ASU Swimming: A new season with new hopes

(Photo: Alli Cline/WCSN)

It’s the first week of October, and that means college swimming is back. This Friday, Arizona State will kick-start its season with an inter-squad meet at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Complex.

The new year brings new excitement to pool deck in Tempe. In his second year as head coach, Bob Bowman is surrounded by incredible talent. All of the swimmers who broke eight school records last season are returning. Plus, after redshirting last year, French international Thibaut Capitaine, and Arizona transfer Andrew Porter will look to be top contenders in the conference. Both teams also added a talented recruiting class that will make an immediate impact.

“Finally I can’t wait to race,” senior Richard Bohus said. “We have been practicing for a mouth now, we’ve had a hard couple weeks and we got better. I feel myself swimming much better times. The inter-squad meet is going to be a prefect opportunity to see the results.”

Bohus is probably to most excited one to compete this weekend. Last year, he missed the entire first-half of the season with two broken arms. Now, the Olympian from Hungary is ready to compete in a full season.

On the women’s side, Senior Alysha Bush is looking to make her races faster and challenge her teammates.

“This year cutting back on my time, and really embracing the competitive edge with the other girls that have came in and are just as fast,” Bush said. “I think that’s something that I really want to do is get really competitive because last year I didn’t really have anyone next to me pushing me.”

Bush also mentioned the team’s off-season workout plan will yield results.

“I think all the power work we have been doing and all the strength training we have been doing is going to pay off sprinting wise,” Bush said.

The excitement of a new season has the entire team eager to race. While this meet will not count towards their record, it will be a chance for the coaches to evaluate their players.

“For me, it’s like Christmas,” Kesler said. I get to open up presents and see what we got. It’s really fun for us, it’s enjoyable and we are expecting some good things.”

While this meet will not count towards their record, it will be a chance for the coaches to evaluate their players.

“Their times, their skills yes, their attitudes and how they handle some adversity, all those things are what we are really able to learn from,” Kesler said.

Last year, the Sun Devils finished toward the back in the conference standings. The women’s team went 1-6 and the men went 1-3. However, with all the talent surrounding the team, ASU will look to improve this year.