Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
UMBC
Women's Swim & Dive Begins 2018-19 By Hosting UMBC
9/26/2018 3:57:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Setting the Scene
What: UMBC (0-0) at Bucknell (0-0)
When: Saturday, September 29 – 1 p.m.
Where: Kinney Natatorium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Bucknell at a Glance
• In 2017-18, the Bison went 6-3 (4-2 Patriot League) in dual meets. They posted their most overall and conference wins since 2014-15, when they went 7-4 (4-3 Patriot League).
• Bucknell went on to place fourth (423 points) at the 10-team Patriot League Championships and third (309 points) at the 24-team ECAC Championships.
• Maggie Wyngowski (1st), Julianna Foss (1st), Emma Hadley (2nd) and Lindsay Smalec (2nd) were Bucknell's 2018 All-Patriot League honorees. In addition, Wyngowski became the second Bison to be named the Rookie of the Patriot League Championships.
• Of Bucknell's 2018 All-Patriot League selections, only Foss was lost to graduation. The Bison also return 2017 All-Patriot League picks Abigail Rosenberg (1st), Hadley (1st) and Julie Byrne (2nd).
• Two school-record holders are on the 2018-19 roster: Rosenberg (100 freestyle, 50.42; 200 freestyle, 1:48.29) and Wyngowski (200 breaststroke, 2:14.98; 400 IM, 4:17.80).
• Returnees Byrne (200 medley), Emily Gorham (200 freestyle, 800 freestyle), Hadley (400 medley), Smalec (400 medley, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle) and Rosenberg (400 medley, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle) were members of school record setting relay teams.
• The program welcomes 11 newcomers in 2018-19. They hail from nine different states: Pennsylvania (3), Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Virginia.
UMBC at a Glance/Series History
• This is the 12th-straight year the Bison will open their season against the Retrievers. Every year since 2007, the teams have met in the first weekend of the season for an unscored meet. Eight of those meetings occurred at Kinney Natatorium.
• At the 2018 American East Championships, the Retrievers narrowly took second place with 789.5 points, just 4.5 behind New Hampshire.
• UMBC took 11th at the 24-team ECAC Championships, accumulating 155 points.
• A year before, the Retrievers won their third-straight, and sixth overall, American East Championship. They set a conference record, scoring 936.5 points to become the first team to eclipse 900 points. The meet featured five teams.
A Look Ahead
• The Bison next host Boston University and Richmond on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m.
Season Preview
The Bucknell women's swimming & diving team is looking to take another step forward at the Patriot League Championships in 2018-19, and head coach Dan Schinnerer believes that it has the personnel to do just that.
"We were fourth last year, which was a step forward in terms of placing from a year ago," Schinnerer said. "But, in a strange twist, we were closer to second when we were fifth two years ago than when we were fourth a year ago. Our goal is to continue to climb up the ladder in the conference."
To continue to climb up the ladder, the Bison will need everyone to contribute at the Patriot League Championships, which will be held Feb. 20-23 at Kinney Natatorium.
"Our depth will be key to us having success at the Patriot League Championships," Schinnerer said. "From one to 17 and 18, everyone will need to contribute. The top half of our roster performed well last year, but the second half has to contribute more points for us to accomplish our goal."
Schinnerer said that being able to host nine meets at Kinney Natatorium before the Patriot League Championships will help his team reach its full potential.
"We're fortunate to have an awesome facility," Schinnerer said. "Whenever we can race in our home pool, it's a great opportunity to swim fast. This is a year where we host the conference championships so all of our Patriot League duals are home. Then, because of some quirks in our schedule, we have a few more home duals. So it's one giant home stand this year. Being at home makes for a bit of a more controlled environment, which will help with the younger athletes' development."
Below is a stroke group by stroke group breakdown of the 2018-19 Bison.
IM
Maggie Wyngowski was sensational for the Bison as freshman, and Schinnerer believes that the best is yet to come for the versatile standout.
