Among the most successful athletic programs at Mary Washington College, the men's and women 's swimming teams again had banner seasons in 2002-03. The men reached new heights en route to an 11-1 record, dominating conference opponents for another year, and even toppling Gettysburg College for the first time ever. The women were just as impressive, with a 9-2 record and unprecedented thirteenth straight Capital Athletic Conference championship. Each team had one representative at the NCAA Division III Championships in Atlanta, GA, marking the third straight year the men have sent a competitor to nationals, and the eighth straight year under Matt Kinney that the women have been represented at NCAA Championships. Success has traditionally been the standard for MWC swimming.
A strong recruiting effort continues to bolster and strengthen the program, as does a highly competitive schedule and strong practice work ethic. These factors working together, along with MWC's strong tradition of improving performance through out the season, give MWC swimmers a competitive edge. In Coach Matt Kinney's eight years, the Eagles have broken nearly every school and conference record several times over. This is the direct result of hard work and season-long dedication to the training program.
The upcoming men 's squad looks to do even better in 2003-04, coming off arguably the team's best season ever this winter. Four time All-American Justin Snyder, the two-time reigning CAC Swimmer of the Year, leads a group that includes seven school record holders, including CAC Rookie of the Year Brian Craddock, and all-conference performers Matt McLaren, Will Brunner, Tim Jensen, James Thomas, Steve Coughlin, Brian Stiffler, and Scott Baker. Coming off a best-ever 11-1 record in 2002-03, the men downed Gettysburg for the first time ever, and dominated at the CAC Championships, claiming a record 724 points in the three-day event, winning by a record 468 points.
The Eagles women continued to be one of the most dominant team in any sport in Capital Athletic Conference history, winning its thirteenth CAC title in the thirteen-year history of the conference in 2003. Senior Lisa-Marie Carlson, who would later be named MWC's Co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year with teammate Karin Riesenfeld, advanced to the NCAA Championships in Atlanta. In addition to Carlson and Riesenfeld, a youthful group also thrived, led by all-CAC swimmers Lindsay McPherson, Kathryn Anderson, and Lauren Schmidt.
In all, Mary Washington has won twenty-two of the combined twenty-six conference championships for swimming since the ad vent of the conference back in 1990-91. Over that time period, the Eagles have sent numerous swimmers to the NCAA Division III Championships, and brought home one individual national champion, and over fifty All-America performances. Yet another strong group of newcomers will look to build on this strong tradition and lead the Eagles toward the NCAA Championships again this winter.