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Gopher Women’s Swimming and Diving 2018-19 Preview
10/9/2018 5:12:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
The University of Minnesota women's swimming and diving team are ready for the season ahead. The Gophers finished their 2017-18 season campaign with a tenth place finish at the NCAA Championships and will retain the majority of their 2018 NCAA qualifiers.
2017-18 Recap
With a tenth place finish at the NCAA Championships, the University of Minnesota have now placed in the top-ten at five of the last eight NCAA meets, and placed 13th or better in 12 of the last 13 years. Their 157 NCAA Championship points in 2018 are the second most in program history.
Sarah Bacon will return as the 1-meter NCAA Champion. Bacon is the third Gopher diver in the last eight years to win a national title.
The Gophers had three relay teams finish in All-American positions at the NCAA' s. The medley relay of Waddell, Kozelsky, Nack, D., and Avestruz took sixth in the 200 medley and fifth in the 400 medley, setting a school record. The 800 free relay of Nack, D., Nack, C., Padington and Avestruz set a school record and placed eighth, touching in 6:56.40 on their first day of competition at the National Championships.
Minnesota placed fourth at the Big Ten meet with 1,049 points, second most in program history. The Gophers landed nine swimmers on the podium, gaining one bronze medal, seven silver medals, and a Big Ten Champion in Bacon in the 1-meter dive.
The Gopher women finished the season with a 9-1 dual meet record, were 5-1 in the Big Ten and set seven short course records.
Roster Breakdown
Zoe Avestruz and Mackenzie Padington are among the forefront of Gopher freestylers this season. Padington, a 2018 Pac Pacific Games competitor for Canada, was a part of the All-American 800 free record breaking relay team. Padington set the varsity record in the 200 free in 2018, establishing a time of 1:44.15. Avestruz helped set three program records in 2018 as part of relays. She became an All-American while competing in the 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay at NCAA's.
Chantal Nack and Tevyn Waddell return as the core of the team's backstroke group. Nack, a two-time team captain, qualified for the 200 back at the 2018 NCAA meet and will continue to swim freestyle events throughout the season. Waddell, who will also compete in freestyle and fly events, was the lead off swimmer for the Gopher's record-breaking medley teams in 2018 and holds the 100 back school record. The Gophers will add Emily Cook to this group as well, a sophomore transfer from Washington State, who will add depth and competition to the team.
The Gopher breaststroke duo of Lindsey Kozelsky and Rachel Munson will benefit from their NCAA experience this season. Kozelsky, an Albert Lea, Minn. native, was only the second women's swimmer to gain four All-American awards at a single championship meet at the NCAA Championships in 2018.
Minnesota's top butterfly swimmer a year ago, Danielle Nack, has graduated and will leave opportunity for Waddell and team captain Kaia Grobe to fill. Grobe, a senior from Chanhassen, Minn., is a leader for the Gophers in and out of the pool and has competed in the 100-yard fly at the Big Ten Championships each of her three seasons with the team.
The Gophers diving contingent contains experience and depth. Bacon will return as the 1-meter NCAA and Big Ten Champion. Bacon was named NCAA Co-Diver of the Championships and Big Ten Diver of the Championships in 2018. Returning alongside Bacon are Morgan Justus and Kristen Hayden. Justus, a 2018 All-American Honorable Mention and 2018-19 captain, placed 12th in the platform dive at the NCAA Championships in 2018. Hayden finished 11th and 14th in the 3-meter and platform dive respectively to earn All-American Honorable Mention awards in 2018.
2018-19 Schedule
The Gophers will compete in their first meet of the season this Friday when the team travels to face the Badgers at the Natatorium in Madison, Wisc. Other Big Ten competition throughout the season will include meets against Iowa (Oct. 27 in Minneapolis), and Northwestern and Purdue (Feb. 1-2 in Evanston, Ill.).
Their nonconference schedule includes meets against FSU (Oct. 20 in Minneapolis), South Dakota State (Oct. 27 in Minneapolis), and away meets against Hawaii (Jan. 12), USC and Oregon State (Jan. 18). Minnesota will travel to the ACC/Big Ten Swimming and Diving Challenge in West Lafayette, Ind. (Nov. 10-11), and take part in the Iowa Invitational (Nov. 15-17), host the Minnesota Invite (Nov. 29 – Dec. 1).
