This season’s MUS varsity swim team, known as the Aquatic Owls, was made up of 31 swimmers, including 12 seniors, led by captains Bill Bell, John Goldsmith, and Erim Sarinoglu. Under Coach Laurie Clark’s leadership, they produced another great year of swimming at MUS.
The Owls finished the year at 71-20. They started off the season at one of the most competitive meets in the region, the McCallie Invitational. Though they were not one of the elite teams at this competition, it was a good meet to gain experience against some of the best teams in the country.
After having dominated several local meets, MUS next competed in the Excel Invitational in Nashville in late January. Despite the good competition, the team did very well, finishing 4th out of 31 teams.
In meets in Shelby County, the Owls had easy wins over teams like St. George’s, Briarcrest, Lausanne, ECS, Houston, White Station, and Germantown. These local events prepared MUS for the Shelby County High School Championships. The team performed very well at this meet and ultimately claimed second.
With their runner-up finish at the County Championships, the Owls readied for the Tennessee State Championships in Nashville. With no divisions between public and private schools, the meet is extremely competitive and includes about 110 schools and about 1200 athletes. This year ten MUS swimmers qualified in individual events. Several Owls qualified in several events, but the meet has limitations to the number of individual events swimmers may enter. The ten that qualified included seniors Bell (100 free and relays), Goldsmith (50 free and relays), Neale Hicks (100 free and relays), and Sarinoglu (50 free and relays); sophomores Johnny Dillon (100 back and 100 fly), Jon Mitchell (100 breast and 100 free), Tucker Witte (500 free), and Forrest Wortham (50 free and 100 breast); and freshmen Alexander Kaltenborn (200 IM and 500 free) and Peterson Wellford (100 back and 100 breast).
At the state meet, the Owls set four new school records. Kaltenborn set new marks in the both of his races. Mitchell set a school record in the 100 breast, and the 400 Free relay team – composed of Sarinoglu, Bell, Hicks, and Goldsmith – established a new mark as well.
Congratulations to Coach Clark and all of the Aquatic Owls on an outstanding season.