CLEVELAND - It was a long offseason for the Delta State Statesmen and Lady Statesmen Swimming and Diving teams. The departure of one coach leads to the start of a new era in Cleveland. Dan'l Murray, the long time coach of the Delta Aquatic Club, has grabbed the reigns of the Green-and-White and looks to continue the successes.

“Ronnie Mayers, not only laid the ground work for the collegiate program as well as the club program, he has laid a tremendous base for them to succeed,” Murray said. “We are going to keep building off the group we have. We have a great recruiting class and they're chomping at the bit to get a chance to get in and see what they can do with the rest of the big boys in the NSISC.”

Last season, Delta State sent 18 swimmers to the 2010 NCAA Division II National Swimming and Diving Championships. The Lady Statesmen return just Mary Katherine Waddell and Alyce Meador from their trip to nationals last year. The Statesmen get back three in Wolfgang Mairinger, Alex Lorenz and Ben Rayner.

Youth is the movement this year. Leadership still needs to come from somewhere. Taking that role while looking to expand her impressive year last year is Meador. The 2009-2010 College Swimming Coaches Association Academic All-American has made nationals in each of her first three years and is primed for another stellar year in backstroke and breaststroke events. Cleveland's hometown hero found her love of swimming when she swam for coach Murray as part of the DAC and her career has come full circle with Murray back to help her finish strong.

“Coach is so personal and has great skills and really understands the science of swimming,” Meador said. “ We have a great team and he is going to take us far in conference and nationals.”

Joining Meador in leadership roles for the ladies are junior Waddell and sophomore Calla Kingery who is coming off a great first year in the pool for the green and white. Seniors Aimee Blegen and Catlin Dudley will also provide the leadership and experience that comes from three letter years. Diver Hannah Mantooth and butterfly/freestyler Kaci Bolls are also back for their third years.


Eight freshmen are suiting up for coach Murray and he sees great promise is his recruiting class. Lima, Peru native Maria Torres Perez has impressed throughout the preseason workouts and is one to watch out for in 2010-2011.

For the Statesmen, Wolfgang Mairinger is fresh off his fourth place finish in the 1650 Yard distance freestyle at nationals. The Academic All-American, who is one of the best distance swimmers in the nation as well as in Delta State history, will hit the water for his junior year.

“I hope to just make the cut again for nationals,” Mairinger said. “From there, I'll see what I can do. I hope for a top three finish.”

The “elder” Statesmen Ben Rayner is the only three-year letter winner on the Statesmen roster. As a junior, Ben was a NCAA All-American Honorable Mention and qualified as part of the 200 Yard Medley Relay team that took third at the NSISC championships.

Tucker Marshburn, the other senior, took last year off and will also provide valuable leadership to a team that is in need of upperclassmen guidance. Distance swimmers Chris Ashton and Joey Morgan, freestylers Zach Stein and George Huber, breaststroker Alex Rapetti and individual medley swimmer Alex Lorenz are all back after strong sophomore campaigns and give Delta State a strong base to continue success.

Freshman Daphne, Ala. native Michael DuBose is the freshman to watch on the Statesmen. Coach Murray is very impressed with his lower body strength and his work ethic. DuBose as well as the seven other Statesmen freshmen will be an integral part to the growth of DSU swimming and diving for coach Dan'l Murray.

The season will step to the starting blocks November 6th when the Statesmen and Lady Statesmen duel in a dual with Arkansas-Little Rock. From there it's an extended stay in Arkadelphia, Arkansas to take on Henderson State on November 19th and Ouachita Baptist on the 20th.

Coach Murray's bunch will return home for the DSU Christmas Invitational on December 17th-20th and will host the DSU Tunica Invitational January 7th and 8th of 2011 in Tunica, Mississippi.

OBU pays back the home and home when they come into town on January 15th, 2011. And once again the NSISC Championships will be swam at the Delta State Aquatic Center February 9-12, 2011. The NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships will be held in San, Antonio, Texas on March 9-12, 2011.