http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=ncaa&media=110134

--

It's mid-March and Tommie women's swimmers Jena Root and Becca Ney are back at their favorite swimming venue -- the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

The pair will compete in this week's NCAA Division III Championships, which begins a four-day run Wednesday. Prelims will start each day at 10 a.m. with finals beginning at 6 p.m.

It will be their eighth competition at this pool over the last two seasons and second NCAA championship appearance.

Root, a senior from Roseville, is making her third career NCAA meet appearance. She earned All-America honors at the 2009 NCAA meet at the U of M with a seventh-place finish in 57.01 in the 100 backstroke finals. Her prelim time of 55.89 earlier in the day broke her own school and MIAC all-time best of 56.66. She also qualified for nationals in 2008 and traveled to Oxford, Ohio, where she placed 15th in the 100 back.

Ney, a junior from Wayzata, is in her second NCAA meet. She placed 14th in the 100 free at nationals in 2009.

Ney is seeded fifth in Wednesday's 50 free; seeded sixth in Saturday's 100 free; and 12th in Thursday's 200 free. 

Root is seeded third out of 35 entrants in Friday's 100 back and 24th in Saturday's 200 back.

Root and Ney have helped the Tommies post back-to-back third-place conference team finishes in the 11-school competition. Last month, Ney was named the MIAC meet's Most Outstanding Swimmer as she had a hand in four victories and two runner-up placings. She cruised to individual victories in the 50, 100 and 200 free.

Ney has her name on eight school records in individual and relay events. At last month's MIAC meet, Ney broke Maureen Olson's 18-year-old record in the 200 free as she clocked 1:52.44. Olson's record was 1:55.64. Ney also lowered her own records in the 50 free with a 23.61 (23.77 previous best) and 100 free with a 51.01 (51.74 previous best).

Root won the 100 back at the MIAC meet in 56.88. At the 2009 MIAC Championships, Root also won the 100 back and swam on two first-place relays. She broke a 17-year-old school record in the 200 back prelims as she clocked 2:07.03 and also set the 100 back school that she later broke at nationals.

Root has been named MIAC Swimmer of the Week twice on her career.

PHOTO: Jena Root (Greg Smith photo)

It was the second consecutive third-place team finish for a Tommie program that just five years ago placed ninth at the conference meet.

Ney had a hand in four victories and two seconds as the Tommies rolled up 497 points. Gustavus (744), Carleton (588.5), UST and St. Olaf (473) took the top four spots.

Ney won the 100 free in an NCAA automatic time of 51.01. She also anchored the 400 free relay to second place in 3:32.62 with Jena Root, Anna Kramer and Ali Krieger.

Freshman Katie Bromback took third in the 200 fly in 2:11.07.

Sam Simon (17:57.20) and Layla Clauss (17:58.47) took fifth and sixth in the 1650 free .

Krieger (2:06.59) and Root (2:07.63) placed 3-4 in the 200 back.

Karly Harrod was eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:31.55).

Click here for complete results:

http://www.miac-online.org/custompages/2010SD/index.htm

Coach Tom Hodgson celebrates with his women on the awards stand. (Mike Ekern photo)

Becca Ney gets announced as the meet Most Outstanding female swimmer. (MIke Ekern photo)

Saturday afternoon

The Tommie men had another strong qualifying round on Saturday as the prepare to battle Gustavus to the wire in tonight's final session at the three-day MIAC Championships at the U of M Aquatic Center.

Tonight's finals start at 6:30 p.m. and has a live videocast that can be accessed here:

http://webcast51.com/site/pages/ec/event.php?id=1540&schoolID=270&catID=32

UST holds a nine point lead on the Gusties and a 65.5-point advantage on third-place St. Olaf through two days. The Tommies are looking to win the school's first MIAC swimming title since 1954 and end a 30-year run of either St. Olaf or Gustavus as MIAC men's champions.

Gustavus is expected to score big points in the 1,650 free and also looks good in the 200 butterfly. The Tommies will look to score well in the 400 free relay, the 200 back, the 100 free and three-meter diving.

In Saturday's morning prelim session, Peter Mullee and Ethan Nimes qualified second and seventh, while four other Toms qualified for the consolation finals.

