SophomoreDiving

Lakeville, Minn.Lakeville North

Kristina albrecht

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JuniorBreast

Plymouth, Minn. Wayzata H.S.

alexandra alviani

SophomoreSprints

Apple Valley, Minn.Apple Valley H.S.

steph bierman

SeniorBreast/IM

Woodbury, Minn.Woodbury H.S

Jenna bosch

SophomoreDistance

Lakeville, Minn.Lakeville South H.S.

haley chatelaine

SophomoreDiving

Victoria, Minn. Chanhassen H.S.

sophie cone

SeniorDistance/Back

Plymouth, Minn.Wayzata H.S.

briana daniels

SeniorFly/IM

Bothell, Wash.Henry M. Jackson H.S.

ellen dean

SophomoreDiving

Sauk Rapids, Minn.Sauk Rapids-Rice H.S.

carissa Gaffy

SeniorBreast/IM

Bloomington, MinnJefferson H.S.

maria GathJe

JuniorSprints

Arden Hills, Minn.Totino-Grace H.S.

Jamie hanton

SophomoreFly/Back

Hastings, Minn.Cretin-Derham Hall

Jenna humbert

JuniorDistance/IM

Anchorage, AlaskaRobert Service

hannah iverson

SeniorDistance/IM

Plymouth, Minn.Maple Grove H.S.

lauren Kessler

JuniorDiving

Rochester, Minn.Lourdes H.S.

meGan lawson

JuniorBack/Fly

Hamel, Minn.Providence Academy

Katherine maGuire

First-yearSprints

Colorado Springs, Colo.St. Mary’s H.S.

meGhan harder

First-yearFreestyle

Moorhead, Minn.Moorhead H.S.

abbey Gerdes

SeniorBreast/Back/IM

Irving, Calif.Laguna Hills H.S.

anGel Key

JuniorFreestyle

St. Peter, Minn.St. Peter H.S.

alissa laGer

First-yearDistance

Red Wing, Minn.Red Wing H.S.

amy nemanich

First-yearBreast

Eden Prairie, Minn.Eden Prairie H.S.

Kaylee o’connell

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JuniorFly

Plymouth, Minn.Wayzata H.S.

laura peterson

SeniorSprints

Eden Prairie, Minn.Benilde-St. Margaret’s

emily roberts

Dan Eckberg begins his first season with the Saint Benedict swimming and diving team in 2013-14.

Eckberg comes to CSB from nearby St. Cloud Tech High

School where he has been the head coach since 2009. He worked with both the boys and girls programs at Tech, and prior to his head coaching duties, was an assistant coach from 2007-09. During his tenure, he helped coordinate over $60,000 in facility upgrades.

He has also been a coach and counselor at Stanford University Swimming Camps, working with athletes in ages ranging from eight to 18.

Eckberg replaces Jordan Wolfrum, who was head coach during the 2012-13 season, after serving as an assistant coach with the program for the previous four seasons. Wolfrum stepped down from her post this summer to accept an assistant coaching position with the swimming and diving team at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

“I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to be part of the amazing swimming and diving program at St. Ben’s,” Eckberg said. “Jordan did a tremendous job here and I hope to continue the pursuit of excellence that she carried on from previous coaches.”

Eckberg is a 2012 graduate of St. Cloud State University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in elective studies, with an emphasis in biology.

“After meeting with two of the current captains and talking with Jordan, it has become very apparent that this team values hard work and teamwork,” Eckberg said. “Those are both traits that I value and hope to expand on. I cannot wait to get started working with our student athletes.”

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SophomoreFreestyle/IM

Maple Grove, Minn. Maple Grove H.S.

danielle rudin

JuniorFreestyle/Fly

Stillwater, Minn.Mahtomedi H.S.

hailey schwietz

SeniorFreestyle

Fairbanks, AlaskaAnchorage H.S.

anne smith

SophomoreFly

Eden Prairie, Minn.Eden Prairie H.S.

Jessica thurin

SophomoreBreast

Dassel, Minn.Dassel-Cokato H.S.

victoria tormanen

First-yearDistance/Freestyle

Elk River, Minn.St. Michael-Albertville H.S.

Katlin schmitz

First-yearBreast/Fly

Maple Grove, Minn. Maple Grove H.S.

emily schwen

First-yearBreast

Lewiston, Mont.Fergus H.S.

hannah thomas

First-yearSprint/Mid-Dist.

White Bear Lake, Minn.Cretin-Derham Hall H.S.

hannah zobitz

Head CoachFirst season

deckberg@csbsju.edu320-248-0545

dan ecKberG

Diving Coach

John hazen

Assistsant Coach

mandy wolvert

Jon Hazen returns for his fourth season in 2013-14. Hazen works with the Blazer divers, while also working with the divers at Saint John’s.

