Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, October 14
Lexington, Ky.
1 P.M.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Kentucky
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Women's Swimming and Diving Opens Season Against Kentucky
10/12/2017 12:03:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Eagles square off against the Wildcats in the Bluegrass State this weekend
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Coming off its third consecutive runner-up finish at the Mid-American Conference championships, the Eastern Michigan University women's swimming and diving team lifts the lid on the 2017-18 season with a trip down to Lexington, Ky. to face the University of Kentucky, Saturday, Oct. 14. This is the first time the two teams have faced each other in the pool for a dual.
The 2017-18 season marks the 13th under the direction of longtime Head Coach Peter Linn. With the loss of strong contributors to graduation, the Green and White looks to returners and newcomers to uphold last season's undefeated record. Linn's team is led by seniors Sarah Dombkowski (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth), Molly Miller (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Harrison), Hannah Newell (Ames, Iowa-Ames), Abby Saddler (Chanhassen, Minn.-Minnetonka), Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser), and Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe).
Sprints-Middle Distance Freestyle
With the loss of 50 free program record holder, Sierra Wagner, the Green and White looks to senior Chase Walker (Virginia Beach, Va.-Landstown) and juniors Stephanie Johnston (Holland Mich.) and Michal Liberman (Rosh Haayin, Israel-Begin) to step into her place. Ending her junior campaign at the MAC Championship, Walker's time of 23.29 was good for 16th place and eighth in the EMU record book. Johnston and Liberman round out the Eagles' top-10 records at ninth and 10th, respectively.
In the 100 and 200, EMU looks to the depth of the team to fill the void Mary Grace Van Allen and Wagner left behind. Dombkowski, junior Emilie Desnoyers (St. Albert, Alberta), and Johnston are expected to earn points for the Eagles. Despite not having any qualify for the 200 free final heat in the conference championship last year, every returner who participated in the preliminaries had either a career or season-best time. Looking to make an impact for the Eagles in their season debut are sophomore Amelia Armstrong-Grant (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Saline) and freshman Meike Staffeldt (Niedersachsen, Germany). Transferring from the University of Iowa, Armstrong adds depth and experience for the Eagles in both sprints and mid-distance events. Earning All-American honors five times in high school, Armstrong swam in the 50, 100, and 200 free at the Big Ten Championships.
Distance
Eastern Michigan returns a pair of Eagles in distance events that can rack up points. Reigning 1650 free MAC Champion, junior Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville), is back and ready to defend her title. The All-MAC First Team swimmer posted the program's second-best time of 16:20.08 at the MAC Championships. Swartz blew the competition out the water as she touched in a full 10 seconds before second place, and completed the meet with three top-five finishes. Finishing behind Swartz was Dombkowski, who placed sixth at the MAC Championships in the mile with a career-best time of 16:48.88. Dombkowski finished her 2017 season with a pair of top-10 finishes at the championship meet. Holding some of the best 500 free times in Eagles' history, Swartz and Dombkowski aim to improve on their third and eight place finishes, respectively, at the MAC Championships. Adding depth in the distance events for the Eagles is freshman Alyssa Shuggarman (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego). Shuggarman earned All-American accolades in the 500 free, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay, and 200 free relay at Oswego High School.
Butterfly
Liberman and Desnoyers will be relied upon to lead the Eagles in the butterfly. Liberman smashed her career-best record with a commanding 100 fly performance at the MAC Championships. Touching in with a time of 54.22, Liberman secured a fifth-place finish while Desnoyers finished seventh in the 200 fly with a time of 2:01.62. Liberman owns the second-fastest time in EMU history for the 100 fly, while Desnoyers ranks seventh in the 200. In addition to the duo, returning sophomore Marcella Da Costa (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-Colégo Dom Bosco) and freshmen Ali Staver (Bettendorf, Iowa-Pleasant Valley) and Shuggarman will bolster EMU's depth in the event. Voted Most Valuable Player two times at Pleasant Valley, Staver is a state champion and four-time all-conference swimmer.
Backstroke
EMU has to fill the shoes of All-MAC First Team selection and record holder, Alexis Mitcheltree. Despite the loss of reigning 100 back MAC Champion, a plethora of talent returns for the Eagles. Headlining the group are sophomores Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Gross Pointe South) and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville). Young's career-best time of 54.09 in the 100 back is ranked second all-time at Eastern, while Gavigan's fourth-place time of 1:56.76 in the 200 back at the MAC Championship also ranks second in the EMU record book. In addition to the duo, Liberman and junior Dora Vricic (Dubrovacka, Split, Croatia) alongside Staver makes the back events one of the Eagles' deepest.
