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Sure, they had the fancy new Aquatic and Fitness Center, with all the bells and whistles you could hope for in a swimming facility.
But what the George Mason University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams accomplished in its inaugural seasons still makes you shake your head in disbelief.
And makes you realize just what potential these programs have.
Building a program from scratch just a year-and-half earlier, head coach Peter Ward, along with assistants Roland McDonald (diving) and Kristen Brown (swimming), served notice that you don’t have to be established to be good. Proper planning, combined with solid resources, a few well-placed recruiting coups and a burning desire to succeed might just be the blueprint for instant respect.
The men’s team won four dual meets and the women’s team captured two, but it was the performance of three individuals in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships that showcased the Patriot program to the water world.
Freshman Cameron Charlton, sophomore Louise Middlemore and senior Brendan Crowley took circuitous routes to Fairfax. However, the trio proved that the Patriots could soon be a quality program in Mid-Atlantic swimming circles.
"This season exceeded my expectations," Ward reflected. "George Mason swimming and diving has arrived. I could not have asked for a better ending than the CAA Championships-- it was very surreal, almost like a dream."
Ward was referring to the accomplishments of Charlton and Crowley on the men’s side and Middlemore on the women’s end. They combined to win five events.
Crowley finished the CAA meet with 57 points, second among individuals, after winning the 100-yard butterfly (:48.69) and the 100-yard freestyle in a meet record of :44.59. He also set a CAA and a meet record in the 50-yard freestyle (:20.31) in the qualifying swim, and placed second in that event in the finals.
A local product from McLean, VA (Paul VI), Crowley was an All-American at perennial power Tennessee. He is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at George Mason, had some eligibility left and, in what might have been the biggest understatement of the year, wandered into Ward’s office last October to see if he could help the program.
Following a discussion with Ward, "I decided to get in the pool and train," he said.
"I truly enjoyed working with Peter Ward," Crowley added. "He knows what the swimmers want and he wants to do everything well."
While Crowley was the graybeard on the team, Charlton was the wide-eyed newcomer. That is, until he dove into the pool.
Charlton finished fifth overall in the CAA Championships, scoring 47 points, and won the 200-yard breaststroke (2:02.41). He placed fifth in the 200-yard individual medley (1:52.92) and sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke (:57.21).
Charlton was the prize men’s recruit in Ward’s first season, coming to Fairfax from north of the border in Ontario, Canada.
"It’s amazing," Charlton said after his steller CAA performance, "there is no other school in the country that I’d rather be a part of. Peter is a great coach, the facility is amazing and I thought it would be neat to be a part of a new program."
Which brings us to Middlemore, who hails from across the pond in Nottingham, England. Middlemore scored 47 points at the CAA meet, winning both the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.57) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:16.64).
Middlemore was all set to attend another college when a friend of hers who swam for Ward at the University of Arkansas told her she might want to research George Mason.
So, in this age of advancing technology, Middlemore did what any young woman would do-- she checked the web site.
"I loved the web site and everything it said," she remembered. "Suddenly I received this call from Coach Ward and loved everything he had to say, what his aims were for the year and I knew there was someone I could train with (Charlton)."
Voila! Middlemore to Mason.
"It has been everything I expected, and more," she enthused.
So, there it was-- and is. Three highly talented athletes mesh nicely with quality teammates to give George Mason another intercollegiate team poised for national notoriety.
Just like the others.