Sports Editor Matthew Yannie sat down and spoke with Ryan Radtke í10.† A captain, Radtke has set two school records over his four years, in the 200 and 400 IM.
MY: After two straight fifth place finishes as a team in conference championships, what were your expectations coming into this season?
RR: My expectations were that we would improve on our scores from last year. We didnít graduate many conference scorers; I think [we graduated] only one who scored for us last year. We picked up a lot of talent with the incoming class. Coming into the year my expectation was that we should get third place; that is no different this year than in the past.
MY: With seven first-years joining the team, what are your expectations for the class of 2013 and the other young members this season?
RR: I expect them to contribute as much as they can. As first-years they have never been to the championship meet, but thatís where we come in as seniors and guide them. It would be great for the incoming class to score more points than the class that graduated last year so that the team gains and improves.
MY: Coach [Rob] Harrington said that you, Logan LaBerge í10 and Eric Babbitt í10 ìwill be the core of the program this year.” What sort of pressure do you feel when it comes to your leadership of this team? How does having Logan and Eric with you help set the right example?
RR: Itís great having Logan and Babbitt there, to have two people to turn to who have been the top scorers in the conference meet the last couple of years. Not just them, but the entire group of senior guys this year, I think we really form the core of the team. The camaraderie of the team this year has been beyond what it has been in the past, and I contribute that not only to us three, but to the entire group of senior guys who have really brought everyone together.
MY: Individually, you had another strong season bettering your school records in the 200 IM and 400 IM while also finishing in the top ten in three races at the NCAC championships last season. What are your individual expectations in this your senior year?
RR: I would like to improve in all my events. Breaking the records again is secondary to making a national cut, but I think the two go hand in hand. In order to make a national cut I am going to have to go faster than last year. The records are nice, but at the same time Iíd like to represent Wooster at a national level.
MY: You currently stand in third place all time at the College in the 1000 and 1650 freestyle races; what would it mean to you if you were able to break those records this season?
RR: Coming into college I wasnít a distance swimmer at all; it is a role Iíve evolved into given our lack of distance swimmers. Breaking those records would be great; theyíve been around since the early 90s. It would be great, but the priority is placing as high as I can so I can score the most points for the team.
MY: This coming weekend the team will head to Cleveland for the Veale Classic featuring Oberlin College, John Carroll University and Case Western Reserve University.† What are your expectations heading into the weekend both for yourself and for the team?
RR: Itís a fun meet because of the tournament style where the two winners [on Friday] meet up on Saturday. I always expect to win, especially against Oberlin on Friday. It will be nice because we have been recovering from an extreme period of illness and injury on the menís side; we havenít brought a full squad to any meet so far. It would be great to get back on the winning track against Case who beat us last year. They are a very talented team.