Kit Raulerson	Head Coach	kit.raulerson@swimrsa.org	National & Senior Sprint
Raz Cuparencu	Head Age Group Coach	raz.cuparencu@swimrsa.org	Dolphin, Wahoos, & Barracudas
Andrew DeSorbo	Age Group Coach	andrew.desorbo@swimrsa.org	Pre-National
Keri Arsenault	Age Group Coach	keri.arsenault@swimrsa.org	Novas, Dolphins, MSHP Prep
Rainey Ashcraft	Age Group Coach	rainey.ashcraft@swimrsa.org	Sea Stars & Jr Prep

Kit Raulerson was named Head Coach at RSA in August of 2006. Since his arrival, three more athletes have made Olympic Trial cuts in that time and the seven qualified RSA athletes have 15 different cuts between them. During the '06-'07 and '07-'08 seasons, more than 70 RSA records were broken. In addition, Coach Raulerson was chosen by his peers as the Frank Ann Bell recipient for 2008. This award is given to the NCS Senior Coach of the year and is given in honor of exceptional performance and contribution in the area of senior swimming.

Here are some team highlights since coach Raulerson arrived at RSA:

2006-2007scy
RSA became the first team other than MAC to win the NCS Senior Championship in 2007. Melanie Roberts and Sarah Henry led the way for the RSA women, each finaling in 7 events. Melanie won the 100 breaststroke and the 100 & 200 butterflies while Sarah won the 200 breaststroke and the 200IM. Chuck Bartel won the 400IM for the RSA men. The men were extremely deep with 8 different men scoring points for RSA. The RSA women finished second at the Spring 2007 Junior Nationals. Melanie Roberts won the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.30 and also won the women's high point award at Juniors while Sarah Henry won the 400IM in 4:14.69. Ryan Cox was the lone male scoring swimmer at Juniors for RSA. RSA finished 6th as a team at the 2007 Spring Juniors.

Andrew Henry was high point winner for 11-12 boys at both the 2007 scy JO's and the 2007 Age-group Sectionals.

Melanie Roberts set NCS records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke (2:13), while Sarah Henry set NCS records in the 200 breaststroke (2:13) and the 400IM.

2007LCM
RSA was the highest-placing NCS women's team (6th) and the second-highest placing overall NCS team (7th) at the 2007 summer Sectionals at Auburn. RSA was also the 3rd-highest placing NCS women's team at the 2008 Summer Nationals in Indianapolis. Many RSA athletes had outstanding summers in 2007: Melanie Roberts qualified for the US National Team delegation to the International Grand Prix in Chiba, Japan. Melanie set NCS records in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.68) and the 200IM (2:17.45) while also setting RSA records in the 200 breaststroke (2:31.85) and the 100 fly (1:02.01). The 100 fly was a 4th Olympic Trial cut for Melanie. Sarah Henry qualified for the US National Junior Team with a 2:19.33 in the 200IM and swam very well at her meet in Australia, earning multiple swims in finals and semi-finals. Sarah added a second Olympic Trial cut in the 200 breaststroke (2:34.47). Hannah Caron added a second Olympic Trial qualifying time with a 2:19.98 in the 200IM. Will Dove earned his first 2 Olympic Trial qualifying times in the 200 free (1:52) and the 400 free (3:59).

2007-2008scy (with some LCM from Juniors as well)
RSA finished 3rd at the 2008 NCS Senior Champs and 11th at the 2008 Spring Juniors, while also improving to 5th at the 2008 NCS JO Champs.

Torrey Bussey, Hannah Caron, and Sarah Henry led the female RSA charge at Senior Champs with 23 scoring swims between them. Andy Lamb won the 50 free for the RSA men and the men's A and B 400 free relays placed 1st and 5th at the meet with times of 3:08 and 3:11.

Henriette Stenkvist was the 2008 scy JO high point winner.

2008 Junior Nationals was another great meet for RSA. Torrey Bussey earned her first National Cut and then her first Olympic Trial cut in the 100 meter breaststroke (1:11.95). Henriette Stenkvist made her first National cut with a 2:19 200 meter backstroke. Sarah Henry earned another National qualifying time in the 200 freestyle. The women's relay of Bussey, Caron, Henry, and Stenkvist also combined to set NCS records and earn National cuts in the 400 medley (3:46scy and 4:18LCM) and the 800 free relay (8:27LCM). The men were led with scoring swims from Phil Arve and Andy Lamb.

Hannah Caron set NCS records as well in the 100 and 200 butterflies (54.74 and 1:59.96).

Tucker Dupree became RSA's first Paralympian with his qualifying swims in the 50,100 and 400 freestyles. Tucker set numerous American and Pan-American records in his disability class and will represent the US at the 2008 Paralympics in China this fall.

Prior to his arrival in North Carolina, Kit was the Associate Head Coach at Longhorn Aquatics in Austin, Texas from 2002-2006. Longhorn Aquatics received the USA-Swimming Gold Medal as the Top Club in America for three consecutive years. Kit was responsible for coaching, program development, communication, practice schedules, dryland and weight training, and parent volunteer activities. During his time in Austin, Longhorn Aquatics placed over fifty athletes on USA-Swimming National teams. Coach Raulerson has produced over 19 Junior National and 14 Senior National qualifiers and has placed over 45 athletes on the National Reportable Top-16 lists. Coach Raulerson's athletes have set or currently hold 99 Texas State Records and 191 South Texas LSC Records. Most recently Longhorn Aquatics won their first Texas Age-Group Swimming title (14& under) in July of 2006.

