Completed Event: Swimming and Diving versus Big 12 Duals on January 16, 2026 , , 5th, 781 points
Final
Swimming and Diving
Big 12 Duals
5th, 781 points
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Iowa State University Athletics
2015-16 Swimming and Diving Season Preview
09.30.2015 | Swimming and Diving
AMES, Iowa – Coming off a record-breaking season that culminated with a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships, the Iowa State swimming and diving team has set the bar high entering the 2015-16 season. Head coach Duane Sorenson, beginning his 19th season at Iowa State, saw the confidence and determination stemming from the highest conference meet finish in the Big 12 era make his squad even hungrier to rewrite the history books this year.
“We've got a lot of people who are school record holders who are on the team and they want to be greedy and get more,” Sorenson said.
While he and longtime coaching partners Jeff Warrick and Kelly Nordell are looking to change the names on the record board at Beyer Pool, Sorenson is also in the hunt for ISU history. Entering the year with 97 career dual meet victories at the helm of the program, Sorenson is only three wins away from becoming the first coach in team history to reach the century mark.
“I can't believe it's gone by that fast,” Sorenson said. “It just seems like yesterday I walked in the door and it was my first day on the job. I've had a chance to coach numerous outstanding young ladies and help them get better, which in turn, on paper, makes me look successful.”
To reach that milestone and return to the standard set last season, the Cyclones will rely on a wealth of returning experience and some promising newcomers in the 2015-16 campaign.
Diving
Three-time defending most valuable diver Elyse Brouillette again headlines the ISU divers in her senior campaign. Brouillette, a three-time NCAA Zone Diving Championships qualifier, holds a top-four scores in each event in the team's history and is looking to become sixth Cyclone diver to qualify for Zones four times.
“We've been very fortunate to have her on the team all these years,” said diving coach Jeff Warrick. “I knew she was talented and had done a lot of hard work so she came in at a good level, but I think she's really improved each year. For her senior year, she's a captain, a leader and I think she's going to do a great job for us.”
The Cyclones also carry an abundance depth beyond Brouillette, as the squad retains every diver from last season and adds Ames native Maggie James to the roster as well. Warrick expects the divers, especially junior Julie Dickinson, to create some competition within the group and propel each other throughout the season.
“We'll see how it all ends up, but I think it's a good thing that they can push each other to excellence there,” Warrick said.
Breaststroke and IM
One of Iowa State's strongest events since Sorenson took over the program, the breaststroke returns a number of proven swimmers, including Danica Delaquis, Megan Childs and last season's newcomer of the year Kasey Roberts. The trio all placed in the top 15 in the 200 at the 2015 Big 12 Championship.
“She's very good at both the 100 and 200 breaststroke and we expect that she's just going to keep going there,” Sorenson said of Roberts.
Along with breaking the school record in the 200 breaststroke at the 2015 Big 12 Championships, Roberts also set an ISU record in the 200 IM at the same competition. Roberts leads a handful of potential standouts in the IM.
“We've got a lot of swimmers there,” Sorenson said. “Kasey Roberts and Marissa Engel, we're really looking for big things out of them. We're also kind of interested in what Guy [Shilon] can do in the 200 IM because she has a lot of potential in that race.”
Butterfly and Backstroke
With no newcomers in the butterfly, the Cyclones return another experienced bunch of swimmers. It is the youngest of the group, however, that is poised to carry over momentum from last season.
Mary Kate Luddy capped off a breakout freshman campaign by topping a 13-year-old school record in the 200 butterfly at the 2015 Big 12 Championships, and the depth beyond Luddy in the event puts the coaching staff at ease.
“We've got Kaylee Kucera and Savanna Townsend in the sprint races and then Mary Kate Luddy and Shahar Silberman in the 200, so we feel very confident in those races,” Sorenson said.
In the backstroke, senior Marissa Engel is seeking a third consecutive first-team All-Big 12 showing in the 200, where she also clocked in an Olympic trials cut over the offseason. While Sorenson knows he has a reliable threat in Engel, he also has his eye on incoming Israel native Guy Shilon, who he sees as being “right on the heels” of Engel.
“Guy's been very successful in Israel and has some international meets behind her so we're pretty excited to see what she can do in a dual meet setting because she's never swam in a dual meet before so this is a whole different ball game for her,” Sorenson said.
Freestyle
Junior Karyl Clarete, who owns five or more spots in ISU's all-time top 20 performances in the 200, 500 and 1,000 freestyle events, broke onto the scene in her freshman year, but Sorenson admits didn't finish the 2014-15 season exactly how she had hoped. He believes that helped fuel the desire Clarete has to continue rewriting the freestyle record books.
“She had a great freshman year and did a pretty good job last year,” Soreson said. “The Big 12 meet wasn't where she wanted to be but she's kind of rededicated herself this fall and is really starting to get after it a little bit more in practice.”
The Cyclones will also turn to senior captain Alex Flatness, who set three personal-best times at the 2015 Big 12 Championships, to emerge in dual meet settings.
“Alex Flatness, who's always been known as a great taper swimmer, when she puts on a tech suit she becomes a different swimmer, so for dual meets we're hoping that she'll kind of come out of her shell and really swim well,” Sorenson said. “At the champ meets she always does a great job, but if she can come around in dual meets I think we're going to be a lot better.”
In distance races, a different kind of newcomer will be right on the tail of Clarete, who also holds the 1650 free record. Senior Mollie McNeel, who joined the team this summer after swimming for three years at Western Kentucky, will immediately find herself in an impact role.
“We have another really good distance swimmer who transferred in Mollie McNeel and she's going to be in the 500 and 1000,” Sorenson said. “Basically, the longer the race, the better she is. Once we get to conference in the 1650 we're looking for big things out of her.”
