With Josh Kercheval and Nic Cheviron departing as seniors, I didn’t expect much from the Eastern men’s swim team this year.

After all, Kercheval and Cheviron combined for nearly 40 individual wins last season as the team went 6-3-1. Having 12 freshmen on the team’s 24-man roster, I assumed a rebuilding season was in the works, but my prediction couldn’t have been more off.

Starting the 2003 swimming year, my biggest concern was who would, or could, step up for the Panthers and replace Cheviron and Kercheval as Eastern’s two leaders. When I asked Panthers head coach Ray Padovan this question before the season ending Midwest Classic Championship last year he stressed that it would be difficult for the Panthers, but not impossible if the current roster continues to improve and the incoming freshman swim well.

While I wrote this off as wishful thinking by ‘the dean of EIU coaches,’ Padovan’s answer has been right on target this year. When recapping Eastern’s six completed dual meets, a steady diet of senior Rich Wahlgren, junior Tom Watson and freshmen Bill Senese and Dave Trabilsy (all the components Padovan was looking for) have led the Panthers to a 4-2 record.

Wahlgren’s accomplishments are almost too good to believe. The Palos Heights native has owned the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle all season long, and has won the later event in every dual meet the Panthers have participated in. Wahlgren’s dominance in the 200-yard free has almost overshadowed his success in the 100-yard, which has won in four straight meets. Wahlgren’s 12 individual wins have proven he is able to help replace Kercheval and Cheviron.

Right behind Wahlgren with 11 individual wins is the freestyler Watson, who had a breakout meet against Louisville back in October and hasn’t slowed down since. After a win in the 1,000-free against Illinois-Chicago on Oct. 24, Watson proceeded to take home first place in the next two dual meets against Western Illinois and Evansville while lowering his time in each meet. Watson has been consistent all season long, placing first or second in the 1,000-free in five of the six meets on the year.

When it comes to Senese, Padovan may be the only person who expected this many triumphs from the Hickory Hills resident. Padovan said because Senese was extremely successful at Amos A. Stagg High School, he believed much of the same was in store when Senese arrived in Chareleston.

Once again, Padovan was correct.

In his first collegiate meet, Senese was part of two first-place finishes,

including one individual win. Routinely winning the shorter events, Senese gives the Panthers a well-balanced squad with Wahlgren acing the middle-distance swims and Watson staring in long swims.

Diver Dave Trabilsy has been much more valuable to the Panthers than his five top two finishes. Last season, the Panthers didn’t have a diver on their active roster and ordinarily found themselves down by 30 or 40 points before the meet began. Now, diving is one of Eastern’s strong points as Trabilsy’s two wins against Evansville helped the Panthers to a big home victory.

Going into this weekend’s swim with Butler, the Panthers are on a roll and have put their early struggles behind them. This hot streak was on display in full-force Nov. 20, when the Panthers traveled to Saint Louis for a showdown with the Billikens. After losing a pair of meets to the Billikens last season with Kercheval and Cheviron on the squad, Eastern used a complete team effort to defeat a very good Billiken team 129-112.

With the ever important team chemistry reeking throughout the Lantz Natatorium, the men’s swim program may be the best team you’ve never heard of. But much like my expectations that too will change.