The incoming freshman class could be key to any success the swimming and diving team, as a whole, will have in the upcoming season.
Ohio will look to improve in the 2015-16 season after a sixth place finish in the Mid-American Conference championship last year, and the incoming freshman class could be a huge part of the potential success of the Bobcats.
“Our freshman are really strong,” coach Rachel Komisarz-Baugh said. “That adds to an overall depth from last year.”
Komisarz-Baugh said the butterfly group will continue to be strong for the Bobcats, with Addison Ferguson returning as a senior leader for the group, but freshman Corrin Van Lanen could also play a key part.
“(Van Lanen) has swam really well,” Komisarz-Baugh said. “She definitely should be in the mix to qualify for (the NCAA championships), so hopefully we can get her to that level.”
With two NCAA-hopefuls in Ferguson and Van Lanen in the butterfly group, Ohio could expect an abundance of points from them. Last season, Ferguson was named to the All-MAC first team with junior Laura Dawson — who was named Most Outstanding Swimmer at the MAC Championship at Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Komisarz-Baugh said freshman Ana Henderson is going to be essential to Ohio’s depth in the new season.
“She is going to add some depth to our mid-distance events … possibly our distance events as well,” Komisarz-Baugh said.
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Other freshmen Maddie Wyke, Mackenzie Hornstra, Kimberly Zehnder, Lexie White and Emily Davis will look to add depth to the Bobcats.
With new diving coach, Chelsea Ale, sophomore diver Karrisa Conner will start the foundation for the Bobcats, as they finished 2014-15 season with three divers — one, Lizzie Wagoner, who didn't compete.
The youth of the Bobcats, mixed with returning experience, could bring the team back to the top of the MAC and potentially place swimmers at the NCAA Championships.
At the Green and White meet Saturday, Komisarz-Baugh said she pitted certain racers against one another, hoping to add competitiveness within the team.
“I think we’ll see some really good times, they’ve been swimming really fast at practice, a lot faster than they did last year," Komisarz-Baugh said.
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