Last season he led Megan Lawson to some of the top marks in the MIAC throughout the season, culminating in a fourth place finish on the one-meter board at the MIAC Championships.

In his 13th year of coaching overall, Hazen spent nine years working with several high schools in the area, before making the move to CSB/SJU. He is a 2006 gradaute of St. Cloud State with a degree in community psychology with an emphasis in applied behavor analysis.

Mandy Wolvert returns for her second season in 2013-14.

In her first season, she helped the Blazers to a fourth place finish at the MIAC championships, moving up in the final day after spending each of the first two days in fifth.

Last season with Wolvert on staff, the Blazers finsihed with four All-MIAC athletes and 16 events placing in the top-eight.

2013-14 Blazer Swimming & Diving

Autographs

2013-14 Blazer Swimming & Diving

The Blazer swimming and diving team is under new leadership this winter.

St. Joseph, Minn. – The Saint Benedict swimming and diving team enters the 2013-14 season with a new head coach at the helm in Dan Eckberg. In taking over the program and working through his first practices with the team, Eckberg has seen a positive response.

“Practice has been good,” he said. “We’ve had previous coaches that have put their stamp on the team, and my season here is going to be putting my stamp on it. We’re having some really good success and the team has responded well. I think they’ve enjoyed it.”

Eckberg is the third head coach in three season’s for Blazer swimming and diving, a situation that would be difficult for any team to handle. But he’s been conscious of it, and has worked make the transition as smooth as possible.

“What I made sure to do is give them an environment where I presented what I feel works well. Then if they look at that, try it and like it, that’s what we’ll do. But if they look at it, try it, and say they don’t think it’s going to work but their previous coach did something else. Then we say, ok, let’s expand on that. And if that means I need to reshape my views to fit both styles and try to make it into one complete style, I’m very willing to do that. I think that has helped the seniors know that I’m here to help them.”

As he has worked with his team, learning more about them, Eckberg knows there is speed throughout. Steph Bierman set records in both the 50 and 100-free last season, and Ellen Dean holds the best marks in the 100 and 200 fly, and the 200 IM. Emily Roberts returns for her senior season with the Blazer record in the 100-back and Maria Gathje set a new 200-breast record last season.

“We have some speed that’s already in place,” Eckberg said. “What I’ve learned from this group is that they are very much willing to push themselves to that brink. They’re not afraid and almost welcoming that kind of challenge. They’re all pretty honed in on their goals, and they’re all willing to do whatever they need to get there. That is from someone who is trying to get to the national meet, to someone who just wants to work toward the conference team. Whatever they’re goal is, everyone has the same focus.”

And the same is true on the boards, where an experienced group returns led by Megan Lawson who begins her junior season off a fourth place finish at the MIAC championships in the one-meter last winter.

“Jon Hazen is such a great coach, and I think they all really like working with him,” Eckberg said. “That’s a good group, I know they’re working hard and will be ready to go when we start competing.”

When that time comes, the new coach will have the obvious nerves, but will take his role on the deck and let the preparation and work the team has put in speak for itself.

“I’ve always been a bigger cheerleader than coach at meets. There is really only so much you can do, you can get your athletes prepared, focused and motivated, but once they’re behind the block they’re going to do that they’re going to do. So I think in my first meet, I’m just going to enjoy it.”

Maria Gathje returns for her senior season after setting the 200-breast record last season with a 2:25.10.

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2013-14 Season Outlook

The Blazer swimming and diving team was highlighted by a new head coach, and a fast first-year in 2012-13.

The Saint Benedict swimming and diving team was under the direction of a new – but not unfamiliar – face last season, and continued to hold its place among the top teams in the MIAC, while charting dual meet wins and several impressive performances throughout the season.

Rookie Head CoachAfter three seasons as an assistant coach with the program, Jordan Wolfrum took over as the Blazers’ head coach in 2012-13. She replaced Kathy Walker who resigned after eight seasons to accept a position as Aquatics Coordinator at the American International School of Muscat in Muscat, Oman.

Wolfrum joined the Blazers in 2009 after a four-year career at St. Cloud State where she closed as a team captain. In her final year, she was promoted to associate coach, and helped train nine All-MIAC honorees while the Blazers were fourth at the conference championship meet.

Bierman is BestA surprise bright spot in the line-up last season was the emergence of first-year sprinter Stephanie Bierman as one of the top performers in the MIAC. She charted 14 individual wins on the year and capped her season as an All-MIAC performer with a NCAA B-Cut mark in the 50-yard freestyle (23.86). She broke two school records at the conference championship meet, setting new standards in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle (52.11).

In seven meets she won multiple events, which included five straight 100-free wins to open her career.

