Second Splash to kick off swim season
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. –The Carson-Newman men’s and women’s swim teams will making waves in the Maddox Pool for the 2014-2015 season for the first time Tuesday evening.
The Second Splash, the Eagles' annual intrasquad meet, sets off the second season for the program.
After six weeks of practice, both programs have had competition, but not every role for the teams are filled.
"I think the largest thing I've noticed in this preseason type of training is our returners have returned with a vigor and they are ready to compete, ready to get up and race," swimming coach Paige McCord said. "We have a lot of positions available that are still being determined, so it looks to be a good, very exciting year."
Carson-Newman welcomes 13 newcomers to the roster that come to Mossy Creek from all across the globe. Six Tennesseans scatter the roster as well as two freshmen from Georgia. North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Texas are all called home by one new Eagle.
Even Romania is represented by an Eagle as Paul Unger comes to Jefferson City from Baia Mare.
Some of the newcomers have made a splash within the team.
"One specific young lady, Maggine Melhorn, her times put her towards, if not the top of the conference at this point of the breaststroke. Additionally, Paul Unger from Romania, I think he has already broken two school records just in practice by several seconds," McCord said. "And of course, Mandy Mendoza, from Texas, he's a little injured here in the preseason, but even though that, it's not held him up from the majority of his training intensity and should be a pretty good threat for us in the 500 free, 1000 free and maybe 400 IM."
The Second Splash will be the first opportunity for the Carson-Newman community to see the newest additions of the Eagles. An opportunity for the swimmers to experience a real meet situation."
"I think it is another opportunity to have racing maturity occur. Last year when we came out, we were all freshman, just a few upperclassmen, and they had the jitters and it didn't really leave us until a few meets into the season, whereas, we have already seen a lot of maturity that has happened," McCord said. "I think that this meet and the following meets that occur before live competition, we will definitely not have those jitters and be able to get out there and swim fast from the beginning."
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