In the 100 free, UST qualified 1-2-5 with Michael Hoelterhoff, Sam Rauchwarter and Erik Huls while the Gusties were shutout.

In the 200 breaststroke, UST qualified 4-5-6-10-11 led by Grant Frost, John Stark and Jamie Byrnes.

In the 200 fly, Ben Ruhme qualified fifth.

In three-meter dving, Ryan Panure and Jeff Isaacson qualified fourth and sixth.

The UST are battling St. Olaf for third place. Becca Ney qualified first today in the 100 free in an NCAA automatic time of 51.43. In the 200 fly, Katie Bromback qualified first in 2:12.28.

In the 200 back, UST qualified third and fourth with Ali Krieger and Jena Root.

In the 200 breaststroke, Karly Harrod qualified eighth.

Click here for complete results:

http://www.miac-online.org/custompages/2010SD/index.htm

---

Tommies of all persuasions -- alumni, parents, fans, faculty, staff and students -- are invited to submit any favorite memories of O’Shaughnessy Hall, which closed in early Janaury after a 70-year lifespan.

Fans are also welcome to submit memories of Schoenecker Arena, which closed last summer after a 29-year run.

Maybe it was a Tommie-Johnnie basketball game from the 1960s... or memories of the bowling alley, weight training, or the long wrestling room... or perhaps it brings to mind fellow students who you hung out with in the building.

Your responses will be posted here “OSH Remembered” blog on Tommiesports.com. Send short notes, titled “OSH,”  with your name and class if you choose, to ejmcgivern@stthomas.edu

Here are the submissions with latest to first:

The juggler?

In February, 1970, the College was celebrating Tommie Heart Week. One of the events was a visit by two WWF wrestling stars. (I wish I could remember their names). They did their presentation in the old gym on the 3rd floor of O'Shaughnessy Hall. They demonstrated a few holds, told a few stories, and then one of them decided to demonstrate his strength. With three 16-pound shot puts from the track and field office, he began to juggle. He's doing a pretty awesome job keeping the three heavy orbs in the air. Little by little the task becomes a struggle. He needs to reach a little further to keep the shot puts under what little control remains.

We all realize what is coming. He misses one and it crashes to the gym floor. It breaks through the maple hardwood and sits buried about three inches into the basketball court. There is an audible gasp and then silence. A College official walks over to escort the wrestlers out of the gym. Workers are brought in to fix the floor as a basketball game was scheduled for that evening.

And another dead spot in that gym floor was created that victimized opposing teams and helped propel so many Tommie B-Ball teams to victory.

Tom Cloutier, Class of 1970   

---

Lucky strikes?

Read your fond reflections on the oddity of a basketball court on the third floor and yes indeed, that was strange placement. Worked well for us, though. I graduated from the Academy in 1959. We used
O'Shaughnessy for mixers, assemblies, basketball games (of course), swim meets, just hanging out, you name it. I'll  probably be struck dead for saying this, but Academy seniors could SMOKE in the second floor 'smoker'.

Something most people may not be aware of is the presence of a bowling alley. Just down the hall north of the second floor ballroom was a little bowling center. Four lanes, as I recall, and dirt cheap. I picked up pin money (good metaphor) setting pins there while at the Academy.

As I recall, bowling cost 25 cents a line of which the pinboy got half. One pinboy could cover two lanes so if you got two foursomes going, you could make some pretty good 'pin' money. At the time, I was a major bowling fan, though, so it was like being paid to play. A highlight of my tenure was one afternoon when a guy from the college (might have been Mike Dorle -- you can check it out) bowled a 300 game! The Holy Grail of bowling! I felt like I'd been part of a major event! It was evident to me, of course, since I was working hard clearing nothing but strikes, and I think I was more excited than he was! Got a nice tip after that one. Probably a few bucks, but remember the times.

I'm sad to see the place go away. Wish they'd just get going and tear it down, though. With all the destruction going on, and the amount of time it's taking, it's sad to see it sitting there, windowless with holes punched in the side.

A really wonderful place.


Tom Summers/St. Paul

---

A dip (in the pool)... and a dunk

Two unforgettable memories of O'Shaughnessy Hall and Schoenecker Arena:

O'Shaughnessy, spring of 1977: Enduring a seemingly endless Sunday of crawling around the building, blindfolded, during Tiger Club initiation, dining on stockyard delicacies, singing silly songs, taking cold showers and being tossed into the swimming pool.

