2004 YEAR IN REVIEW

The 2004 competition season was both challenging and successful for the W&M Mermettes. We competed at home and away in eight different meets. The season culminated in a 10 day bus trip to New York and Michigan for our East Coast Athletic Conference and National meets. Before the last two meets, however, the team had an incredible season. At our annual W&M Invitational, the first meet of the season, we competed against both local Virginia teams – University of Richmond and Mary Washington as well as the University of Incarnate word and Stanford University. Following the opening meet, the team traveled to Mary Washington and Ohio State to compete. We then returned to our home pool for another meet with Ohio State University as well as the South Regional competition. At all of the individual meets, the Mermettes made an incredible showing placing in both figures and routines.

At the Regional Competition, in A figures, Ellie Browne finished 12th , Kim Marsh finished 13th and Katie Lauer finished 15 th . In B figures, Anna Schatz finished 11th and Amy Rossnagel finished 29 th . In C figures, Merry Von Rodem finished 1st and Patience Bosley finished 9th . And in D figures, Jana Chavers finished 2nd , Claire O'Shea 6th , Kristin Gulden 7th , Michele Macary 11th, Laura Newkirk 16th , Collette Southern 25th and Claudia Raezer 27th . The Mermette trio, Katie Lauer, Merry Von Rodem and Ellie Browne came in 5th . Katie Lauer and Kim Marsh's duet finished 5 th and Ellie Browne and May Rossnagel's duet finished 9th. Additionally, Patience Bosley, Claire O'Shea and Michele Macary swam an honorary trio and finished 8th and Patience Bosley and Jana Chavers swam an honorary duet and finished 12th . Kim Marsh's solo came in 5th place. Finally, in the team competition, the Gold team finished 5th and the Green team finished 8th.

At the ECAC meet, William and Mary also made an impressive showing. Competing at Cornell University in Ithica, New York, William and Mary came in overall in 12th place. In C figures, Merry Von Rodem placed 5th and in D figures, Jana Chavers placed 2nd . In the trio competition, Katie Lauer, Ellie Browne and Merry Von Rodem placed 4 th and Patience Bosley, Claire O'Shea and Michele Macary placed 9th. In Duets, Amy Rossnagel and Ellie Browne placed 3rd and Patience Bosley and Jana Chavers placed 12th . In the Team Competition, the Gold team placed 5th and the Green team placed 9th .

Lastly, at the Synchronized Swimming Collegiate National Championships, held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, William and Mary placed 12 th in the country. The entire team made an impressive showing. Placing in C Figures was Merry Von Rodem in 10th . Jana Chavers finished 6 th in D Figures. Kim Marsh's solo finished 15th, Katie Lauer, Ellie Browne and Merry Von Roedem took 13th and Patience Bosley, Claire O'Shea and Michele Macary took 20th in the trio competition. In Duets, Katie Lauer and Kim Marsh finished 13th , Amy Rossnagel and Ellie Browne finished 18th and Patience Bosley and Jana Chavers finished 29th . And in the team competition, the Gold team finished 12th and the Green team finished 26th.

For the first time swimmers from William & Mary, Kim Marsh and Katie Lauer, qualified and attended the U. S. Synchronized Swimming elite National Championship. Their Duet finished 19th in the country and Kim's solo finished 24th. We are all very proud of their success.

The William and Mary synchronized swimming team is coached by Mrs. Barbara McNamee. After one of our most successful years since Mrs. Mac began coaching the team, the Mermettes are quickly getting back to work preparing for the 2005 season. From new routines to new figures to new figure groups to brand new swimmers, the team is already busy in the pool. We hope to see many fans this year in another busy competition season that will take us from Florida to Massachusetts. Best of Luck to this year's W&M Mermettes!