Breastroke
Despite the loss of Genna Worthley, the Eagles are set up for an excellent season behind junior Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg). Duncan returns after back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances and looks to secure her third straight MAC title in the 100 breast. The Galesburg, Ill. native, who made program history when she qualified for the NCAA Championships as a freshman, is the first Eagle to win the event in back-to-back years since 2002-03. As the only MAC Champion to finish the 100 breast under a minute, Duncan's time of 59.89 was just shy of her EMU record-breaking time of 59.46. The Eagles add freshmen Carlee Jones (Edgewood, Ky.-Notre dame Academy) and Shuggarman to the breast events. A native of Edgewood, Ky., Jones, participated in the state championships all four years in high school.
Individual Medley
The Eagles appear to be primed for another solid season in the individual medley thanks to a wealth of swimmers. Having only lost Van Allen, the Eagles return six swimmers who competed in the 200 or 400 IM at the conference championships and adds a half-dozen freshmen to the mix. Leading the charge is Swartz who is coming back from a fifth-place finish in the 400 IM at conference championships with fourth-best time in EMU annals (4:21.21). Right behind Swartz is Young, who owns the ninth-best 200 IM time in EMU history.
Relays
Spots on the top-five relay teams are opening up to replace Mitcheltree, Wagner, and Van Allen. Duncan, Liberman, Swartz, Dombkowski, Johnston, and Walker all earned time on a relay last season and are potential members of this year's relay team.
Diving
Returning all of his team from a year agom Head Diving Coach Buck Smith, the 2016-17 MAC Diving Coach of the Year, return six divers to the springboard after phenomenal seasons. Sophomore Brielle Johnston (Ottawa, Ontario-Catholique Franco-Quest) looks to improve on a successful freshman debut which put her fifth on the 1-meter and sixth on the 3-meter at the MAC Championships while junior Gabrielle Mace (Clinton, Mich.), finished less than a point (0.20) behind Johnston on the 1-meter. Miller and Shereda have proven to be strong contributors to the Eagles score as they finished fifth and seventh respectively in the 3-meter dive at the conference championships. Following the senior duo, Tubbs and sophomore Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo) both had top-15 finishes. EMU also welcomes freshmen Bethany Berger (Batavia, Ohio-Glen Este), Kaitlyn Dieringer (Sylvania, Ohio-Sylvania Northview), and Mia Schempf (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green) to the squad.
Action between the Eagles and the Wildcats is set to begin at 1 p.m. in Lexington, Ky.
The 2017-18 season marks the 13th under the direction of longtime Head Coach Peter Linn. With the loss of strong contributors to graduation, the Green and White looks to returners and newcomers to uphold last season's undefeated record. Linn's team is led by seniors Sarah Dombkowski (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth), Molly Miller (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Harrison), Hannah Newell (Ames, Iowa-Ames), Abby Saddler (Chanhassen, Minn.-Minnetonka), Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser), and Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe).
Sprints-Middle Distance Freestyle
With the loss of 50 free program record holder, Sierra Wagner, the Green and White looks to senior Chase Walker (Virginia Beach, Va.-Landstown) and juniors Stephanie Johnston (Holland Mich.) and Michal Liberman (Rosh Haayin, Israel-Begin) to step into her place. Ending her junior campaign at the MAC Championship, Walker's time of 23.29 was good for 16th place and eighth in the EMU record book. Johnston and Liberman round out the Eagles' top-10 records at ninth and 10th, respectively.
In the 100 and 200, EMU looks to the depth of the team to fill the void Mary Grace Van Allen and Wagner left behind. Dombkowski, junior Emilie Desnoyers (St. Albert, Alberta), and Johnston are expected to earn points for the Eagles. Despite not having any qualify for the 200 free final heat in the conference championship last year, every returner who participated in the preliminaries had either a career or season-best time. Looking to make an impact for the Eagles in their season debut are sophomore Amelia Armstrong-Grant (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Saline) and freshman Meike Staffeldt (Niedersachsen, Germany). Transferring from the University of Iowa, Armstrong adds depth and experience for the Eagles in both sprints and mid-distance events. Earning All-American honors five times in high school, Armstrong swam in the 50, 100, and 200 free at the Big Ten Championships.
