Eastern Michigan Athletics
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Swim and Dive Picked to Finish Sixth in MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
10/9/2024 1:58:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Eagles will open their 2024-25 campaign at Cleveland State Friday, Oct. 18 at 3 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- In a poll with the Mid-American Conference's (MAC) eight head coaches, the Eastern Michigan University women's swimming & diving team was picked to finish sixth in the MAC standings for the upcoming 2024-25 campaign.
The University of Akron Zips earned the top spot with 49 team points and seven of the eight first-place votes. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their team.
Ohio University is the runner-up in this year's poll, with 42 team points and the final first-place vote, followed by Miami University in third place with 37 team points.
The Eagles, under sixth-year Head Coach Derek Perkins, and first-year Head Diving Coach Tom Gimm, were picked to finish sixth. On the boards, the Eastern squad is led by senior diver Rebekah Knapp (Mesa, Ariz./Skyline), who earned a second-place finish in the 3m dive at the MAC Championships last season, with a score of 301.15.
In the pool, the Eagles return Kiersten Russell (Clinton, Mich./Saline), who clocked the fifth-fastest 100y backstroke time in program history in 54.33. Joining Russell is Nina Larosa (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay), who notched the program's eighth-best 100y breaststroke time in 1:03.00 as a freshman last season. Among Russell and Larosa is Abby Szadorski (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East), who bettered her eighth-best program time in the 200y breaststroke, completing the event in 2:16.60.
The Eagles are bringing in nine freshmen to the team, including Riess Estep (Smyrna, Ga./Whitefield Academy), Aisling Gutierrez (New Kent, Va./New Kent), Nehir Guven (Istanbul, Turkey/Istek Atanur Oguz Okullari), Rose Kendrick (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva), Megan Lupa (Campden, Ontario/West Niagara Secondary), Nehir Oz (Istanbul, Turkey/Cevre), Taityn Speier (Fairfax, Va./WT Woodson), Azra Umut (Istanbul, Turkey/Fenerbahce School), and Adley Zamore (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant).
The University at Buffalo will host the 2024-25 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championship on Wednesday, Feb. 28 – Saturday, March 1 at the Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool in Buffalo, NY.
Up Next
The Eagles are set to open their 2024-25 campaign Friday, Oct. 18, in Cleveland, Ohio, as they will take on the Vikings of Cleveland State University at 3 p.m.
Follow Us
To stay up to date with all things Eastern Swim and Dive, follow the team's social media accounts @emuswimanddive on Instagram, @EMUSwimDive on X, and EMU Swimming and Diving on Facebook.
2024-25 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Coaches Poll
First-place votes in ()
1. Akron – 49 (7) pts.
2. Ohio – 42 (1) pts.
3. Miami – 37 pts.
4. Buffalo – 31 pts.
5. Ball State – 26 pts.
6. Eastern Michigan – 19 pts.
7. Toledo – 11 pts.
8. Bowling Green – 9 pts.
The University of Akron Zips earned the top spot with 49 team points and seven of the eight first-place votes. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their team.
Ohio University is the runner-up in this year's poll, with 42 team points and the final first-place vote, followed by Miami University in third place with 37 team points.
The Eagles, under sixth-year Head Coach Derek Perkins, and first-year Head Diving Coach Tom Gimm, were picked to finish sixth. On the boards, the Eastern squad is led by senior diver Rebekah Knapp (Mesa, Ariz./Skyline), who earned a second-place finish in the 3m dive at the MAC Championships last season, with a score of 301.15.
In the pool, the Eagles return Kiersten Russell (Clinton, Mich./Saline), who clocked the fifth-fastest 100y backstroke time in program history in 54.33. Joining Russell is Nina Larosa (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay), who notched the program's eighth-best 100y breaststroke time in 1:03.00 as a freshman last season. Among Russell and Larosa is Abby Szadorski (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East), who bettered her eighth-best program time in the 200y breaststroke, completing the event in 2:16.60.
The Eagles are bringing in nine freshmen to the team, including Riess Estep (Smyrna, Ga./Whitefield Academy), Aisling Gutierrez (New Kent, Va./New Kent), Nehir Guven (Istanbul, Turkey/Istek Atanur Oguz Okullari), Rose Kendrick (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva), Megan Lupa (Campden, Ontario/West Niagara Secondary), Nehir Oz (Istanbul, Turkey/Cevre), Taityn Speier (Fairfax, Va./WT Woodson), Azra Umut (Istanbul, Turkey/Fenerbahce School), and Adley Zamore (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant).
The University at Buffalo will host the 2024-25 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championship on Wednesday, Feb. 28 – Saturday, March 1 at the Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool in Buffalo, NY.
Up Next
The Eagles are set to open their 2024-25 campaign Friday, Oct. 18, in Cleveland, Ohio, as they will take on the Vikings of Cleveland State University at 3 p.m.
Follow Us
To stay up to date with all things Eastern Swim and Dive, follow the team's social media accounts @emuswimanddive on Instagram, @EMUSwimDive on X, and EMU Swimming and Diving on Facebook.
2024-25 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Coaches Poll
First-place votes in ()
1. Akron – 49 (7) pts.
2. Ohio – 42 (1) pts.
3. Miami – 37 pts.
4. Buffalo – 31 pts.
5. Ball State – 26 pts.
6. Eastern Michigan – 19 pts.
7. Toledo – 11 pts.
8. Bowling Green – 9 pts.
Players Mentioned
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