Women's Swimming & Diving

Swim Coaches Pick Pioneers to Win Seventh Straight Championship

Contact: Jenna McElroy, Sports Info & Social Media Intern, meclroy@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa – Once again, the Midwest Conference (MWC) women’s swim and dive coaches have picked Grinnell College to finish first in their annual preseason poll. The Pioneers will be going for their seventh straight title.
 
Grinnell garnered eight first-place votes for a perfect score of 64. The only other winner of a MWC Women’s Swimming Championship, Lake Forest College came in second with 55 points and the remaining first place vote, while Lawrence University followed four points behind with 51 for third.
 
The fourth through eighth spots are a close bunch as the five teams are separated by 11 points. Ripon College edged out Beloit College and St. Norbert College by three points for fourth with 34 points. Heading into their inaugural season, the Green Knights tied for fifth with the Buccaneers with 31 points. In 2017-18, Beloit was picked by the coaches to finish last but took fifth at the conference championship and the Bucs look to repeat that performance this season.
 
Illinois College earned 26 points for seventh while Monmouth follows three points behind in eighth (23). Knox College rounds out the 2018-19 preseason poll with nine points.

Beloit and Lawrence get the season started on Saturday as they take part in the All-Wisconsin Showcase while Knox heads to Monmouth for a triangular with North Central. Ripon closes out opening weekend as they host Loras College for a dual meet.
 
Poll Results
1. Grinnell 64 (8)
2. Lake Forest 55 (1)
3. Lawrence 51
4. Ripon 34
T5. Beloit 31
T5. St. Norbert 31
7. Illinois College 26
8. Monmouth 23
9. Knox 9

Below is a team-by-team preview.
 
Beloit College
Head Coach: Kevin Schober (17th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 5th
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 5th
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Alexandria Kohn – 100 Yard Backstroke (1:04.54 – 10th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Backstroke (2:22.63 – 9th MWC Championship)
Kaylie Williams – 50 Yard Freestyle (28.16), 100 Yard Freestyle (1:03.18), 200 Yard Freestyle (2:19.80)
 
Grinnell College
Head Coach: Erin Hurley (24th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 1st
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 1st
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Madeline Peak (2018 Newcomer of the Year) – 50 Yard Freestyle (24.23 – MWC Champion), 100 Yard Freestyle (53.89 – MWC Champion), 200 Yard Freestyle (1:59.57 – 4th MWC Championship)
Marguerite Devine-Mraz – 500 Yard Freestyle (5:12.00 – 3rd MWC Championship), 200 Yard Fly (2:12.67 – MWC Champion), 400 Yard IM (4:48.17 – 3rd MWC Championship)
Mckynley Larson – 500 Yard Freestyle (5:10.94 – 2nd MWC Championship), 1650 Yard Freestyle (18:00.14 – 2nd MWC Championship), 100 Yard Backstroke (59.10 – MWC Champion)
Rebecca Teske ­– 100 Yard Fly (1:00.78 – 4th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Fly (2:12.88 – 2nd MWC Championship), 200 Yard IM (2:15.25 – 3rd MWC Championship)
Elaine Thut – 1 Meter 11 Dives (359.50 – 3rd MWC Championship), 3 Meter 11 Dives (362.40 – 4th MWC Championship)
 
Illinois College
Head Coach: Chris Sykes (6th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 6th
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 7th
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Marcella Jacquemain – 200 Yard Fly (2:29.77 – 7th MWC Championship), 200 Yard IM (2:21.38 – 11th MWC Championship), 400 Yard IM (5:04.63 – 9th MWC Championship)
Hannah Marks – 100 Yard Breaststroke (1:07.10 – MWC Champion), 200 Yard Breaststroke (2:27.49 – MWC Champion), 200 Yard IM (2:12.82 – 2nd MWC Championship)
Lindsay Bruce – 100 Yard Freestyle (56.28 – 15th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Freestyle (2:01.28 – 9th MWC Championship), 500 Yard Freestyle (5:32.77 – 14th MWC Championship)
Hannah Baker – 100 Yard Backstroke (1:02.47 – 6th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Backstroke (2:17.81)
 