A year ago, Wyngowski became only the second Bison to be named the Rookie of the Patriot League Championship Meet after totaling 47 points, good for seventh among all competitors. She captured a silver medal in the 400 IM behind a school-record time of 4:17.80 and also placed fourth in the 200 breaststroke (2:14.98) and 200 IM (2:02.26). Notably, she became first Bison to clear 2:15 in the 200 breaststroke and 4:18 in the 400 IM.
"As an IMer by nature, Maggie is good at a lot of different things," Schinnerer said. "She was able to take advantage of the opportunities she was given right away last year because she had a great base to work from and was well coached at the club level. Now that she has a year under her belt, she knows more about what to expect and has an opportunity to be even better this year."
While Bucknell has strong depth behind Wyngowski in the 200 IM in seniors Lindsay Smalec and Julie Byrne. Schinnerer said that freshman Meagan Hathaway has "the potential to be a strong contributor in both the 200 IM and 400 IM."Â
Freestyle
Bucknell boasts depth and talent at freestyle, including multiple swimmers who can contribute in everything from the 50 to the 1,650. Leading the way is senior Abigail Rosenberg, who enters the 2018-19 campaign with school records in the 100 freestyle (50.42) and 200 freestyle (1:48.29) and fifth-place times in the 50 freestyle (23.43) and 500 freestyle (4:55.31). In her career, she has scored 82 points at the Patriot League Championships, finishing as high as third in the 100 freestyle, fifth in the 200 freestyle and 10th in the 50 freestyle.
"Abigail's range is impressive," Schinnerer said of the 2017 All-Patriot League First Team honoree. "She's our school record holder in the 100 and 200, but she can go down to the 50 and up to the 500. Every year, we have to figure out what events she should focus on. She's a real competitor, and she's proven to be a strong point scorer at the Patriot League Championships."
Sophomore Emily Gorham has a similar range as Rosenberg. She excelled as a freshman, posting Bucknell's fourth-fastest 200 freestyle time (1:50.71) and swimming on two record-setting relay teams. Schinnerer said that he expects her to build on her strong freshman campaign and contribute even more in individual events.
Junior Katherine O'Shea, who scored at the 2018 Patriot League Championships in the 200 freestyle and was a member of the school record setting 200 and 800 freestyle relay teams, will also be a key contributor. Sophomore Maura McManus finished her freshman campaign on a high note by placing 14th in the 200 freestyle and 15th in the 100 freestyle at the ECAC Championships and figures to make a bigger impact this year.
In the distance events, the Bison return junior Abby Merriman and sophomore Amanda Laurer. Merriman, who finished fifth in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2017 Patriot League Championships with Bucknell's third-fastest time (16:54.90), battled injuries throughout the 2017-18 campaign but still placed eighth in the 1,650 freestyle and 14th in the 500 freestyle at that season's Patriot League Championships. Laurer swam Bucknell's seventh-fastest time (17:10.29) in the 1,650 freestyle en route to a 12-place finish at the 2018 Patriot League Championships.
"Abby came back from injury to be a strong point producer," Schinnerer said. "If we can keep her healthy, she has the capacity to take a big step forward in the distance events. Amanda had a good freshman year, and I expect her to take a step forward as a sophomore."
One freshman Schinnerer is especially excited to have on his team is Maddie Hartigan. A USA Swimming National and Junior National qualifier, as well as a three-time New York state champion in the 200 freestyle and two-time title winner in the 500 freestyle, she will have an immediate impact in everything from the 50 to the 1,650.
"Maddie will definitely help us right away," Schinnerer said. "She's going to have a big impact individually. She'll also help our freestyle relays across the board."
Backstroke
At backstroke, Bucknell boasts what Schinnerer calls a "solid one-two-three punch" in junior Emma Hadley, Byrne and senior Steph Boyd.
