JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The goal for Carson-Newman swim coach Paige McCord when she was hired to lead the start-up program was to make the Eagles' program "world class."
That goal was set two and a half years ago. Since then, McCord, along with her husband and assistant coach Daniel, has built two rosters full of student-athletes that have made the Carson-Newman swim program immediately competitive and relevant.
Now, the McCords and nine Eagles will embark on a journey to the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis at the IU Natatorium this Wednesday through Saturday.
"This is phenomenal. I'm very pleased where we are at as a program and with these individuals' hard work. It's all come together and it is something pretty special to be here today and we are looking forward to what the next four days hold for us," McCord said.
One of the few husband and wife coaching duos in the country have combined with fellow assistant Jordan Taylor to help the Carson-Newman swim program reach new heights, while also allowing their program to work as a ministry.
"This is really an honor for us as well. Us as a coaching duo is very rare and we came in this program hoping to take the top level athletes and make them even better and also, while we are doing it, honoring the Lord," McCord said. "I definitely feel that is the way we are going and we are excited for the years to come, especially with the results the athletes have already put up and what next season looks to be."
Now, it's up to the nine Eagles heading north to take control and take the program to highest peaks. All five women traveling are either freshmen or sophomores.
The three freshmen for Carson-Newman are Lexy Raybon (Sarasota, Fla.), Maggie Melhorn (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Margaret Stansberry (Knoxville, Tenn.). The two sophomores are Natalie Burnett (Sevierville, Tenn.) and Samantha Starnes (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Burnett swam two "A"-times at the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Meet in Charlotte, N.C. in the 50 Free and the 100 Fly; she also holds a provisional time in the 100 Back. Burnett's time in the 50 Free is the fifth-quickest time recorded in Division-II this season. Stansberry made the cut with a fastest enough time in the 200 Free. She holds "B"'-times in the 200 Back, 200 IM, 100 Free and 100 Back. Raybon's times are quick enough in the 500, 1000 and mile Free and the 200 Fly for her to compete in Indy. Melhorn will swim in the 100 and 200 Breast, while Starnes will be swimming in the sprint events of the 50 and 100 Free.
Also, the women's team qualified with the eighth-quickest time in the 800 Free Relay that swam the event in 7:30.11.
"That's a powerhouse of young ladies. We've got some great relays inside of those. Additionally, we've got Lexy with the strong distance and Maggie with the breaststroke, Natalie with her sprint and Samantha and Margaret with the ability to be strong in the freestyles. The combination of those girls, the sky is the limit with what they can do. Additionally, they look really quick in the water right now."
On the men's side, a freshman, a sophomore and two seniors will represent the Orange and Blue in the Hoosier State. Freshman Paul Ungur (Baia Mare, Romania), sophomore Samuel Schechter (Knoxville, Tenn.) and seniors Ben Young (Morristown, Tenn.) and Stephen Parsons (Auburn, Ala.) qualified for the Championship Meet by virtue of the 200 Free Relay, which is sixth-fastest in the nation with a time of 1:20.66.
Ungur has a provisional time in the 50 Free and the 100 Fly that will allow him to swim those races. Young has times in the 50, 100 and 200 Free. Parsons swam a "B" time in the 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free and 200 Individual Medley. Schechter possesses provisional times in the 50 and 100 Free.
The men have also clinched provisional times in the 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay and 800 Free Relay.
"This is really a dream that they came together at the beginning of the season and said 'We are doing this' and they achieved it. I'm very proud of that group. They are going to be very hard to touch in the sprint relays and very dominant in the freestyle events and Paul in the backstroke and Stephen in the IM. I'm really excited for what Ben and Stephen have done with our program, really thankful for how they have led us with their senior leadership and look to have some great swims during their final meet. Additionally, Sam has stepped us huge being able to put some great times for us. And of course, Paul with his abilities in the fly and back."
The schedule for each day will include the preliminary races being swam beginning at 10:30 a.m. Each evening the finals races will begin at 6 p.m.
Each Eagle can swim a maximum of seven events total, four individual swims and three relays. Full recaps of the each day will be available on cneagles.com and on Twitter, @cnathletics.
Full schedule of races for each day:
Wednesday:
Parsons/Stansberry – 200 IM
Starnes/Burnett/Parsons/Young – 50 Free
Raybon – 1000 Free
Men's/Women's – 200 Medley Relay
Thursday:
Men's/Women's – 200 Free Relay
Burnett/Ungur – 100 Fly
Parsons/Young/Stansberry/Melhorn – 200 Free
Women's – 400 Medley Relay
Friday:
Raybon – 500 Free
Burnett/Stansberry/Ungur – 100 Back
Melhorn – 100 Breast
Raybon – 200 Fly
Saturday:
Burnett/Starnes/Parsons/Young/Schechter – 100 Free
Ungur – 200 Back
Melhorn – 200 Breast
Raybon – Mile
Men's/Women's – 400 Free Relay