Schoenecker, March 2009: Savoring the last basketball game in the arena, a tense 53-50 NCAA playoff win over UW-Stevens Point to boost the No. 1 Tommies' record to 29-0. In three decades of watching games in Schoenecker, I never heard the arena as loud as it was when Joe Scott broke away and
dunked the ball with 7 seconds left to seal the win.

Doug Hennes '77

---

The little white box

During my years at St. Thomas, the Lacrosse Club had many homes, from the south campus fields to the field house, McCarthy gymnasium, and all the way to St. Kate's. But certainly, the third floor gym was our home during many winter months.  

Despite the cold outside, it could get pretty warm up there; and with 20-30 guys practicing in such a tight space, it was quite loud, too. Our voices bounced off the walls nearly as hard as the rubber lacrosse balls (which often scooted out the doors and down the stairwell.)  

Third-floor gym wasn't exactly the best place to practice and open field sport, but it was one of the few places on campus that we could reserve with any consistency. I will always remember the good times my teammates and I shared in that little white box.


Anthony (A.C.) Gardin/Class of 1999
--

Fond memories of OSH

Early 80's:

--The old football film room. I believe it was actually the copy/coffee room for the Athletic Department staff. There was maybe room for 4-5 guys and we were thrilled to be watching ourselves on the old 8mm black and white film.

--Coach Mark Dienhart's office and all of the enlarged All-American photos that hung on the walls. Very inspirational!

--The old training room. It was very small, maybe 1-2 rooms. I remember watching an SJU quarterback get his chin stitched up at halftime of the 1982 Tommie/Johnnie game. Ouch!

--Climbing up a rope to the 2nd floor window and sneaking into the school dance in the 3rd floor gym. Either the Metro All-stars or Johnny Holm was playing on the stage in the south side of the gym. It was jam packed and the floor was bouncing up and down. It was much more than just a gym! 

--The new and enlarged training room (1985) with the brand new hot tub and the benches with the special sinks for icing our shin splints after our track workouts. It was heaven!

--Playing water polo in the pool. The best workouts I ever had in four years of football and track and field.

Neal Guggemos/Class of '86

---

"They played HERE?"

"I had been on the Tommie campus several times before I was hired in June 1994 as sports information director. I was used to watching basketball games in the spacious Schoenecker Arena. When I first walked up to see the old gym on third floor OSH, I was amazed. Did they really play basketball in here? The space seemed so small. With the bleachers gone, it was hard to imagine how there was room for 500, let alone 1,000 spectators.

"I'll also remember coming in late at night, on weekends or on holiday break and bringing my daughter and sons up to the old wrestling room. We played wiffle ball, kick ball and volleyball and burned off some energy. Maybe in 25 years when UST celebrates its 150th anniversary, those will be memories my children will share."

Gene McGivern/Sports Information Director

---

"Hooked on handball"

The OSH was a second home during my four years at St.Thomas, especially during my freshman and sophomore years. I was introduced to handball by Joe Flood as part of my phy-ed course first semester freshman year.Several of my friends took handball too. We were all immmediately hooked. From
November through March, we would play 2-3 times per week. One of us would show up early and reserve a court, otherwise, you were out of luck as the courts were in demand.

"My very first experience with the OSH, however, came much earlier. It was the summer after first grade. At that time, our next door neighbor was Jim O'Brien, former equipment manager at St.Thomas. Every morning, for two weeks I believe, I and two other neighbor kids (Phil Kachelmeyer '72 and his
brother Mark) would ride with Mr. O'Brien to take swimming lessons in the OSH pool.

"It is difficult for me to see it go."

Lee Javorski, College of St Thomas, '73

---

The "Second Home" for UST Dance

"The UST dance team is considered young compared to the history of St. Thomas as a university and college, but never have I or anyone on the UST dance team spent so much time in one area, exerting all the passion we had for our team and our school. Three days a week throughout the year, and everyday during J-term, the UST dance team spent countless hours perfecting competition routines, growing as teammates and as leaders right there in the O'Shaughnessy Hall gymnasium.  

