Freshmen swimmers make their mark

Off-season improvement and consistency from experienced swimmers has brought the swimming and diving team a long way this season. But it has been the influx of freshmen recruits which has given the Hoosiers their winning edge.\nCoach Dorsey Tierney is in her fifth season as IU's coach, meaning the team is comprised entirely of her recruits.\n"The team has changed so much since my first year," senior Kristy Martin said. "I am so proud to be a part of it."\nMartin, a senior from Gardner, Mass., has witnessed the evolution of the women's swim team under Tierney.\n"The freshmen have fit in well," Martin said. "They have adjusted quickly and become a great asset."\nAnd it is no secret that successful recruiting efforts have been a key to IU's string of victories. Under Tierney, the Hoosiers have experienced win after win because of the depth and athleticism of the squad. Recruiting swimmers with numerous state championship titles has been vital to continuing the winning IU tradition. Three of the freshmen swimmers won state championships during high school.\nLauren Torpey, a key freshman considered to be one of the hardest workers on the team, has stepped in to make an immediate contribution to the winning tradition. Torpey has already won several events this season and leads the way for the outstanding freshman class. The Ohio native, who won two individual state championships and six relay titles while in high school, leads Tierney's stellar recruiting class.\n"Lauren is very talented, works hard, and has exceeded our expectations as a freshman. She has gotten better with every time in the pool," Tierney said.\nClassmate Doherty Colgin has also put up impressive numbers in her first season as a Hoosier. Colgin, who in high school was the Southeastern champion in the 100-butterfly, adds depth and competition experience to a superb class of newcomers.\nHer performance against Ohio State last weekend helped the Hoosiers to a 150.50-84.50 blowout. In only the second event of the meet, the 1000-yard freestyle, Colgin's performance was matched only by Torpey's. The two tied for first place by recording identical times of 10:12.00, with Torpey overcoming a 1.27 second deficit in the final 50 yards.\nTierney said the freshmen have made a mark even more in practice by setting high levels of standards and intensity. \n"It is helpful to come in each day with a positive attitude about workouts," standout junior Sarah Fiden said of the morale in practice.\n"Normally the upperclassmen dictate the level of intensity during practice," Tierney said. "But the freshmen have been making a significant impact day to day. They have been great since day one."\nThe next task for this season's freshmen class comes this weekend against Big Ten foe Purdue. The meet kicks off at 1 p.m. in West Lafayette.