BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College men's and women's swimming and diving teams have a new leader and are both hoping to have a better season in 2011-12

Newly hired interim coach Laura Wolff replaced former coach Sara Gildea who left the College to become the head assistant coach at Savannah College (Ga.) of Art & Design.  With less than a month to prepare for the season, Wolff has been working hard with her men and women to get ready to face Wilmington College this Saturday (October 29, 2011) in Berea at 4:00 p.m.

"In terms of academics and athletics, we [the coaching staff] believe in the philosophy of the student-athlete and excelling in the classroom, in the pool, on campus and in the community," said Wolff. "We believe that academics come first at a Division III school, and we also know that we can make swimming and diving at Baldwin-Walace College an enjoyable experience for each of our student-athletes."

"In terms of swimming, our goals are to have fun everyday, be competitive in every meet in which we compete, to win the prestigious Ohio Athletic Conference Championship and to qualify as many swimmers and divers as possible to the NCAA Division III National Championship Meet.  We will work hard and work with our student-athletes to achieve those goals."

The men's team returns seven lettermen from last season's squad that finished 7-5-1 overall and had a 3-1 record in the OAC. That team set six school records and two B-W Natatorium records

"We are a bit thin on numbers this season, but I am confident that it will change as we move forward. We have been working hard and are looking forward to competing this Saturday against Wilmington.  The men and women are ready to go!"   

Leading the men's team this season is senior freestyler Nic Null (Shelby/ Mansfield St. Peter's), junior diver Tony Tijerina (Napoleon), junior freestyler Matt Zych (Des Plaines, Ill./ Maine West) and sophomore Patrick Donohoe (Columbus/ Bishop Watterson). Null, Tijerina, Zych and Donohoe all have their names in the B-W record books.

Last winter, Null set team-bests in the 50, 100 and 200-yard freestyle events, earned All-OAC honors in the 400-yard medley relay and was a member of the school-record-setting 200-yard free relay squad.

Competing in his second season of diving, Tijerina posted career-bests in the 1-meter optional event. He also established personal-best times in the 50 free and 50 and 100-yard butterfly events. He joined Null and Zych on the record-setting relay team.  Individually, Zych had personal-bests in 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and the 50 and 100 butterfly events.

Donohoe had an outstanding freshman campaign. He had bests in the 500 free, 50 backstroke and 400-yard individual medley. He placed second in the 400 IM at the OAC Championships to achieve both a team-best and school-record.

"We return some solid competitors on the men's team as well in Nic Null, Tony Tijerina, Zych and Donohoe," said Wolff. "They will be our keys to another successful season."

Following its meet against Wilmington, the Yellow Jackets return to action on Saturday, November 5 when they travel to Erie, Pennsylvania to face nonleague foe Penn State Behrend at 1:00 p.m. The next home meet is on Saturday, Nov. 12 against Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College at 4:00 p.m.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.