Knox
Head Coach: Jonathan Powers (11th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 8th
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 9th
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Sylvie Bowen-Bailey – 500 Yard Freestyle (6:25.53), 100 Yard Fly (1:09.17 – 16th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Fly (2:51.40 – 12th MWC Championship)
Sosy Fleming – 100 Yard Fly (1:09.10 – 15th MWC Championship), 100 Yard Freestyle (1:01.20), 200 Yard IM (2:34.24)
Zuri Peterson – 100 Yard Backstroke (1:08.10 – 14th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Backstroke (2:31.78 – 14th MWC Championship), 200 Yard IM (2:35.87)
 
Lake Forest
Head Coach: Vadim Tashlitsky (11th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 2nd
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 2nd
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Lizzie Johns – 1 Meter 11 Dives (416.25 – MWC Champion), 3 Meter 11 Dives (400.30 – 2nd at MWC Championship)
Susan Guo – 100 Yard Fly (57.74 – MWC Champion), 50 Yard Freestyle (24.92 – 5th MWC Championship), 100 Yard Freestyle (53.94 -2nd MWC Championship)
Rachel Trevillian – 200 Yard Fly (2:15.15 – 3rd MWC Championship), 200 Yard IM (2:16.27 – 4th MWC Championship), 400 Yard IM (4:48.41 – 5th MWC Championship)
Ani Karagianis – 200 Yard IM (2:18.34 – 7th MWC Championship), 400 Yard IM (4:53.89 – 7th MWC Championship), 1650 Yard Freestyle – (18:26.33 – 3rd MWC Championship)
 
Lawrence
Head Coach: Andrew Fleek (11th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 3rd
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 3rd
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Erin Lengel – 50 Freestyle (24.59 – 2nd MWC Championship), 100 Yard Fly (59.94 – 3rd MWC Championship), 200 Yard Fly (2:17.73 – 4th MWC Championship)
Emmi Zheng – 100 Yard Breaststroke (1:09.89 – 3rd MWC Championship), 200 Yard Breaststroke (2:32.62 – 2nd MWC Championship), 200 Yard IM (2:19.12 – 8th MWC Championship)
Elise Riggle – 400 Yard IM (4:45.90 – 2nd MWC Championship), 500 Yard Freestyle (5:21.69 – 4th MWC Champioship), 1650 Yard Freestyle (18:38.99 – 5th MWC Championship)
 
Monmouth
Head Coach: Tom Burek (6th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 7th
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 8th
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Miranda Pasky – 100 Yard Breaststroke (1:12.33 – 5th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Breaststroke (2:39.94 – 5th MWC Championship)
 
Ripon
Head Coach: Ryan Goggans (5th season)
2018 MWC Finish: 4th
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 4th
Top Returners (2017-18 Times):
 
Cierra Boutelle – 100 Yard Freestyle (56.93 – 14th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Freestyle (2:04.67 – 14th MWC Championship)
Alli Roetz – 100 Yard Breaststroke (1:15.69 – 10th MWC Championship), 50 Yard Freestyle (26:53), 100 Yard Freestyle (1:00.75)
Laryssa Vaclavik – 50 Yard Freestyle (29.69), 1650 Yard Freestyle (19:46.90 – 13th MWC Championship), 100 Yard Breaststroke (1:16.80 – 11th MWC Championship), 200 Yard Breaststroke (2:46.76 – 11th MWC Championship)
 
St. Norbert
Head Coach: Franco Pacheco (1st season)
2018 MWC Finish: N/A
Projected 2019 MWC Finish: 5th
 
The 2018-19 will be the Green Knights will be their first swim and dive season.