"The "third floor gym" has always been our second home in the winter, fighting the cold floors and chilled air, and in the summer, hydrating to fight the heat. Although the atmosphere doesn't sound ideal on paper, it was always a comfortable place for our team to perform in, no matter what the weather. It was because all of the 'magic' happened there. This gym has hosted numerous occasions where our team has triumphed, whether in front of an audience or amongst ourselves.  

"Each and every Tommie dancer has grown in multiple ways during practice, all taking place at our home away from home. Every one of the girls who has participated on the team has left a piece of themselves on that floor, and in one way or another, that practice space has molded the dancers, students, and women into what they are today.  

"So many memories have taken place there for so many teams, but as a part of the St. Thomas Dance Team, it is safe to say we know it was our home, and our comfortable stage to perform in. Our program will forever remember our second home, the "third floor gym."

---

"Good days and fun times"

"I think it was basketball season '67-'68.  It was our home game against St John's and the stands were packed. Before the game started, Cliff Knippel walked down the court towards the St John's fans holding a St John's sign with the arrow pointing down. Needless to say, St Thomas fans were really in a frenzy and the Johnnies were boiling!  Those games were intense.   

"Korba, Lapentti, Skelly, Fritz, Kudrle and Blum all helped bring an excitement to the old gym. Those  were good days and fun times."

Bob Kolnik/Class of '70

---

A home "spark"

I remember my junior year of basketball (2008) in early December we have just had a horrible game against Simpson in Iowa. We came back practiced a little bit, then it was Christmas break, and then after we came back to practice.

That first January game at Schoenecker Arena something must have just clicked, because we just played so well against Carleton. They didn't know what hit them. Looking back at the box score we had them 32-16 at halftime. It was 15-5 four minutes into the game. We ended up winning 65-42, and its just something that playing at home at a place like Schoenecker can give that spark."  

DeJurnett Prioleau/Class of 2009

---

'Like NBA stars to us kids in the neighborhood"

I grew up in the area a St. Mark's kid who at an early age went to a swimming camp led by Mr. (Joe) Flood. Swimming in the pool was always fun, except that first time up the ladder to the high diving board. Well, I was a bit nervous and the kid behind me knew it. As a joke he jumped on the base of the board when I got out to the end (yes I was shaking like a leaf) and I lost balance and fell awkwardly off the board. Not a great memory but I survived and hopefully toughened up a bit.

The best memories were going to the basketball games -- Coach Feely, Fritz, Fitz, Rozier, Piper, McKee. The good old days. Those guys were like NBA stars to us little kids in the neighborhood. 

Jim Blake/UST '83

---

"It brought us all together"

"As a swimmer my most fond memories surround “The Palace Clubhouse” our beloved pool. From freshmen year on the first day of practice in the fall of 2000, until my last practice before MIAC Championships in the winter of 2004, I loved swimming in that pool. There was something to the style of the pool that drew you in, no matter the facilities you had ever been a competitor in.

"The high walls of the pool (which proved to be a challenge to those outside of our family) and glass block windows that let in the most amazing light in the morning and enchanting darkness in the winter evenings. 

"Tommie swimmers have been blessed by the facility that brought us all together." 

Melissa (Jackson) Scalia/UST Class of 2004

--

A tight fit

"I recall many exciting Saturday night basketball games at OSH when I was 11-14 years old.  I was a huge Tommie fan and my Dad and uncle (St. Thomas President Msgr. Terrence Murphy) would bring us to watch Steve Fritz, Bobby Rosier, Dennis Fitzpatrick, Paige Piper and all the "stars" of the early 70's.  ( I hope I have recalled the names correctly).    

"I remember being squeezed by hundreds of fans trying to get up the narrow stairs to the gym and back down after another Tommie victory.  I first became aware of the intense Tommie/Johnnie rivalry in those days when the chant "Flush the Johns" came up.  It was great fun -- especially after the game when I could go up to and congratulate the players on another great game.  

"I also recall that St Thomas sponsored a youth sports day camp primarly at OSH that I attended.  We used all of the buildings facilites -- including the bowling alley.  The most amazing thing that I remember was when Bobby Rosier -- I think he was 7-foot-3 -- walked across the deep end of the pool -- and his head was visible the whole time!   As a student at St Thomas in the early 80's, I had a couple of Phy Ed classes in OSH.  

