Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa —The Pioneers of Grinnell College have been selected by the women’s swimming & diving head coaches of the Midwest Conference (MWC) to win their eighth consecutive championship this winter. The Pioneers have won 20 of the last 21 championships. Grinnell earned seven first-place votes and 56 points to secure the top spot in the poll.
 
To secure second place in the poll, the Foresters of Lake Forest College earned 48 points to edge out last year’s championship meet runner-up, Lawrence University. The Vikings received the final first-place vote and 46 points and landed third in the poll. 
 
After completing their first season of swimming & diving, the Green Knights of St. Norbert will start year two in fourth place with 34 points, while the Lady Blues of Illinois College round out the top five with 32 points. 
 
The 2019-20 season kicks off on Saturday, October 19 with Beloit College and Lawrence University competing in the All Wisconsin Showcase. Knox College, Monmouth College and Ripon College will also be in action this opening weekend. 
 
Full preseason poll results can be found below followed by quick facts for all nine MWC teams. 
 
Team (First-Place Votes), Points
 
2019-20 MWC Women’s Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll

1. Grinnell College (7), 56 points
2. Lake Forest College, 48 points
3. Lawrence University (1), 46 points
4. St. Norbert College, 34 points
5. Illinois College, 32 points
6. Monmouth College, 25 points
7. Ripon College, 21 points
8. Beloit College, 18 points
9. Knox College, 8 points

Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Kevin Schober (18^th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 8^th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 8^th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Payden O’Keefe – 400 Medley Relay (6^th in MWC) 
• Eliana Ritt – 500 Freestyle (5:29.82 – 9^th in MWC) – 200 Freestyle (2:06.31) 
• Kaylie Williams – 400 Medley Relay (6^th in MWC) 

Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Erin Hurley (25^th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 1^st
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 1^st
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• November Brown – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) 
• Kaia Clarke – 200 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion)
• Marguerite Devine-Mraz – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion)
• Enya Gamble – 200 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
• Olivia Konieczny – 200 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
• McKynley Larson – 500 Freestyle (5:11.09 – MWC Champion) – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 1650 Freestyle (18:01.25 – MWC Champion)
• Madeline Peak – 200 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 50 Freestyle (24.04 – MWC Champion) – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion)
• Nikki Schlegel (2018-19 Newcomer of the Year) – 200 IM (2:09.51 – MWC Champion) – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 400 IM (4:38.97 – MWC Champion) – 800 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Backstroke (2:06.38 – MWC Champion) – 400 Freestyle Relay (MWC Champion) 
• Becca Teske – 400 Medley Relay (MWC Champion) – 200 Medley Relay (MWC Champion)
• Sophie Wojdylo – 3-Meter Diving (408.55 points – MWC Champion) 

Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Christopher Sykes (8^th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 4^th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 5^th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Hannah Baker – 100 Backstroke (1:03.47 – 9^th in MWC) – 200 Backstroke (2:19.34 – 7^th in MWC)
• Kate Edelstein – 100 Backstroke (1:03.37 – 7^th in MWC) – 500 Freestyle (5:34.11 – 11^th in MWC) – 200 Backstroke (2:15.36 – 4^th in MWC)
• Donna Jenkins – 1-Meter Diving (331.20 points – 6^th in MWC)
• Hannah Marks – IM (2:12.13 – 2^nd in MWC) – 100 Breaststroke (1:05.61 – MWC Champion) – 200 Breaststroke (2:24.43 – MWC Champion) 

Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Jonathan Powers (12^th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 9^th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 9^th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Sylvie Bowen-Bailey – 200 Fly (2:48.55) 
• Grace LaDuca – 100 IM (1:21.76)
• Anna Neubauer – 100 Breast (1:25.61) – 200 Breast (3:06.50) – 200 Free (2:24.60)
• Zuri Peterson – 200 Back (2:39.42)
• Melissa Wood – 200 Back (2:16.62) – 100 Back (1:04.21) – 50 Free (25.86) – 100 Free (1:03.75)  

Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Vadim Tashlitsky (12^th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 3^rd
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 2^nd
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Susan Guo – 100 Freestyle (53.52 – 2^nd in MWC) – 100 Butterfly (58.24 – 1^st in MWC) – 500 Freestyle (5:16.08 – 3^rd in MWC)
• Lizzie Johns (2018-19 Diver of the Year) – 1-Meter Diving (388.15 points – MWC Champion) – 3-Meter Diving (383.30 – 3^rd in MWC) 
• Fallon Longfield – 100 Backstroke (59.05 – 2^nd in MWC) – 200 Backstroke (2:10.40 – 2^nd in MWC) 
• Kerry Mullen – 50 Freestyle (24.26 – 2^nd in MWC) – 100 Butterfly (1:01.74 – 5^th in MWC)
• Rachel Trevillian – 200 IM (2:15.25 – 4^th in MWC) – 400 IM (4:41.67 – 2^nd in MWC) – 200 Butterfly (2:10.65 – 3^rd in MWC) 

Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Andrew Fleek (12^th Season) – 2018-19 Coach of the Year
2018-19 MWC Finish: 2^nd
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 3^rd
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Bridget Duero – 500 Freestyle (5:23.05 – 4^th in MWC) – 200 Freestyle (1:59.28 – 2^nd in MWC) 
• Erin Lengel (2018-19 Swimmer of the Year) – 200 Freestyle (1:55.39 – MWC Champion) – 100 Backstroke (58.62 – MWC Champion) – 100 Freestyle (52.83 – MWC Champion) 
• Mizuki Ohama – 100 Butterfly (58.3 – 2^nd in MWC) – 200 Butterfly (2:09.37- 1^st in MWC) 
• Maddy Smith – 3-Meter Diving (383.35 points – 2^nd in MWC)  

Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Tom Burek (7^th Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 6^th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 6^th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Marissa Logan – 1650 Freestyle (19:33.64 – 10^th in MWC)
• Miranda Pasky – (200 Breaststroke 2:39.63 – 8^th in MWC)

Ripon College Redhawks
Head Coach: Ryan Goggans (6^th Season
2018-19 MWC Finish: 7^th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 7^th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Abby Anderson – 500 Freestyle (5:38.41)
• McKenna Bartelme – 100 Butterfly (1:05.15) 
• Cierra Boutelle – 50 Freestyle (26.16)
• Laryssa Vaclavik – 1650 Freestyle (19:32.34 – 9^th in MWC) 

St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: Hannah Saiz (1^st Season)
2018-19 MWC Finish: 5^th
2019-20 Projected MWC Finish: 4^th
Key Returnees (2018-19 Times): 

• Haley Wagner – 200 Butterfly (2:36.12 – 8^th in MWC)
• Miranda Wilson – 200 Backstroke (2:17.12 – 6^th in MWC)