Talented diving trio will make big splash for Vols

When coach John Trembley's Tennessee Vols open their 2008-09 season Thursday in their first swim meet at the new Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center Pool, he expects the team to embark on a campaign that will be an improvement on one that ended with a third-place finish in the SEC and ninth at the NCAA championships.

UT lost talented swimmers Michael Wolfe and Octavio Alesi and diver Ryan Rincon, but the freshman class is expected to more than offset those losses.

The Vols have lacked top-notch divers in recent years, but that changed with the signing of two national champions and a Tennessee state high school titleist.

With six weeks of preseason training behind them, Trembley likes what he sees.

"With the new pool - weight room and whole new atmosphere - the kids and coaches all are excited," Trembley said.

Diving coach Dave Parrington landed U.S. Spring Nationals 1-meter champion Ryan Helms of Moultrie, Ga., and Indian River Community College's Michael Wright, who won the National Junior College 1- and 3-meter titles last spring.

Also in the mix is state high school champion Brent Sterling, a former Knoxville Central diver who was tutored by Parrington.

"This is an area where we desperately needed help," Trembley said.

The Vols return most of their five relays, of which Wolfe and Alesi were important players. However, Alesi was injured much of last season and didn't swim to his potential.

Four of those relays scored at the 2008 NCAA meet. Freestyler/butterflyer Mike DeRocco is expected to take Alesi's spot and Nolan Morrell or freshman Ricky Henahan likely will be Wolfe's successor in the backstroke legs of the two medley relays (200 and 400 yards).

Jonas Persson returns to anchor the relays. He reached the semifinals of the 100-meter freestyle at the Olympics in Beijing. Barry Murphy - a member of four relays last year - also returns.

Other newcomers are individual medley/breaststroke swimmer Jake Epperson, the Ohio state champ in those events; Henahan, a New York state champ in the backstroke from Rochester; Minnesota 100 breaststroke champ Derek Paul; and freestyler/backstroker Anders Storvik from Austin, Texas.

Freshman Ryan Harrison of Ireland, who swims the 100, 200 and 400 freestyles, will be redshirted this season.

Henahan, a YMCA national champ, swam in the Olympic Trials.

Trembley announced that his captains are Murphy and Persson.

The Vols open with University of the Cumberlands of Williamsburg, Ky., at 11 a.m. Thursday, then will face Louisville at 1:30.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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