ALFRED, NY – Another winter season is approaching for the Alfred University women's swimming and diving team. With a new look, expectations are still the same.
Led by Head Coach Brian Striker '00 for the 24th straight season, they'll look to gain ground after a strong end to the Empire 8 Championships last season. Work will be cut out for them though, with changes aplenty and a younger roster looking to compete.
"We lost through graduation a lot of student-athletes," Striker said. "We brought in half of a new team and we'll see how they fit in and what the chemistry is like."
Five first-year students join the squad, joined alongside four sophomores, six juniors, and the one lone senior being Alexandra Simmons (Danbury, CT/Danbury). Simmons will look to lead alongside new captain, junior Mariam Kiragu (Gaborone, Botswana/Legae Academy).
Solid returners who made an impact in their first years include Isobel Anderegg (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro Area) and Elizabeth Share (Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon). They'll look to toe the line in their respective breast/free and back/fly races especially against the competition at E8's.
"For the women, it's not just working hard, they do everything I throw at them and love a challenge," Striker said. "We continue to bring in some talent, we have good freshman like Courtney Cherricks (Chincoteague, VA/Big Spring) and Kyra Harry (Gaborone, Botswana/Enko Botho), and I look forward to hopefully challenging some of our school records in some of the relays."
On the diving front, AU will have its work cut out for them with Ruby Kavanagh (Queens, NY/LaGuardia High School of Music & Art) leading the way. The Saxons will also have their work cut out for them in terms of competition.
Alfred University hosts only three home meets, while going on the road for eight events leading up to the Empire 8 Championships next February. In addition, those three home events are split up awkwardly, with two straight to start the year in October, then one final home meet at the end of January to wrap up the regular season.
"It's a lopsided home/away schedule for sure," Striker said. "We added the home meet versus Roberts Wesleyan, and as long as we're racing and working, we'll stick to the plan and the opportunities are still there."
Alfred University will get going later this week, starting off with a home meet against the Rochester Institute of Technology on Friday at 5:00 p.m. at the McLane Natatorium.
-- Swords Forward Saxons --
