Mar 8, 2006
By: Chris Fitz Gerald, The Record
Matt Kavanagh is in familiar waters again. The College of St. Rose senior is the only swimmer in school history to qualify for the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. But this distinction is nothing new to Kavanagh, who will be representing the Golden Knights for the fourth time at the event.
The NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships get underway today and continue through Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
Clearly, his experience from previous nationals has been significant for
Kavanagh.
"It's really been very important," the 21-year-old Kavanagh said. "Some
guys go the first time and they're kind of star struck.
"I know what I have to do and what it takes to do well. I have a lot of confidence going in."
Kavanagh will compete in three events, beginning with the 50-yard freestyle today. He swims in the 200 freestyle on Thursday and concludes his competition in the 100 freestyle on Saturday.
After the preliminaries, the top 16 swimmers return for the finals each night.
Kavanagh is seeded first in the 200, fifth in the 50 and third in the 100.
"It's about the same, although I think the 200 is a little stronger event," the Newburgh native said. "It depends, I've always liked the 100, and it's probably my most favorite event. And in the 200 free I've gotten better. I like all the events, actually."
Kavanagh has already recorded a memorable senior season and owns 11 school records.
As he met three NCAA automatic qualifying standards at the Metropolitan Conference Championships Feb. 17-19 at Rutgers, he set school-record and winning times in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles.
"It isn't new for me, I know my potential and how good I am compared to everything else," Kavanagh said. "It's just about competing, having a good race and pretty much training well and getting ready for it."
Kavanagh also has school individual records in the 500 freestyle, the 100 breaststroke, the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley. He's also been part of five school relay records in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 200 medleys and 400 medley.
Last year, Kavanagh placed 12th in the 200 freestyle at the national championships.
"At the beginning of the year based on last years at nationals, I knew by the end of the year I could be in the top five in the 200," Kavanagh said. "After the (MCC) championships, I knew I could be in the top five
(nationally)."
Kavanagh certainly left his mark at the conference event as he was named Outstanding Male Athlete at the Metro Conference Championships.
Also at the event, Kavanagh anchored St. Rose's 800 freestyle relay which trimmed 10 seconds off the previous school record with a finish of 7:02.46.
His 200 freestyle time of 1:39.22 was also a meet record at Rutgers.
"My training has pretty much been the same," Kavanagh said. "My coach (Keith Murray) is not new, this is his third year and we might be doing things a little different. But he definitely knows what he's doing. It's gratifying to have success again."
His senior season started slowly for Kavanagh, who suffered a bone bruise on his knee and sat out for two weeks.
But this setback well behind him, Kavanagh is swimming as strong as ever as he sets his sight on nationals.
"Basically, I'd be happy with top eight - that would be All-American status," Kavanagh said. "I definitely know I have a chance to be in the top three or win a national championship. But I'm not going to get caught
up in that, I just swim my races and do the best I can."
Kavanagh, who is majoring in criminal justice and is a dean's list student, may purse business administration in graduate school. He might take on even higher goals in swimming.
"I'm close to the Olympic trials cuts right now," he said. "I've given some thought to continuing my swimming career after college, maybe on the national level.
But I'm not concerned about that, I'm going to continue my education and see what happens the next few weeks. We'll see how I do at the championships before I decide what I want to do."