"It was a grand old building that served St. Thomas well. Thanks for asking for the memories."

Tim Murphy/UST Class of '81  

---

UST fans protect court

"I remember the Tommie/Johnnie basketball game my senior year (2007). Both of us had two losses in the conference and it was the final game of the regular season to determine the MIAC champ. The rumor was that  St Johns had filled a bunch of fan buses and that they wanted to "steal" homecourt advantage from us by filling our gym with their fans. Once word got to our campus about this, our students took advantage.  

"I remember walking into the gym to catch the second half of the JV game which was being played before the varsity one, and I couldn't believe me eyes. The gym was packed full of UST fans who were determined to keep the Johnnies from having any type of fan base at the game. The level of excitement from the fans and intensity they brought was something I will never forget. That day is by far my most memorable from Schoenecker. By the way, we won the game, 74-59. "

Isaac Rosefelt/Class of 2007  

--  

Bethel barn burner

"My favorite memory from Schoenecker was the men's basketball game against Bethel during the 2008-2009 season. St. Thomas rallied from 14 points back in the final 8:00 and won in a barn burner to keep the perfect season alive. It was one of the best college basketball games I've ever seen."  

Jordan Osterman/Tommie Media sports editor

Coach Tom Hodgson's Tommies have the MIAC's second-ranked relay times in the 400 free (3:40.43) with Jena Root, Layla Clauss, Jenny Bruno and Becca Ney, and second in the 400 medley (4:06.40) with Root, Karly Harrod, Katie Bromback and Ney.

UST's 800 free relay is seeded third in 8:06.93 with Ney, Clauss, Root and Bruno, and seeded third in the 200 medley relay in 1:51.70 with Root, Bromback, Krieger and Ney. 

Ney is seeded first in the 50 free (24.63), first in the 100 free (53.72), third in the 200 free (1:57.95) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:15.50). 

Root is seeded first in the 100 back (59.50) and third in the 200 back (2:10.75).

Bromback is seeded first in the 200 fly (2:12.10), second in the 100 fly (1:00.55), second in the 200 and ninth in the 400 IM (IM (2:15.14), ninth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.47) and 10th in the 200 breaststroke (2:35.16). 

Bruno is seeded fifth in the 200 back (2:13.07), sixth in the 100 back (1:01.77) and eighth in the 200 IM (2:17.70).

Sam Simon is seeded fourth in the 1000 free (11:05.07), fifth in the 1650 free (18:27.10) and seventh in the 400 IM (4:53.96).

Clauss is seeded fifth in the 1000 free (11:05.16), seventh in the 1,650 free (18:35) and ninth in the 400 IM (4:56.69).

Harrod is seeded sixth in the 200 breaststroke (2:33.43) and eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.10).

Ali Krieger is seeded seventh in the 100 fly (1:02.62) and 11th in the 100 back (1:03.72).

Click here to access 2009-2010 Women's Swimming and Diving top performances:

Coach Tom Hodgson's Tommies are among 45 Division III teams above 3.30.

Click here for complete list:

http://collegecoaches.org/rank/aadivisionIIIF09.shtml

Click here to read about her adventure in a feature story in the Winter edition of the St. Thomas Magazine:

http://www.stthomas.edu/magazine/2010/Winter/simon.html

Bromback (shown at right) clocked 2:12.0 for second place out of 27 competiors and topped Dana Strand's 1991 UST record. Bromback also swam the third fastest 100 Fly in school history at she clocked 1:00.65 and took 14th of 67 entrants.

UST's 400 Free Relay of Jena Root, Layla Clauss, Jenny Bruno and Becca Ney placed fourth out of 10 schools in 3:40.43.

In the 200 medley relay, UST was 11th -- and fourth after eight Minnesota Gopher units -- in 1:51.79 with Root, Bromback, Ali Krieger and Ney.

In the 1,650 Free, Sam Simon was seventh in 18:27.10 and Clauss was ninth in 18:35.94. In the 400 IM, Simon was 11th in 4:56.17 and Clauss was 16th in 5:01.80.

