The William & Mary women’s swimming team will add nine new faces this fall as the Tribe embarks on a quest to defend its Colonial Athletic Association title. W&M Director of Swimming Matt Crispino ’02 and his staff will bring in one transfer and eight freshmen from up and down the East Coast, and as far west as Wisconsin. Between them, the class’ high school best times would have earned seven “A” final and 17 “B” final spots at the CAA Championships last year.
“Our goals in the recruiting process are to find great people, great students, and great swimmers,” said Crispino. “I am confident this women’s recruiting class checks all three boxes. Among the nine student-athletes, we cover every event, provide depth in much-needed areas, and add likely relay swimmers. We feel these nine women will play a large role in determining our success over the next four years. August 24th can’t come soon enough!”
Abby Jones – So., 5-8.5
Back/IM
Manakin-Sabot, Va./Mills Godwin (Virginia Tech)
200 back – 2:00.77
400 IM – 4:20.65
200 IM – 2:05.27
100 back – 56.08
100 fly – 56.00
2015-16 (at Virginia Tech)
Swam in every meet during the fall semester … Placed 14th in the 400 IM (4:31.49) at the Tennessee Fall Invitational … Also took 21st in the 200 back (2:03.46) and 24th in the 100 back (58.20) … Took third in the 200 back against Richmond and third in the 1,000 free against West Virginia.
Prep
Scholastic All-American … Four-time qualifier for the NCSA Junior Nationals … Named first-team All-Met by the Richmond Times-Dispatch … Helped NOVA Aquatics to the NCSA Junior National team title in 2015, after two straight years of runner-up finishes … Member of the National Honor Society … Three-year member of her a capella group.
Personal
Daughter of Mary and Alan Jones … Is the sixth member of her family dating back to the 1940s to attend W&M … Grandmother, Anne Carson, graduated in 1951 … Father and mother both graduated in 1983 … Uncle, Mark Jones, graduated in 1981 … Aunt, Beverly Casper, graduated in 1982 … Enjoys singing, reading, baking, traveling, and meeting new people … Plans to major in psychology.
Julia Bland – Fr., 5-8
Free/IM
Somerset, N.J./Montgomery
1000 free – 10:01.13
500 free – 4:57.02
1650 free – 17:02.16
400 IM – 4:24.29
Prep
NISCA Scholar All-American … Led Montgomery to the New Jersey Group A State title as a junior … Five-time YMCA Nationals qualifier … National Finalist in both the 1,000 and 1,650 free.
Personal
Daughter of Sandra and Stephen Bland … Uncle, Gary Bland ’84, was part of W&M’s first NIT Basketball Team in 1983 … Another uncle, Lary Bland, graduated in 1987 … Enjoys hiking, learning foreign languages, and volunteering at animal shelters … Plans to major in linguistics.
Lauren Freeman – Fr., 5-8
Breast
Fairfax Station, Va./Flint Hill
200 breast – 2:19.53
100 breast – 1:04.58
Prep
Scholastic All-American … NCSA Junior National Finalist … Winter Junior Nationals qualifier … Helped Flint Hill capture the state title in the 200 medley relay as a senior … Finalist at the Virginia Prep’s state championships in both the 100 breast and the 200 IM all four years of high school … Earned all-league and all-state honors multiple times throughout her career … Member of the Spanish Honor Society.
Personal
Daughter of Judy and John Freeman … Enjoys photography and traveling … Undecided as to her collegiate major.
Bryn Gvozdas – Fr., 5-4
Free
Henrico, Va./Mills E. Godwin
50 free – 24.60
100 free – 52.44
200 free – 1:52.03
500 free – 4:59.77
Prep
Qualified for the NCSA Junior Nationals in 2014 and 2015, and the NCSA Spring Championships as a senior … Named to the Virginia Swimming all-star team for 2015-16 … Member of the BETA Club.
Personal
Daughter of Kathy and David Gvozdas … Sister, Jessie, swims at Virginia … Enjoys skiing, surfing, and paddle-boarding … Undecided as to her collegiate major.
Emma Herold – Fr., 5-8
Free
Kohler, Wisc./Kohler
50 free – 24.02
100 free – 51.38
200 free – 1:53.83
Prep
NCSA and Junior Nationals qualifier … Finished third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free at the Wisconsin state championships as a senior … All-State honors every year … Holds the state record in the 800 free relay … Conference record-holder in the 100 free … Academic All-State … Earned honor roll all four years … Member of the National Honor Society … Student Council President.
Personal
Daughter of Suzanne and Jeffrey Herold … Enjoys traveling, yoga, and reading … Undecided as to her collegiate major.
Norah Hunt – Fr., 5-3
Free
Stuarts Draft, Va./Stuarts Draft
500 free – 4:55.85
1000 free – 10:06.26
1650 free – 17:03.19
Prep
Scholastic All-American … Qualified for Open Water Nationals in 2015, finishing 30th in the 5K … Earned her spot after winning the Eastern Zone 5K … Finalist in the 500, 1000, and 1650 free at the 2015 YMCA Nationals … Salutatorian of her graduating class … Member of the National Honor Society.
Personal
Daughter of Debbie and Gary Hunt … Enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and watching scary movies … Undecided as to her collegiate major.
Yuka Kuwahara – Fr., 5-2
Breast/Fly
Ashburn, Va./Briar Woods
200 fly – 2:03.85
100 fly – 56.74
100 breast – 1:06.63
Prep
Scholastic All-American … NCSA Junior Nationals qualifier in both fly events … Earned four all-state awards as a senior, helping Briar Woods to runner-up showings in the 200 medley and 400 free relays … Individually, finished fifth at the Virginia state championships in both the 100 breast and the 100 fly … As a junior at Paul Schreiber High in New York state, took 12th in the state championships in both the 100 fly and the 500 free … Member of the Key Club and the Red Cross Club.
Personal
Daughter of Utako and Masakatsu Kuwahara … Enjoys baking, photography, snorkeling, and playing the guitar … Plans to major in kinesiology.
Mary Motch – Fr., 5-6
Free/Back/Fly
Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Hathaway Brown
50 free – 23.90
100 free – 51.67
100 back – 56.36
100 fly – 56.47
Prep
Winter Junior National qualifier … NCSA Junior National qualifier … Had the opportunity to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as a junior … Never failed to final at the Ohio Division 2 State Championships … Placed as high as third individually … Qualified for states all four years … Led Hathaway Brown to its first-ever district title, and a pair of fourth-place state championship showings … Won the district title in the 100 fly and 100 back as a senior … District champ in the 50 free as a junior.
Personal
Daughter of Kathy and Michael Motch … Great-grandfather ran track at Yale … Grandfather and great-uncle both played football at Notre Dame … Has had five cousins swim for Miami (Ohio), and a sixth was a diver at Fordham … Another cousin plays baseball at Colorado State … Enjoys photography, yoga, and hiking … Runs an instagram account with over 100K followers … Undecided as to her collegiate major.
Margaret Williams – Fr., 5-7
Free
Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown
50 free – 24.45
100 free – 52.35
200 free – 1:52.54
500 free – 5:02.21
Prep
Led Jamestown to three-straight Virginia 4A State Championships … NISCA All-American in both the 200 and 400 free relays each of the last two years … Earned all-state honors each of her last three seasons in both the 100 and 200 freestyles, as well as the 200 and 400 free relays … All-region and all-conference in her events all four years of high school … Member of the National Honor Society and four departmental honor societies (Math, Spanish, Science, and English).
Personal
Daughter of Allison and Rob Williams … Enjoys scuba diving … Plans to major in biology.
Swimming news courtesy of William & Mary Swimming and Diving.