Distance
Eastern Michigan returns a pair of Eagles in distance events that can rack up points. Reigning 1650 free MAC Champion, junior Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville), is back and ready to defend her title. The All-MAC First Team swimmer posted the program's second-best time of 16:20.08 at the MAC Championships. Swartz blew the competition out the water as she touched in a full 10 seconds before second place, and completed the meet with three top-five finishes. Finishing behind Swartz was Dombkowski, who placed sixth at the MAC Championships in the mile with a career-best time of 16:48.88. Dombkowski finished her 2017 season with a pair of top-10 finishes at the championship meet. Holding some of the best 500 free times in Eagles' history, Swartz and Dombkowski aim to improve on their third and eight place finishes, respectively, at the MAC Championships. Adding depth in the distance events for the Eagles is freshman Alyssa Shuggarman (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego). Shuggarman earned All-American accolades in the 500 free, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay, and 200 free relay at Oswego High School.
Butterfly
Liberman and Desnoyers will be relied upon to lead the Eagles in the butterfly. Liberman smashed her career-best record with a commanding 100 fly performance at the MAC Championships. Touching in with a time of 54.22, Liberman secured a fifth-place finish while Desnoyers finished seventh in the 200 fly with a time of 2:01.62. Liberman owns the second-fastest time in EMU history for the 100 fly, while Desnoyers ranks seventh in the 200. In addition to the duo, returning sophomore Marcella Da Costa (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-Colégo Dom Bosco) and freshmen Ali Staver (Bettendorf, Iowa-Pleasant Valley) and Shuggarman will bolster EMU's depth in the event. Voted Most Valuable Player two times at Pleasant Valley, Staver is a state champion and four-time all-conference swimmer.
Backstroke
EMU has to fill the shoes of All-MAC First Team selection and record holder, Alexis Mitcheltree. Despite the loss of reigning 100 back MAC Champion, a plethora of talent returns for the Eagles. Headlining the group are sophomores Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Gross Pointe South) and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville). Young's career-best time of 54.09 in the 100 back is ranked second all-time at Eastern, while Gavigan's fourth-place time of 1:56.76 in the 200 back at the MAC Championship also ranks second in the EMU record book. In addition to the duo, Liberman and junior Dora Vricic (Dubrovacka, Split, Croatia) alongside Staver makes the back events one of the Eagles' deepest.
Breastroke
Despite the loss of Genna Worthley, the Eagles are set up for an excellent season behind junior Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg). Duncan returns after back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances and looks to secure her third straight MAC title in the 100 breast. The Galesburg, Ill. native, who made program history when she qualified for the NCAA Championships as a freshman, is the first Eagle to win the event in back-to-back years since 2002-03. As the only MAC Champion to finish the 100 breast under a minute, Duncan's time of 59.89 was just shy of her EMU record-breaking time of 59.46. The Eagles add freshmen Carlee Jones (Edgewood, Ky.-Notre dame Academy) and Shuggarman to the breast events. A native of Edgewood, Ky., Jones, participated in the state championships all four years in high school.
Individual Medley
The Eagles appear to be primed for another solid season in the individual medley thanks to a wealth of swimmers. Having only lost Van Allen, the Eagles return six swimmers who competed in the 200 or 400 IM at the conference championships and adds a half-dozen freshmen to the mix. Leading the charge is Swartz who is coming back from a fifth-place finish in the 400 IM at conference championships with fourth-best time in EMU annals (4:21.21). Right behind Swartz is Young, who owns the ninth-best 200 IM time in EMU history.
Relays
Spots on the top-five relay teams are opening up to replace Mitcheltree, Wagner, and Van Allen. Duncan, Liberman, Swartz, Dombkowski, Johnston, and Walker all earned time on a relay last season and are potential members of this year's relay team.
Diving
Returning all of his team from a year agom Head Diving Coach Buck Smith, the 2016-17 MAC Diving Coach of the Year, return six divers to the springboard after phenomenal seasons. Sophomore Brielle Johnston (Ottawa, Ontario-Catholique Franco-Quest) looks to improve on a successful freshman debut which put her fifth on the 1-meter and sixth on the 3-meter at the MAC Championships while junior Gabrielle Mace (Clinton, Mich.), finished less than a point (0.20) behind Johnston on the 1-meter. Miller and Shereda have proven to be strong contributors to the Eagles score as they finished fifth and seventh respectively in the 3-meter dive at the conference championships. Following the senior duo, Tubbs and sophomore Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo) both had top-15 finishes. EMU also welcomes freshmen Bethany Berger (Batavia, Ohio-Glen Este), Kaitlyn Dieringer (Sylvania, Ohio-Sylvania Northview), and Mia Schempf (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green) to the squad.
Action between the Eagles and the Wildcats is set to begin at 1 p.m. in Lexington, Ky.
Players Mentioned
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