COLLEGE SWIMMING SEASON PREVIEW

MEN’S SWIMMING SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE

Head coach: Tim Quill

Swimmers to watch: Leo LaPorte, SR (NE10 record holder in 100 and 200 butterfly); Max Padro, SR; Tahj Mitchell Westberry, JR (NE10 champion in 1meter and 3meter diving events).

Outlook: Most of the attention will focus on twotime AllAmerican LaPorte but there is enough depth and talent for the Owls to make a run at the NE10 title.

Season opener: Saturday at Fairfield Invitational

WESLEYAN

Head coach: Peter Solomon

Swimmers/divers to watch: Nick Moran, JR; Joel Groves, JR; Jeff Haegelin, SO.

Outlook: Moran was Cardinals’ top finisher in NESCACs while Groves earned 15th place finishes in both NESCAC diving events.

Season opener: Nov. 16 at Williams

WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE

Head Coach: Jill Cook

Swimmers to watch: Luke Forsberg, SO (8 individual team records, 4 relay team records); David Lawrence, SO (8 individual team records, 4 relay team records, All NEISDA Team 2019); Drew Worden, SO, Diver (4 individual team records, All NEISDA team 2019)

Outlook: The Colonials lost only one senior and added former Barlow star Alexey Pilyugin as a transfer to go with a talented sophomore class.

Season Opener: October 12 at William Patterson

WOMEN’S SWIMMING SACRED HEART

Head coach: John Spadafina Swimmers to watch: Lauren Somers, SR (School record holder in 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle); Emily Peter, JR (NEC finalists in 100 butterfly); Nicole Tingley, SO (swam lifetime bests leading off both the 800 and 200 free relays at NEC Championships); Kelly Bartnett, FR; Margaret Flaherty, JR (2nd in 1650 at NEC Championships); Molly Martin, SO (7th in 3meter diving at NEC Championships).

Outlook: With Somers leading the list of returnees and Kelly Bartnett highlighting a sevenplayer freshman class with a lot of potential, there’s plenty of optimism around the program.

Season opener: Saturday at Fairfield Invitational

SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE

Head coach: Tim Quill

Swimmers to watch: Avery Fornaciari, SR (2nd place in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly and 500 freestyle at NE10 meet); Erin Leirey, SR (NE10 runnerup in 200 breaststroke, 200 IM); Megan Garner, SR (3rd place in 500 freestyle in NE10s.

Outlook: Owls battled stroke for stroke with Bentley for second place in NE10 meet before finishing third. The nucleus of that team is back as SCSU could set their sights a little higher in 2019.

Season opener: Saturday at Fairfield Invitational

WESLEYAN

Head coach: Peter Solomon

Swimmers to watch: Caroline Murphy, SR (twotime AllAmerican in 100yard backstroke); Mengmeng Gibbs, SO (third in 50 breaststroke at NESCACs); Grace Middleton, SR; Hannah O’Halloran, SO.

Outlook: Murphy is back for the final season of a brilliant career as she will attempt to be win multiple individual events in the NESCAC meet for the third season in a row.

Season opener: Nov. 16 at Williams

WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE

Head Coach: Jill Cook

Players to watch: Molly Henry, SO; Hope Johnsky, SO; Ourania Koutoumba, SR; Madison Lacy, SO; Olivia Sosnoski, SR

Outlook: The young Colonial team will be looking to make improvements during the regular season and place higher during the championship season, both at the LEC and the NEISDA meets.

Season opener: Nov. 16 at Williams