Carlozzi aims for NCAA meet

By JOHN KOVACH

kovach@vindy.com

ALLIANCE

Swimmer Matt Carlozzi of Boardman has won nine All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors in three years with the Mount Union College team, but never has qualified for the NCAA Division III national championships.

But the Boardman High graduate, a junior freestyle specialist who won four of his nine All-OAC honors this year, is determined to become a national qualifier next year in the 200 freestyle, which he considers to be his best event.

He placed second in the 200 freestyle in the OAC meet this year in 1:43.02 to win one of his All-OAC honors.

“I actually [cut] two full seconds in the 200 freestyle with a career-best 1:43.02 which is .04 off the school record. I really plan on going next year,” said Carlozzi, who is encouraged by his improvement.

“We actually have begun training now. I know exactly what I have to do for the next year to get the school record and qualify for the national.”

Carlozzi said there are two cuts for each event — the A- and B-cuts.

“You have to meet the A-cut which is the fastest possible time and that automatically qualifies you for the national, and the B-cut gives you an opportunity to qualify if it makes the cutoff at the end of the season. The top 25 times in nation qualify,” said Carlozzi. who is motivated to make the national next year.

“The B cut will be 1:42.8 and I feel that 1:41.5 will be the [A-cut] invitation time.”

Carlozzi’s other All-OAC honors this year came in the 500 freestyle (4:44.10) for third place, the 1,650 freestyle (17:01.89) for third place, and as a member of the 800 freestyle relay team that placed second in a school-record 6:58.59, breaking a 23-year-old record.

He helped the MUC men to place fourth in the OAC meet.

Carlozzi said he likes freestyle swimming the best of all.

“I am more of a freestyler. I don’t really swim the other events. Freestyle is my main strength. I like it a lot. Also I like the [individual medley] but I don’t get a chance to swim it.”

Carlozzi previously won two All-OAC honors as a freshman and three as a sophomore.

Meanwhile, Ben Haren, a freshman backstroke specialist from Lisbon, also won All-OAC honors by placing second in the 200 backstroke in 1:54.62.

In addition, MUC coach Eric Mojock and his assistants were named OAC women’s coaching staff of the year.

Carlozzi also was named OAC men’s swimmer of the week for his performance on Feb. 6 at home in a 161-128 loss to Westminster.

He won the 200 and 500 freestyles and was a member of the winning 400 freestyle relay that also included sophomore Marcus Suffolk of Canfield High.

The son of Matt and Shari Carlozzi, Carlozzi is majoring in business administration with two concentrations in management and marketing and a minor in accounting with about a 3.0 GPA.