Dual Meet WinsFor Coach Wolfrum, she didn’t have to wait long for her first career dual meet win, leading the Blazers to a 3-3 mark in dual meets on the season. In just their second meet of the year, the Blazers scored a 200-42 win over Concordia, taking individual wins in every event.

As the season wore on, they also won dual meets over nonconference opponent Morningside (Iowa) winning every event for the second time. And late in the year, they took a close 174-99 win over conference rival Carleton, winning nine events.

Third Day Surge at MIAC ChampionshipsWith Bierman leading the way, the Blazers - across the board - had one of their best performances of the year. They were in fifth after both the first and second days of the three-day meet, but on the final day moved up to fourth, closing in the top four for the second straight season. It was also their seventh top-five finish in the last nine seasons.

On day three, the Blazers set two new team records, with Maria Gajthe’s 200-yard breaststroke (2:25.10) mark joining Bierman as new records on the season. The Blazers also got a second place finish from Ellen Dean in the 200-yard fly (2:10.23), which was the team’s highest place at the meet.

The Blazers got All-MIAC performances from Dean (200-fly), Gathje (200-breast), Bierman (100-free, 200-free) and Victoria Tormanen (100-breast) and had 16 events place in the top-eight.

Steph Bierman set new school records in the 50 and 100-free as a first-year last season.

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Season Review 2012-13

CSB AthletiCS DireCtoryCSB Athletics: (320) 363-5301Athletic Director: Carol Howe-Veenstra (320) 363-5201Assist. Athletic Director, Compliance: Nicole Hess (320) 363-5286Assist. Athletic Director, Events: Steve Kimble (320) 363-5873Athletic Dept. Coordinator: Deanne Hollermann (320) 363-5701MIAC Faculty Athletics Rep.: Dr. LuAnn Reif (320) 363-5168Athletic Recruiting Coordinator: Mike Durbin (320) 363-5073

AthletiC meDiA relAtionSDirector: Pat McCabe (320) 363-5151Office Assistants:Calvin Herold, Emily Lueck, Teddy Menor, Katie Miller, Katie Minnehan, Alex Wald

CSB QuiCk FACtSLocation: St. Joseph, MinnesotaChartered/Founded: 1887/1913Enrollment: 2,056 (undergraduates)Varsity Sports: Basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field,and volleyballPresident: Dr. MaryAnn BaenningerVP of Student Development: Mary GellerVP of Admissions: Cal MosleyNational Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division IIIAthletic Conference Affiliation: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

AthletiC trAiningHead Athletic Trainer: Julie Deyak (320) 363-5095Assist. Athletic Trainer: Erin Miller (320) 363-5176Fitness & Strength Coach: Matt Stenson (320) 363-5290CSB Training Room: (320) 363-5176

2013-14 SCheDuleDay Date Time Opponent LocationSat. 11/09 10:00 a.m. Hamline Invite St. Paul, Minn.Tue. 11/12 4:30 p.m. Hour of Power Collegeville, Minn.Fri. 11/15 6:00 p.m. MSU Moorhead Collegeville, Minn.Fri. 11/22 6:00 p.m. St. Catherine / Concordia Collegeville, Minn.Sat. 11/23 9:00 a.m. Gustavus Mini Invite St. Peter, Minn.Sat. 12/14 1:00 p.m. St. Thomas Collegeville, Minn. 01/01-09 Training Trip San Juan, Puerto RicoSat. 01/11 1:00 p.m. Carleton Northfield, Minn.Fri. 01/17 5:00 p.m. St. Cloud State St. Cloud, Minn.Sat. 01/18 9:00 a.m. Meet of the Saints St. Paul, Minn.Sat. 01/25 8:00 a.m. St. Kate’s Invite St. Paul, Minn.Fri. 01/31 6:00 p.m. UST Conference Invite St. Paul, Minn.Sat. 02/01 12:00 p.m. UST Conference Invite St. Paul, Minn.Thu. 02/13 10:30 a.m. MIAC Championships Minneapolis, Minn.Fri. 02/14 10:30 a.m. MIAC Championships Minneapolis, Minn.Sat. 02/15 10:30 a.m. MIAC Championships Minneapolis, Minn.Wed. 03/19 TBA NCAA Championships Indianapolis, Ind.Thu. 03/20 TBA NCAA Championships Indianapolis, Ind.Fri. 03/21 TBA NCAA Championships Indianapolis, Ind.Sat. 03/22 TBA NCAA Championships Indianapolis, Ind.

thAnkS to our SPonSorS For their SuPPort oF BlAZer

AthletiCS!Design & Layout: Pat McCabe and Calvin Herold ‘14

On the Cover: Ellen Dean ‘14Inset: Maria Gathje ‘14, Briana Daniels ‘14, Megan Lawson ‘15, Emily Roberts ‘14Photos by Greg Smith