatory letters and phone calls poured in from alumni, fans, and rival coaches. General Westmoreland, the Academy’s superintendent from 1960 to 1963 and the commander of American forces in Vietnam, sent the following telegram: “Victory over Yale is welcome news indeed. Hearty congratulations to Coach and Team.”

We went on to a 13-0 dual-meet record, including a 55 – 40 win over Navy. By the end of the season, we set every Academy record except the 50 and 100 free and the 400-free relay. Six of us made All-American, and we extended the streak into the next season with 23 straight dual-meet wins.

At the Army Swimming and Diving Gala this April, six members of the 1966 team returned to West Point – Hap Trainor, Bob Cresci (’66), Jim McCallum (’66), Sam Freas (’68), Mike Wynne (’66), and myself. We had a lot to talk about, but nothing so much as the win over Yale.

(Kerry finished the ’66 season with a first place at the Easterns and a fourth place at the NCAA championships in the 200 back. He was the team captain in 1967 and graduated as a four-time All-American. After serving 11 years on active duty, he pursued a civilian career in human resources. He’s now retired and living in Vermont.)

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Alumni ConnectionDan Borchik (’12) is stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, where he works in the S-3 shop of the 3/17 Cavalry Regiment. He’s certified as a pilot-in-command and air mission commander in the AH-64D Apache Helicopter.

“Flying is definitely the best part of my job,” he says, “especially when it involves shooting rockets or flying along the Atlantic coastline.”

Dan remembers Crandall Pool by its nickname, The Meat Locker, a reference to the pool’s low air temperature. Nevertheless, The Meat Locker provided a lot of good memories.

“Being a four-year member of the West Point swim team is the single most noteworthy accomplishment of the first 26 years of my life,” he says. “I went from being so slow when I first arrived at school that I feared I would not make the team to being a multiple event finalist at the 2012 Patriot League Championships. There are a lot of people to thank for that: teammates and their families, coaches, officer representatives, managers, and alumni.”

Dan goes on to say, “I must give a small shout-out to my fellow 2012 Army swim classmates who are still my best friends: Sam Lough, Taylor Whitten, Cody Reeb, Chuck Zhou, and Brody Blickle. I talk with them on a daily basis, and I cannot wait until the next time when we all meet up.”

Hud Berry (’72) writes to say, “I have been blessed far beyond my deserving, privileged to care for our nation’s warriors and those who are the less fortunate, and blessed with a wonderful woman, Rolly, two wonderful daughters, and one granddaughter. God only knows what is next for me.”

Hud was commissioned field artillery, but in just over a year he was in medical school at the University of Texas. He did his residency training in orthopaedic surgery in Hawaii, and then was stationed in Panama and later in Boston, where he had additional training in cancer surgery.

He had an eight-year tour at Walter Reed Hospital in D.C., which included side trips to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia for Desert Storm.

Hud retired in 1992 and spent the next 20 years on the faculty of three medical schools. He retired a second time only to come down with a wicked case of mid-life blues, so he went back on active duty and served in Iraq. That tour ended with an air evacuation for a vaccine induced frozen shoulder and cardiac arrhythmia.

Once recovered, he “went back to work caring for the poor, the neglected, and the marginalized in Jacksonville, Florida,” he says.

Hud met Rolly over the Christmas holidays in 1973 when he visited his parents in Panama. In addition to running into his teammate, Dave Bradford (’72), he also met a “fascinating young woman.” Hud and Rolly have been married for 41 years.

Dan Borchik (center) flanked by Brendan Lorton (’14) and Will Blickle (’11) at Matt Leegan’s (’11)

wedding