Season Preview: Men’s Swimming and Diving seeking 22nd straight top-3 OAC finish in 2022-23

By Wes Mayberry

| 2022-23 Men's Swimming & Diving Schedule |

ADA — Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Austin Veltman, the Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving team is ready to return to the pool for competition in the 2022-23 season seeking its 22nd straight top-three finish at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships.

"The team took a big step forward last year, and the guys are working hard to continue to improve," Veltman said. "The guys have a chance to break some more records this year, and we're hoping to have great success at the OACs and send a group to nationals."

The Polar Bears return 13 lettermen from last year's squad that went 4-0 against conference foes and placed second at the OAC Championships. That group is headlined by a quintet of All-OAC performers from a season ago in fifth-year senior Jackson Stanley (Beavercreek), senior Calob Cope (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead), junior Charlie Spyker (Harrod/Shawnee) and sophomores Holden Cubberley (Celina) and Brady Horgan (New Richmond/McNicholas).

Cubberley returns after a standout freshman season in 2021-22 that included OAC titles in both the 1- and 3-meter diving competitions and OAC Diver of the Year and CSCAA Scholar All-American First Team accolades.

Cubberley, ONU's first conference champion in 1- and 3-meter diving since 2016, broke the school record in the 3-meter diving competition with 500.50 points for 11 dives, surpassing the previous mark of 493.00 points set by Braden Kuhn in 2018.

He went on to place ninth on the 1-meter board and fifth on the 3-meter board at the NCAA Division III Regional Championships, which qualified him for the national championships in both competitions. At the NCAA Division III Championships, he placed 18th on the 1-meter board and 19th on the 3-meter board. He'll be looking to build off those performances this season.

"Diving at nationals was a tremendous accomplishment for Holden. I have a hunch, though, that he wants more this season," Veltman said. "Diving at nationals for a second year would also come with added experience. He's been there before now, and it would not be completely new. He can do it for sure."

Spyker returns after earning CSCAA Scholar All-American Second Team and Academic All-OAC honors and qualifying for the NCAA Division III Regional Championships last season. He was an All-OAC performer with a third-place showing in 1-meter diving, and he proceeded to place 25th in the event at the regional meet. He was also All-Conference in the 200 medley and 400 medley relays and is a team captain this season.

"Charlie has a great work ethic, is highly coachable, lifts hard and has a healthy attitude in workouts," Veltman said. "With that combination, I have no doubt he will continue to get better."

Cope, a team captain and three-year letterman, is a seven-time All-OAC honoree. He has earned All-Conference accolades in the 400 IM in three straight seasons and the 500 free and 1650 free the past two seasons.

Cope's career-best times in the 1000 free and 1650 free are second-best all-time at ONU, and he holds the third-best mark in school history in the 500 free.

"Calob has been a staple in our distance group during his time here," Veltman said. "He's really motivated and identified his goals for this season back in the spring. He's hungry for success. I wouldn't want to race him. I would love to see him end his time at ONU with a memorable senior year."

Stanley, a three-year letterman, is a five-time All-OAC performer. He was part of ONU's 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay teams that earned All-Conference status last season and the 200 and 400 medley relay teams in 2020-21.

A team captain, Stanley currently holds the second-best time in school history in the 100 fly, just 0.39 seconds off the all-time record.

"Jackson is entering his third straight year as a captain, which is something that doesn't happen often and demonstrates that he has the respect of his teammates," Veltman said. "He loves the sport and cares about the team a lot. He's very close to the school record in the 100 fly, and I would love to see him get it."

Horgan rounds out Northern's group of returning All-OAC swimmers from last season. He earned the first three All-Conference accolades of his career as a member of the 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 400 medley relay teams in 2021-22.

"Brady races really hard and does things the right way in practice, always pushing himself," Veltman said. "He's part of a pretty big sprint group, so he has the opportunity to lead by example this year as a sophomore."

Junior diver Evan Sailor (Goshen, Ind.) and sophomores Nikolas Bishop (Ottawa Hills/St. Francis DeSales), Nathan Gibbs (Parker, Colo./Legend), Vincent Morando (Mansfield/Lexington), Brandon Parkins (DuPont, Wash./Steilacoom), Noah Shaw (Port Clinton), Ben Starling (Mansfield/Lexington) and Heath Stutler (Holland, Mich./Hamilton) round out the returning lettermen for the Polar Bears.

Veltman also welcomes a recruiting class of 11 incoming freshmen.

The Polar Bears open the 2022-23 season on Oct. 21 at home against Wilmington and will travel to John Carroll on Oct. 29.

Northern will compete at the Calvin (Mich.) Quad on Nov. 4-5 and the Chicago (Ill.) Phoenix Fall Classic on Nov. 18-20.

ONU opens the 2023 portion of its schedule with a meet against Kenyon and Oberlin at Kenyon on Jan. 13 followed by a dual at Mount Union on Jan. 14.

The Polar Bears close out their regular season with a meet against Ohio Wesleyan and Bluffton at OWU on Jan. 20 before returning home for matchups against Baldwin Wallace on Jan. 21 and Grove City (Pa.) on Jan. 28.

The 2023 OAC Championships are scheduled for Feb. 15-18 in Akron.

The 2023 NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled for March 15-18 in Greensboro, N.C.