The Cyclones take to Beyer Pool for the first time this season on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. for the annual Intrasquad meet. The team then kicks off the regular season against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m.
“We've got a lot of people who are school record holders who are on the team and they want to be greedy and get more,” Sorenson said.
While he and longtime coaching partners Jeff Warrick and Kelly Nordell are looking to change the names on the record board at Beyer Pool, Sorenson is also in the hunt for ISU history. Entering the year with 97 career dual meet victories at the helm of the program, Sorenson is only three wins away from becoming the first coach in team history to reach the century mark.
“I can't believe it's gone by that fast,” Sorenson said. “It just seems like yesterday I walked in the door and it was my first day on the job. I've had a chance to coach numerous outstanding young ladies and help them get better, which in turn, on paper, makes me look successful.”
To reach that milestone and return to the standard set last season, the Cyclones will rely on a wealth of returning experience and some promising newcomers in the 2015-16 campaign.
Diving
Three-time defending most valuable diver Elyse Brouillette again headlines the ISU divers in her senior campaign. Brouillette, a three-time NCAA Zone Diving Championships qualifier, holds a top-four scores in each event in the team's history and is looking to become sixth Cyclone diver to qualify for Zones four times.
“We've been very fortunate to have her on the team all these years,” said diving coach Jeff Warrick. “I knew she was talented and had done a lot of hard work so she came in at a good level, but I think she's really improved each year. For her senior year, she's a captain, a leader and I think she's going to do a great job for us.”
The Cyclones also carry an abundance depth beyond Brouillette, as the squad retains every diver from last season and adds Ames native Maggie James to the roster as well. Warrick expects the divers, especially junior Julie Dickinson, to create some competition within the group and propel each other throughout the season.
“We'll see how it all ends up, but I think it's a good thing that they can push each other to excellence there,” Warrick said.
Breaststroke and IM
One of Iowa State's strongest events since Sorenson took over the program, the breaststroke returns a number of proven swimmers, including Danica Delaquis, Megan Childs and last season's newcomer of the year Kasey Roberts. The trio all placed in the top 15 in the 200 at the 2015 Big 12 Championship.
“She's very good at both the 100 and 200 breaststroke and we expect that she's just going to keep going there,” Sorenson said of Roberts.
Along with breaking the school record in the 200 breaststroke at the 2015 Big 12 Championships, Roberts also set an ISU record in the 200 IM at the same competition. Roberts leads a handful of potential standouts in the IM.
“We've got a lot of swimmers there,” Sorenson said. “Kasey Roberts and Marissa Engel, we're really looking for big things out of them. We're also kind of interested in what Guy [Shilon] can do in the 200 IM because she has a lot of potential in that race.”
Butterfly and Backstroke
With no newcomers in the butterfly, the Cyclones return another experienced bunch of swimmers. It is the youngest of the group, however, that is poised to carry over momentum from last season.
Mary Kate Luddy capped off a breakout freshman campaign by topping a 13-year-old school record in the 200 butterfly at the 2015 Big 12 Championships, and the depth beyond Luddy in the event puts the coaching staff at ease.
“We've got Kaylee Kucera and Savanna Townsend in the sprint races and then Mary Kate Luddy and Shahar Silberman in the 200, so we feel very confident in those races,” Sorenson said.
In the backstroke, senior Marissa Engel is seeking a third consecutive first-team All-Big 12 showing in the 200, where she also clocked in an Olympic trials cut over the offseason. While Sorenson knows he has a reliable threat in Engel, he also has his eye on incoming Israel native Guy Shilon, who he sees as being “right on the heels” of Engel.
“Guy's been very successful in Israel and has some international meets behind her so we're pretty excited to see what she can do in a dual meet setting because she's never swam in a dual meet before so this is a whole different ball game for her,” Sorenson said.
Freestyle
Junior Karyl Clarete, who owns five or more spots in ISU's all-time top 20 performances in the 200, 500 and 1,000 freestyle events, broke onto the scene in her freshman year, but Sorenson admits didn't finish the 2014-15 season exactly how she had hoped. He believes that helped fuel the desire Clarete has to continue rewriting the freestyle record books.
“She had a great freshman year and did a pretty good job last year,” Soreson said. “The Big 12 meet wasn't where she wanted to be but she's kind of rededicated herself this fall and is really starting to get after it a little bit more in practice.”
The Cyclones will also turn to senior captain Alex Flatness, who set three personal-best times at the 2015 Big 12 Championships, to emerge in dual meet settings.
“Alex Flatness, who's always been known as a great taper swimmer, when she puts on a tech suit she becomes a different swimmer, so for dual meets we're hoping that she'll kind of come out of her shell and really swim well,” Sorenson said. “At the champ meets she always does a great job, but if she can come around in dual meets I think we're going to be a lot better.”
In distance races, a different kind of newcomer will be right on the tail of Clarete, who also holds the 1650 free record. Senior Mollie McNeel, who joined the team this summer after swimming for three years at Western Kentucky, will immediately find herself in an impact role.
“We have another really good distance swimmer who transferred in Mollie McNeel and she's going to be in the 500 and 1000,” Sorenson said. “Basically, the longer the race, the better she is. Once we get to conference in the 1650 we're looking for big things out of her.”
The Cyclones take to Beyer Pool for the first time this season on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. for the annual Intrasquad meet. The team then kicks off the regular season against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m.
Players Mentioned
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Breast/Free
/ Swimming and Diving
Freestyle
/ Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Back/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Sprint Free/Back
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Sprint/Fly/Back
/ Swimming and Diving
Dis. Free/Fly/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Distance
/ Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Back/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Butterfly
/ Swimming and Diving
Sprint Free/Fly
/ Swimming and DivingLehr Thorson feature
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