Ney was ninth out of 105 entrants in the 100 free in 54.21 and 14th out of 92 in the 200 free in 1:57.95.

Root was sixth in the 100 Back in 59.78 and 13th in the 200 Back in 2:13.50.

Bruno was 14th in the 200 Back in 2:14.40.

Karly Harrod took 14th in the 200 breaststroke in 2:35.11.

Ali Krieger was 17th in the 200 Back in 2:16.44.

Friday's results

The Toms placed sixth in the 400 medley relay in 4:06.50 with Root, Harrod, Bromback and Ney. They also placed ninth in the 200 free relay in 1:43.44 with Bruno, Wendy Consoer, Clauss and Anna Kramer.  

Ney took sixth in the 50 free in 24.63.

Bromback was ninth in the 200 IM in 2:15.14 and Bruno took 11th in 2:17.77.

Cluss placed 14th in the 500 free in 5:22.29.

Click here for meet results:

http://www.gophersports.com/fls/8400/stats/index.htm?SPSID=38570&SPID=3275&DB_OEM_ID=8400

St. Thomas scored 671 points to top closest pursuers Concordia (522) and St. Catherine (505.5). Macalester (360), UW-River Falls (264), Minnesota Morris (257.5), Hamline (237) and Augsburg (65) rounded out the team scoring.

Bromback won the 200 fly (2:15.21), the 100 breaststroke (1:11.47) and the 200 IM (2:16.54).

Jena Root also had a hand in three firsts. She swept the 100 back (1:01.01) and 200 back (2:10.75) and also joined the winning 200 free relay in 1:41.42 with Wendy Consoer, Layla Clauss and Becca Ney.

Sam Simon won the 400 IM (4:53.96) and 1,650 (18:33.87). Ney won the 50 free (24.92) and anchored the first-place 400 free relay (3:43.73) with Jenny Bruno, Alexis Rodarmel and Clauss.

Runner-up finishes were scored by Karly Harrod in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.02) and Clauss in the 1650 free (18:45.91).

Thirds were scored by Ali Krieger in the 500 free (5:42.65) and the 100 back (63.99); Clauss in the 400 IM (4:57.41); and Bruno in the 100 free (56.40).

Click here to access complete results:

http://www.stkatesathletics.com/documents/2010/1/23/Swim%20invite%20results.htm?id=841

Bromback had season-best times in four events at the St. Olaf Triple Dual on Saturday. Individually, she placed first against St. Olaf and second overall in the 200 butterfly (2:13.35) and the 100 butterfly (1:01.23). Bromback was also a member of the 200 medley relay, where her 32.23 breaststroke split helped the Tommies to first against St. Olaf and second overall. She also placed second against St. Olaf and fourth overall in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:35.16.

When scored as double dual meets, Division II St. Cloud State topped UST 177-119, while the Tommies edged St. Olaf 150-148. St. Cloud State won 10 of 16 events. St. Thomas had four firsts, and the Oles won two events. 

Root won the 100 back in 59.85 and the 200 back in 2:12.27; Ney won the 100 free in 53.74; Karly Harrod won the 200 breaststroke in 2:33.43. 

The Toms had runner-up placings in the 200 medley relay team of Root, Katie Bromback, Ali Krieger and Ney in 1:51.70; the 200 free relay unit of Wendy Consoer, Amy Krueger, Layla Clauss and Alexis Rodarmel in 1:43.97; Ney in the 200 free in 1:58.48 and 200 IM in 2:15.50; Bromback in the 200 fly in 2:13.35.

Thirds were scored by Bromback in the 100 fly (1:01.23); Clauss in the 1000 free in 11:09.11 and in the 500 free in 5:23.21; and Jenny Bruno in the 200 back in 2:15.38. 

Fourths were scored by Sam Simon in the 1000 free (11:14.00); Ali Krieger in the 100 back in 1:03.99; Root in the 50 free in 25.77; Sara Wappes in three-meter diving with 132.35 points; Krieger in the 200 back in 2:16.78; Bromback in the 200 breaststroke in 2:35.16; and Bruno in the 200 IM in 2:19.83;       

Click here to view complete results:

http://www.stolaf.edu/athletics/swimming/men/media/2009-10/results/2010-01-16.htm