For years, the Towson swimming and diving program has relied upon the talents of the university?s general student body. With a lack of financial backing from the athletic department, coach Pat Mead and his staff have had a difficult time recruiting true national-level swimmers.
But now, with more support from the school, and coming off a solid 2006-2007 season, Mead has hope for the future.
“Four years from now, our hope is that we?re winning the conference and we?re a top 25 team in the country. Those are some lofty goals,” Mead said. But, after taking third place in the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship meet on Feb. 17, he says they?re “reasonable” because of the school?s backing.
In particular, the school has put an effort into building the women?s team. After the Tigers turned in a 9-3 record with a conference-best 6-1 dual meet mark in Colonial Athletic Conference competition, the athletic department is happy with its project.
“The university has made the investment, particularly with the women?s team, to move it forward,” Towson director of athletics Mike Hermann said. “The success we had this year was ahead of the timetable we?d set for it.”
In recent years, Towson has had rosters full of Maryland students, with a handful of New Jersey products, and occasionally a swimmer from New York. Now, the goal is to recruit nationally. This year?s freshman class, which Mead feels is a strong suit, included talents from California and Texas.
But Towson will continue to recruit locally, in an area that Mead calls “a hotbed.”
In particular, Mead would like to land some of the Olympic caliber talents that perform in such local clubs as the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, just a few miles southwest of Towson?s campus.
DIVING INTO CLASS
» Towson?s swimming and diving program is also excelling in the classroom, and Mead expects the team to earn some national kudos soon. Of the team?s 32 female student-athletes, 28 reached the team goal of a 3.0 GPA. Sixteen of them reached a 3.5 GPA or higher. “Because its such an individual sport, you find that if kids are very goal oriented in one aspect of life, they?re very goal oriented in another aspect,” Mead said.
