Get to Know a Swimmer: Laura Belch

Our fourth swimmer of the day is senior and 11-time conference finalist Laura Belch:


Name: Laura Belch
Nickname: LaLa the [Beach Babe]
Class: Senior
Hometown: Manassas, VA
Favorite Event: 100 Free
Favorite Hobby: Beachin' it
Favorite Foods: Sushi, Salmon, Steak
Favorite R-MC Swimming Memory: Winning the ODAC title and busting my butt in front of everyone, not once, but twice at ODACs that year.
Favorite TV Shows: LOST and FoxNews
Favorite Movies: Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Super Troopers
Favorite Inspirational Quotes: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
"A man that never quits is a man that is never defeated." - Fred Thompson

Get to Know a Swimmer: Kellianne Mullin

Our swimmer of the day today is freshman, and Eagles fan, Kellianne Mullin:


Name: Kellianne Mullin
Class Year: 2012
Hometown: Charlottesville, VA
Favorite Event: 200 Breast
Favorite Hobby: Shopping
Favorite Food: Arch's Frozen Yogurt
Favorite TV Show: Gossip Girls / Greys Anatomy
Favorite inspirational quote: "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else wil take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." -Lance Armstrong

Get to Know a Swimmer: Hallie Stewart

Part II of our Get to Know a Swimmer series features two-time conference champion Hallie Stewart '10.


Name: Hallie Stewart
Class Year: Junior
Hometown: Midlothian, VA
Favorite Event: The R-MC Invitational
Favorite Hobby: Crafting
Favorite Food: Spinach Dip
Favorite TV Show: Gossip Girls
Favorite R-MC Swimming memory: Washington & Lee (dual meet) my freshman year
Personal Motto: Life's too short to be anything but happy.

Get to Know a Swimmer: "A Mo"

At 6:15 this morning, the 08-09 R-MC swimming season began as the team hit the weights dark and early. To celebrate the start of the season, here is the first of many "Get to Know a Swimmer" posts. Today's swimmer du jour is junior Amanda Morgan. Get to know Amanda M.:


Name: Amanda Morgan
Nickname: "A Mo"
Class: Junior
Hometown: Boiling Springs, PA
Favorite Event: 50 Freestyle
Favorite Hobby: Swimming (duh)
Favorite Food: Hot dogs
Favorite R-MC Swimming Memory: Winning the ODAC title my freshman year.
Favorite TV Show: The Hills, Gossip Girl
Favorite Movie: Sweet Home Alabama
Inspirational Quote: "Lick the rock, chug the tap." - Aimee Powell '08

Out with the Old, In with the New

The beginning of the swimming season is a great time of year, full of optimism and excitement at what the new team can accomplish. We at R-MC have a lot to be psyched about this fall. First, we have a very talented and huge freshman class (more to come on them). Our team is roughly twice the size as last year. Second, our swimmers will benefit from several sweet upgrades to the Estes Aquatic Center this year. The old rollaway rotary pace clocks and 10 year old lane lines are history. Replacing them are brand new wall-mounted digital pace clocks and brand new lane lines. But wait, that's not all. Also new this year for our swimmers' training pleasure is a relay takeoff pad, which will be an invaluable tool in perfecting relay exchanges.

Of course, all of this was made possible by the generosity of our friends in the Yellow Jacket Club.

The Old:


The New:

Back To School

Today is Labor Day, and for those of us here at R-MC, that also means it's the first day of classes for the 08-09 school year (yes, we start school on a national holiday). And with that, the start of the swimming season is not far off. Our small army of freshmen have arrived and settled in, the upperclass(wo)men are back as well, and I'm looking forward to getting down to business. September 22nd is going to be our first day of practice this season. T-minus 3 weeks until splash down....