2017-18 Recap
With a tenth place finish at the NCAA Championships, the University of Minnesota have now placed in the top-ten at five of the last eight NCAA meets, and placed 13th or better in 12 of the last 13 years. Their 157 NCAA Championship points in 2018 are the second most in program history.
Sarah Bacon will return as the 1-meter NCAA Champion. Bacon is the third Gopher diver in the last eight years to win a national title.
The Gophers had three relay teams finish in All-American positions at the NCAA' s. The medley relay of Waddell, Kozelsky, Nack, D., and Avestruz took sixth in the 200 medley and fifth in the 400 medley, setting a school record. The 800 free relay of Nack, D., Nack, C., Padington and Avestruz set a school record and placed eighth, touching in 6:56.40 on their first day of competition at the National Championships.
Minnesota placed fourth at the Big Ten meet with 1,049 points, second most in program history. The Gophers landed nine swimmers on the podium, gaining one bronze medal, seven silver medals, and a Big Ten Champion in Bacon in the 1-meter dive.
The Gopher women finished the season with a 9-1 dual meet record, were 5-1 in the Big Ten and set seven short course records.
Roster Breakdown
Zoe Avestruz and Mackenzie Padington are among the forefront of Gopher freestylers this season. Padington, a 2018 Pac Pacific Games competitor for Canada, was a part of the All-American 800 free record breaking relay team. Padington set the varsity record in the 200 free in 2018, establishing a time of 1:44.15. Avestruz helped set three program records in 2018 as part of relays. She became an All-American while competing in the 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay at NCAA's.
Chantal Nack and Tevyn Waddell return as the core of the team's backstroke group. Nack, a two-time team captain, qualified for the 200 back at the 2018 NCAA meet and will continue to swim freestyle events throughout the season. Waddell, who will also compete in freestyle and fly events, was the lead off swimmer for the Gopher's record-breaking medley teams in 2018 and holds the 100 back school record. The Gophers will add Emily Cook to this group as well, a sophomore transfer from Washington State, who will add depth and competition to the team.
The Gopher breaststroke duo of Lindsey Kozelsky and Rachel Munson will benefit from their NCAA experience this season. Kozelsky, an Albert Lea, Minn. native, was only the second women's swimmer to gain four All-American awards at a single championship meet at the NCAA Championships in 2018.
Minnesota's top butterfly swimmer a year ago, Danielle Nack, has graduated and will leave opportunity for Waddell and team captain Kaia Grobe to fill. Grobe, a senior from Chanhassen, Minn., is a leader for the Gophers in and out of the pool and has competed in the 100-yard fly at the Big Ten Championships each of her three seasons with the team.
The Gophers diving contingent contains experience and depth. Bacon will return as the 1-meter NCAA and Big Ten Champion. Bacon was named NCAA Co-Diver of the Championships and Big Ten Diver of the Championships in 2018. Returning alongside Bacon are Morgan Justus and Kristen Hayden. Justus, a 2018 All-American Honorable Mention and 2018-19 captain, placed 12th in the platform dive at the NCAA Championships in 2018. Hayden finished 11th and 14th in the 3-meter and platform dive respectively to earn All-American Honorable Mention awards in 2018.
2018-19 Schedule
The Gophers will compete in their first meet of the season this Friday when the team travels to face the Badgers at the Natatorium in Madison, Wisc. Other Big Ten competition throughout the season will include meets against Iowa (Oct. 27 in Minneapolis), and Northwestern and Purdue (Feb. 1-2 in Evanston, Ill.).
Their nonconference schedule includes meets against FSU (Oct. 20 in Minneapolis), South Dakota State (Oct. 27 in Minneapolis), and away meets against Hawaii (Jan. 12), USC and Oregon State (Jan. 18). Minnesota will travel to the ACC/Big Ten Swimming and Diving Challenge in West Lafayette, Ind. (Nov. 10-11), and take part in the Iowa Invitational (Nov. 15-17), host the Minnesota Invite (Nov. 29 – Dec. 1).
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