From 2000-2002 Coach Raulerson was an Assistant Coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology. At Tech, Coach Raulerson produced the school's first NCAA qualifiers since 1989 and helped lead the men's team to a 2nd-place finish at the 2002 ACC Championships. Coach Raulerson produced seven NCAA qualifiers and three NCAA All-Americans in his two seasons at Georgia Tech.

Coach Raulerson worked as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan from 1998-2000, helping the men to a Big Ten Title in 2000. Additionally, Michigan placed eleven athletes on 2000 Olympic Teams. Coach Raulerson began his career down US 1 in Southern Pines, NC with the Sandhills Sandsharks from 1995-1998.

Coach Raulerson served as Head Age-Group coach and Senior Assistant and also taught physics, biology, and chemistry at The O'Neal School in Southern Pines.

Coach Raulerson also taught at the American International School in Mallorca, Spain from 1994-1995 while also playing semi-professional water polo. Kit graduated from The Johns Hopkins University in 1994.

Raz Cuparencu is the Head Age Group Coach and newest member of the RSA staff. Coach Raz arrives in Raleigh from the Brownsburg Swim Club (Indianapolis, IN), where he was Head Age Group Coach and Assistant Head Coach.  Raz is beginning his ninth year as a professional coach and thrilled to be working with our 12&under athletes and the entire team. He will be leading the Dolphin, Wahoo and Barracuda groups and assist with the Pre-National and National groups. Coach Raz started his coaching career at Terre Haute Torpedoes Swim Club where he coached all four levels ranging from the developmental program to the most advanced swimmers. During Raz’s five year tenure, Raz coached numerous Divisional and State qualifiers. He also coached 12 time state champion, Indiana age group high point winner, zone champion, T16 times, Junior National Qualifier and also developed an Olympic Trial Qualifier. Raz was the Assistant Coach for Terre Haute North High School for 3 years where The Patriots won 3 straight sectional titles. After leaving Terre Haute, Raz continued down the path of success and went to the Brownsburg Swim Club in Brownsburg, Indiana where he was the Assistant Head Coach/Head Age Group coach. Raz helped grow and managed the club from 50 to 150 swimmers and also helped run most of the administrative aspects of the club. While at BBSC Coach Raz coached numerous age group state medalists, Zone and Sectionals qualifiers and an open water state champion. Off the pool deck, Coach Raz is an avid golfer, devoted husband to his wife Samantha and together they have a 2 year old Boxer named Bentley.

Andrew DeSorbo joined RSA in December 2007 and has been working primarily with two of our age group teams, the Dolphins and the Sharks. Andrew grew up in Salisbury, NC and swam for Rowan Aquatic Club there as an age group swimmer. Andrew attended the George Washington University in Washington, DC where he swam all four years and was also Men's Team Captain. Andrew has coached throughout his swimming career and this is his first coaching position in the Triangle Area.

A senior at NCSU majoring in psychology, Rob has been involved in swimming since the age of 6. He first started swimming competitivelywhen he joined the Lochmere Swim team and continued swimming there until he graduated from Woodberry Forest School in 2001. He swam competitively for RSA since the fall after his first summer with Lochmere at age 6. He lettered all 4 years at Woodberry and was the team captain his senior year. He helped lead the Woodberry Forest tigers to 3 State High School championships and a second place finish his 9th grade year. He swam at Middlebury College in Vermont before transferring back to NCSU and helped them win the NESCAC championship his freshman year in college. Each year during the summer when Rob returned home from Woodberry or Middlebury College he always came back and practiced with RSA.

Coach Rob worked as an assistant coach with the Regency Riptides for 2 year and also has coached for MacGregor County Club. He is very excited about being a part of RSA, and looks forward to sharing his love and enthusiasm for the sport of swimming with the RSA family!

Rainey Ashcraft has lived in the Raleigh area since 2001. He graduated from NSCU in 2007 with a BA in Arts Applications. Originally from the Charlotte area, he swam for Mecklenburg Aquatic Club for ten years and for Parkwood High School for four years. He was MVP his sophmore, junior, and senior years. He began swimming as a youngster with Monroe Swim Team, his local summer league team. He swam for ten years and was served as an assistant coach. Rainey is very excited to be with RSA and hopes to help continue the program's excellence. He is the lead coach for the Junior Prep and Sea Stars groups.

Allison Meyers is originally from South Florida. In 1999, her family (mom, dad, younger sister and brother) moved to Greenville, NC. She started swimming at Greenville Swim Club a few years later, and swam for 4 years for the DH Conley High School swim team. Allison now lives in Raleigh and is pursuing an English degree from NC State. Allison is a junior and is currently spending her first semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy. She will return to the RSA pool deck in January of 2009.   Allison started swimming before she could walk and is excited that RSA is her first coaching job. She loves being a part of the RSA family and getting to know all the swimmers, coaches, and parents that make RSA an awesome swim team. She loves coming to work everyday and feels she is learning from some of the best coaches! Allison is also a swim instructor for the Triangle Swim School.

Kristen Erb is a sophomore at NCSU majoring in Textiles & Apparel Management. She is also an involved member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority and the NCSU Club Swim Team. She joined RSA as a senior swimmer in 2003. Kristen assisted RSA with swim lessons and the RSA in May program. She swam for the Apex Breakers for 10 years and is now a coach for that summer league team. She also spent four years as a Varsity swimmer for Middle Creek High School in Apex.