All three rank in the program's top 10 in both the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, with Hadley owning the second-fastest time in each. A two-time All-Patriot League honoree, Hadley was a 2017 silver medalist in the 100 backstroke and 2018 silver medalist in the 200 backstroke at the Patriot League Championships. Byrne, a 2017 All-Patriot League Second Team honoree, has placed as high as fifth in the 200 backstroke and ninth in the 100 backstroke while Boyd has been a consistent point scorer for the Bison.
"As a freshman and sophomore, Emma was right up there in the 100 and 200," Schinnerer said. "She has designs to keep moving up. Julie has been a championship finalist while Steph has been a steady point scorer. As upperclassmen, they have great experience and make for a one-two-three punch."
Beyond Bucknell's one-two-three punch, Schinnerer said that freshman Meghan Taner and sophomore Meg Koczur will also make an impact, making backstroke one of his team's strongest groups.
Breaststroke
Just as she will in the IM events, Wyngowski will be a key contributor in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. At the 2018 Patriot League Championships, she placed fourth in the 200 breaststroke with a school-record time of 2:14.98.
Senior Mary Weinstein, who has placed as high as seventh in the 200 breaststroke and 10th in the 100 breaststroke at the Patriot League Championships, is also poised to make an impact after struggling with health issues a year ago.
But, behind Wyngowski and Weinstein, it's not yet clear who will contribute in breaststroke events, especially with the loss of long-time standout Leah Bloodgood to graduation.
"Breaststroke is an area where we don't have the depth that we've had in the last couple of years," Schinnerer said. "It's been a real strength for us in the past, but it's going to be more of a developmental group this year. We're still going to be strong in the top two spots with Maggie and Mary, but we're going to have to develop some people to have depth there."
Butterfly
While Bucknell graduated four-time All-Patriot League First Team honoree Julianna Foss, its school record holder in both the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly, Schinnerer believes that this discipline will remain one of his team's strengths.
Smalec will be the group's leader. A year ago, she earned All-Patriot League Second Team accolades after placing sixth in the 100 butterfly (54.84), seventh in the 200 IM (2:03.88) and eighth in the 200 butterfly (2:04.48) at the Patriot League Championships; all three of her times cracked Bucknell's top 10, with her 100 butterfly mark one of just two faster than 55.00.
Hadley and Rachel Hazard, who scored at the 2018 ECAC Championships, will be a factors in the 100 butterfly. Freshmen Alexis Faria and Caroline Mayk have the potential to contribute right away in both events while Hathaway will have an immediate impact in the 200 butterfly.
"We had a strong group behind Julianna last year," Schinnerer said. "Lindsay was right on Julianna's heels in the butterfly all season long, and Emma is strong in the butterfly. We're also bringing in two talented freshmen who will help us right away in Megan and Caroline."
Diving
Schinnerer said that the key for his divers will be to stay healthy and continue their development. Sophomore Alaina Schumann, who competed at the 2018 Patriot League Championships, and junior Paige Schoelkopf will be pushed by freshmen Jessica Hurlburt and Vita Shabalow.
"The competition will be good for all four of our divers," Schinnerer said. "They will push each other to be at a level where they can score at the Patriot League Championships."
Relays
Schinnerer is confident that Bucknell's relays will be as strong, if not stronger, than a year ago. During the 2017-18 campaign, school records fell in every relay but the 200 medley, and Schinnerer believes that they could very well fall again this season.
In the freestyle relays, the Bison return Rosenberg and Gorham. Schinnerer said that Hartigan has the potential to push Bucknell's relays to new heights.
"We set school records in every freestyle relay last year, and I think we're in a position to be even better," Schinnerer said. "Between what we're bringing back and some of the new additions we're bringing in, we should have another great year."
As for the medley relays, the lone question mark is who will take Bloodgood's place in the breaststroke leg, as the Bison return Hadley, Smalec and Rosenberg.
Players Mentioned
