Courtesy: Washington & Jefferson Athletics
WASHINGTON, Pa. — The Washington & Jefferson College women’s swimming & diving team is preparing for the 2021 season under third-year head coach Matt Rochna.
2019-20 Season Review: The Presidents went 1-7 (0-3 PAC) in dual meets and placed fifth out of six teams at last winter’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships.
Despite a relatively small roster of seven swimmers in 2019-20, the Presidents saw a number of standout performances throughout the season and at PACs.
“The ladies definitely took a step forward last season in terms of training hard, becoming more unified, and establishing team identity,” said Rochna. “Their hard-work paid off at 2020 PACs with many of them earning both season best and personal best times.”
Key Returners: Last year, W&J entered the 2019-20 season with two upperclassmen (no seniors) and three total returners. In 2021, the Presidents have six returners and four upperclassmen leading the way.
“Our women’s program has continued to build off of last season; both at the pool and in the classroom,” said Rochna. “Adding roster depth this season will allow us to take another step forward towards our vision of success that we have for the future.”
Sophomores Sarah Marshall (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) and Isabella Manzari (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) each turned in standout freshmen seasons for the Red and Black. Both swimmers served as team captains as first-year members of the team and were W&J’s top scorers at PACs.
Marshall led the Presidents with 22 points and the best overall finish in her debut at the PAC Championships. Marshall qualified for the “A” finals in the 100 yard breaststroke and raced to a personal-best 1:09.12 and a fourth-place finish. She also reached the “B” finals in a pair of freestyle events and took 12th in the 50 free (25.89) and 15th in the 100 free (1:02.74).
Manzari accounted for 17 points at PAC after making three appearances in the “B” finals. Manzari won the “B” final in the 200 yard freestyle by over two seconds with a personal-record of 2:03.50. She added another lifetime best the next day in the 100 yard freestyle prelims (56.90) before placing 12th in the finals (57.67). She added a 14th-place finish in the 50 free at 26.21.
“Marshall and Manzari had standout freshman seasons,” said Rochna. “It’s been fun to watch them continue to practice at a high level and help to lead our young team; along with Kaitlyn Ewing. They have really helped to shape our team’s identity the past two years and establish what it means to be a part of the WJSD Family.”
Junior Kimber Randolph (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) recorded 11 points at PACs with a pair of showings in the “B” finals at PACs. She took 10th in the 100 yard back (1:06.05) and was 13th in the 100 fly (1:06.13).
Sophomore Katelyn McKiernan (Columbus, N.J./Pennington) placed in the “B” finals at PACs in both breaststroke events. McKiernan was 13th in the 200 breast (3:02.84) and 14th in the 100 breast (1:21.01).
Senior Kiera MacWhinnie (South Portland, Maine/Waynflete School) set season-bests as she finished 13th in the 100 yard backstroke (1:10.66) and 16th in the 100 free (1:06.92) at PACs.
Senior Kaitlyn Ewing (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) earned a trio of 16th-place finishes at the conference championships, including a season-best 2:22.78 in 200 free.
“Our returners have done a good job so far of helping our large female freshman class adjust to academics and athletics at W&J,” said Rochna. “We can’t wait to watch them compete in the pool this spring after all of their hard-work and dedication over the fall months.”
Newcomers: The women’s swimming & diving team welcomes nine new recruits to Henry Natatorium for 2021, more than doubling the roster size.
“It’s always exciting to welcome in a large recruiting class; especially when that class features student-athletes who bring with them previous athletic success at the high school and or club level,” said Rochna. “All of them have been so eager to get going and do what it takes to achieve their collegiate goals. Their transition into our team has been seamless and all of them have lead by example at the pool/weight-room; which naturally raises the bar and level of team competition on a day-to-day basis. We absolutely cannot wait to watch them compete this spring and see what they can accomplish.”
Alyssa Broach (Caledonia, Mich./East Kentwood) – breaststroke
Amanda Graves (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) – diver
Alexis Griner (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale) – diver
Jaelyn Kennedy (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) – freestyle
Hailey Lusk (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) – breaststroke
Molly Nielsen (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) – freestyle
Mia Shipley (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) – breaststroke, freestyle
Anna Stroup (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) – diver
Taylor Weyrich (McMurray, Pa./Seton LaSalle) – diver
Team Captains: Sarah Marshall, Isabella Manzari, Kiera MacWhinnie, Kimber Randolph and Kaitlyn Ewing
Looking at the Schedule: W&J will play PAC-only regular season schedule of four dual meets before the Presidents’ Athletic Conference 2020-21 Swimming & Diving Championships at Grove City on March 2-6.
The Presidents women will host Franciscan (Feb. 2) and Grove City (Feb. 12) in 2021. W&J Travels to Bethany on Feb. 5 and to Saint Vincent on Feb. 19.
The PAC Championship will feature the women’s individual and relay finals on March 2 and March 5. The diving championships will be held on March 4.
PACs will be one session per day with no preliminary sessions, only timed finals.
“We will be treating our first two meets as more of a practice opportunity as opposed to going 100% in the pool considering we only have seven practices before our first meet,” said Rochna. “Despite this, the team is eager to compete and our freshman will finally have the chance to swim in their first collegiate meet. Our divers are excited to perform the dives they have been working so hard on in a meet setting. We will focus on putting our student-athletes in their main events in order to adequately prepare them for 2021 PAC Champs.”
Last Word: “With an abnormal season like this one, it’s hard to predict exactly what will happen come March,” said Rochna. “What we do know is that our student-athletes practiced hard all fall for the opportunity to compete this spring. Now that the time is finally here, we are focusing on doing our best while still having fun. Achieving our academic, athletic, and community goals are always at the forefront of every new season and that has not changed.”