2005-06 Season Preview

After the best season in the brief history of women’s swimming at N.C. A&T, coach Shawn Hendrix looks forward to what should be an encore in 2005-06.

One of the main reasons that Hendrix is anticipating the season is the arrival of her first graduate assistant coach, recent A&T graduate Asha Clinkscales, a four-year swimmer under Hendrix. Clinkscales decided to return as an assistant coach after turning in her best performances as freestyle swimmer last season.  “Asha is the only person I wanted for this position,” said Hendrix. “She adds so much to the team and to me in coaching from a swimmer’s perspective. Her hard work and dedication throughout her career here allowed her to make the adjustment from student-athlete to coach in such a short amount of time. She has the respect of her former teammates and gives them another set of eyes on the pool deck. We will be a much better team because of her being here.”

The senior class, which consists of co-captain Ashley Farr (freestyle), Janelle Mason (freestyle, intermediate medley), Sujotta Pace (freestyle, backstroke) and  Brittani Smith (distance freestyle), is full of veteran swimmers who have been key contributors to the Aggies’ success in the pool.
 
The depth of the team is not limited to just the senior class. Three juniors and two sophomores will have more active roles on the team. Junior co-captain Asha el-Shair (butterfly), Kira Johnson (freestyle, backstroke) and Kirstin Lewis (intermediate medley) are experienced in their particular events as well as the relays.

Sophomores Gia Wright (breaststroke, freestyle) and Shanell Thomas (freestyle) had outstanding seasons as freshmen. Wright won the 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke at the HBCU Championships last season and also was named team MVP at the postseason Athletic Awards Banquet. Thomas won three freestyle events last season and will take the role as the lead freestyle swimmer.
 

Hendrix was very excited talking about her freshman class, which is one of the largest in her seven seasons as head coach of the Aggies. “My first-year swimmers are good enough to challenge the upperclassmen in any event. They are a strong class and they will have a role in how well we perform against the schedule. They, along with my sophomores, have a bright future in the program here.”  Their contributions will be noticed immediately, as two of them, Donielle Campbell (freestyle, butterfly) and Aasiya Townsell (freestyle, butterfly) are the only flystroke swimmers on the roster. Tia Davis (distance freestyle) and Signe Walbduer (freestyle) will add depth in the individual events and could see some competition in the relays.

Aggie relay teams have been successful when competing against the Northeast Conference, and this season should be no exception. When it comes to who will be in the lineup, Hendrix has opened each spot to competition. “Our depth is a good problem to have when it comes to relays,” she said. “The teams will change from week to week, because no spot is secure, even for our seniors. To land on the “A” relay team, even the “B” team will be tough every week because the times are so close. Even the freshmen are doing well enough to be considered.”

The schedule will have some twists that the Aggies will face. Two first-year programs, Virginia Military Institute and Dakota State will participate in dual meets against N.C. A&T. The Aggies will face North Florida in the first ever all-sprint meet in Corbett Sports Center. Familiar NEC rivals Radford, Campbell, Gardner-Webb, St. Frances, Wagner, and Howard also grace the schedule. The Aggies will also compete against Minnesota State for the first time. At the end of the season are the always tough NEC Championships in Landover, Md. 

“We have the talent to be better, all across the board,“ said Hendrix. “Our success in dual meets keeps paying off in recruiting, and we have a beautiful facility that teams love to swim inside. We have the Aggie supporters pack our stands during home meets and our athletes love that. The program is still developing and in its eighth season, we compete against schools that have had 50-plus years of success. We also have an active role in our community and several of our student-athletes are on the academic honors list each year. That means a lot to all Aggies.”