Marshall University Athletics
Herd Seniors Close Out Career Saturday Against Akron
1/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Jan. 26, 2006
HUNTINGTON - Four seniors will say goodbye Saturday before the Herd faithful, as the Marshall Thundering Herd women's swimming and diving team hosts the Akron Zips in a 1 p.m. meet at the Frederick A. Fitch Natatorium.
The season finale against the Zips (5-4-1) will also serve as Senior Day, as Marshall (5-8) will honor its first four-year senior class in program history prior to the meet. Seniors Britney Brooks (Hurricane, W.Va./Hurricane), Milla Kuurto (Lohja, Finland/Lohja), Emily Moe (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) and Casey Mulholland (Stone Mountain, Ga./St. Pius) were the first true recruiting class by fourth-year head coach Leonard Kraus.
"Senior Day is a special day for our four seniors, for me and this program," Kraus said. "It's the first milestone for this class. It will be special to send them away with a win.
"It would be great to get a win and send them off properly. This program has grown a lot because of this class. This class brings something special to this team. The four years have flown by and has been a lot of fun and we will miss them."
Last time out, the Herd dropped a hard-fought meet Tuesday at MAC power Ohio, 179-115. Kuurto posted victories in three individual events, while Mulholland swept the diving events.
Kuurto posted season top-five times in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events, as well as the 200-yard IM. In the 200-yard free, Kuurto touched the pad at 1:51.83, besting Ohio's Ashley Marion. Later on in the meet, Kuurto won the 500-yard freestyle by nearly nine seconds. She won her final event of the evening - besting Marion again by a second in the 200-yard IM.
On the boards, Mulholland dominated the competition, scoring 276.75 in the three-meter event and 250.05 in the one-meter event.
Akron, who faces Kenyon in Gambier, Ohio, Friday at 5 p.m., is just 1-1-1 on the road this season. In its last outing, the Zips tied Bowling Green 150-150 on Jan. 21.
Last season, the Herd upended the Zips 151-149 at Akron on Nov. 13, 2004.
"We had a tremendous meet against them last season," Kraus said. "This year should be no different. We were able to hang with them at the MAC Championships.
"They have several great swimmers, including an elite butterflier in Danielle Beland. They can change their line-up around a lot which is very beneficial for them.
"It will be tight from beginning to end and must be ready to step up to the challenge."
Following the season finale meet against the Zips Saturday, the Marshall Thundering Herd will resume competition when it travels to Houston, Texas, for the Conference USA Championships Feb. 22-25 at the UH Natatorium on the University of Houston campus.
SENIOR CAPSULES
Britney Brooks (Hurricane, W.Va./Hurricane HS), Sprints Brooks is one of four seniors from head coach Leonard Kraus' first-ever true recruiting class. The Hurricane, W.Va., native was a three-year team captain at Hurricane HS and competed in the West Virginia state championships all four years. This season, Brooks participated in three events for the Herd - 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay. She helped guide the Herd to a fourth place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay at East Carolina with a time of 1:47.61. She was also a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that finished fifth against WVU and the 200-yard medley relay team that finished sixth against WVU.
Milla Kuurto (Lohja, Finland/Lohja Gymnasium), Butterfly/Freestyle Kuurto is one of four seniors from head coach Leonard Kraus' first-ever true recruiting class and one of three senior captains on this season's squad. Kuurto had immediate success at Marshall. The Lohja, Finland, native was a three-time Mid-American Conference First Team selection and was named the MAC Swimmer of the Year in 2004. Kuurto holds nine individual school records and six individual pool records. She is also a member of five different relay school record teams and one pool record team. This season alone, Kuurto ranks in the top 10 among Conference USA swimmers in five different events, including a C-USA-best time of 54.62 in the 100-yard butterfly. Kuurto has won 20 individual events and four relay events. Earlier this season, Kuurto was named the C-USA Swimmer of the Week for Nov. 1 after she won four events during Marshall's three-meet weekend sweep over Duquesne, Shippensburg and Youngstown State. At Duquesne, Kuurto set the Towers Pool record in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:33.62. Kuurto added another victory in the 200-yard backstroke. In the Herd's win at Youngstown State, Kuurto grabbed first in the 100- and 500-yard freestyle.
Emily Moe (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS), Breaststroke Moe is one of four seniors from head coach Leonard Kraus' first-ever true recruiting class and one of three senior captains on this season's squad. The Rockford, Mich., native was a four-year letterwinner at Rockford High School and was the team captain during her senior season. This season, Moe has been sidelined during the majority of the year to injury. She competed against Radford on Oct. 7 and Virginia Tech on Oct. 8 for the Herd.
Casey Mulholland (Stone Mountain, Ga./St. Pius X HS), Diving Mulholland is one of four seniors from head coach Leonard Kraus' first-ever true recruiting class and one of three senior captains on this season's squad. The Stone Mountain, Ga., native was a four-year letterwinner at St. Pius X Catholic HS and was the Georgia State championship in the one-meter competition as a senior. Mulholland holds the Marshall school record in the one- and three-meter boards, while also holding the Fitch Natatorium record in the three-meter competition. Earlier this season against West Virginia, Mulholland set the school and pool record in the three-meter boards with a score of 298.35. Muholland has been named Conference USA Diver of the Week twice this season. She was named C-USA Diver of the Week for Nov. 1 after winning the one-meter boards at Youngstown State. Her second weekly honor came on Dec. 21 after she won both the one- and three-meter boards against West Virginia on Dec. 17 in Huntington.
