The NMU women’s swimming & diving team will be hosting Findlay University and Tiffin University at the PEIF pool on Friday Oct. 2 and Saturday Oct. 3.
The Wildcats began their season by competing in the Green/Gold meet on Saturday Sept. 19. The green team topped the gold team 197-190.
“The swimmers and divers did great at our intra-squad meet,” NMU head Coach Heidi Voigt said. “The athletes raced well and established some decent times for the the start of the season.”
Junior Courtney Konopitski won the Women’s 50 yard freestyle with a time of 25.94 with Freshman Regan Kilburn finishing second with a time of 25.96.
This weekend will be the Findlay Oilers’ first meet of the season. Last year, the Oilers competed against Tiffin and won 65-47.
In that meet, Oiler Sophomore Emma Barnes took first place in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:57.49. Barnes also took first place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 54.63.
This weekend’s meet against the Wildcats will also be the Tiffin Dragon’s first meet of the season.
Against the Oilers last season, Dragon Sophomore Alexandra Lehman won two events, the 1000-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle.
Dragon Sophomore Morgan Dunleavy was named an Honorable Mention All-American because of her 10th place finish in the 1-meter board competition at the NCAA National Championships in March.
The Wildcats are led this season by Seniors Crystal Bennet, Sam Clemence, Sophia Garris, and Molly Kearney.
“I am very excited about this season,” said Kearney. “The men’s team has added a new competitive energy to the pool deck and everyone has been working so hard at practice. I’m really excited to watch everyone compete this weekend at our first meet.”
Kearney earned All-American status last season by finishing in a tie for sixth place in the 1-meter dive with a score of 444.75. Kearney also earned All-American status in 2014 by finishing sixth in the 1- meter dive and an 11th place finish in the 3-meter dive.
“My only goal is to be able to finish my collegiate diving career without regrets,” said Kearny. “As long as I can get my wish list of dives and feel like I dove as well as I could, and will be leaving behind a new generation of Northern Michigan divers who are ready to take on the Division II nation, I will be thrilled.”
Voigt said the team is preparing for this weekend’s meet by working on speed and stroke techniques. The divers are finishing up refining their lists for the meet.
