Swimming and Diving 2019-20 Season Preview

AMES, Iowa – The 2019-20 Iowa State swimming and diving team opens the historic 50^th season on Oct. 4 with the Cardinal and Gold meet. Iowa State boasts 10 seniors in its 2019-20 class. Duane Sorenson embarks on his 23^rd year as head coach with the help of Kelly Nordell and her 12 years as assistant head coach. This season also marks the 22^nd year with Jeff Warrick as diving coach.

SPRINT FREESTYLE

The sprint freestyle events look to be nothing short of exciting as two former All-Big 12 honorees return. The honorees, Elynn Tan and Anna Andersen, are joined by multiple swimmers with great potential to contribute in the 50 and 100 free. Emma Sass, Emily Haan and captain Emma Ruehle were all top sprint freestyle performers last season. In addition, freshman Sophia Goushchina will join this strong group.

"Elynn Tan having the opportunity to swim at World Games this summer in Italy gave her a lot of confidence that she can swim with the top dogs in the world," head coach Duane Sorenson said. "Last year was a learning experience for her so this year she can really build off of what she was. We also have Emily Haan, who is a very versatile-type swimmer for us. She can swim backstroke and sprint free. She has had a lot of success both in high school and last year."

MIDDLE DISTANCE AND DISTANCE

The middle distance and distance group will have a sizable senior class, including Keely Soellner, Polina Shynkarenko and captain Kat Jones, all of which were top performers in these events last season. Soellner currently holds both the 1000 and 1650 free school record. The distance events also will feature new faces this season, adding Madison Rundell and Nolwenn Nunes. Rundell comes in as the 15^th-ranked recruit from the state of Minnesota and Nunes is coming off a win in the French Bretagne Cup.

"Emma Ruehle is joining Anna Andersen in the 200 freestyle as our top two swimmers in that event," Sorenson said. "Keely Soellner and our new swimmer from France, Nolwenn Nunes, is a very good 200 freestyler also. Keely has had a lot of success in the past in the 200 free so we think we're really solid in that event. In the distance free, we've got a lot of people we can look at. Keely, Nolwenn and Lucia Rizzo had a great year last year."

BREASTSTROKE

The Cyclones enter the breaststroke events with two swimmers who not only hold All-Big 12 honors, but also sit on the all-time top performers list. These swimmers, Martha Haas and Lehr Thorson, accompany multiple top performers last season, including Martha Haas, Bryn Ericksen, Kennedy Tranel and Grace Snyder.

"Breaststroke is probably one of our stronger events as we return Lehr Thorson, who's a Big-12 finalist in two events," Sorenson said. "Martha Haas who is probably our most consistent swimmer in dual meets and at championship level. We bring in Emily Heymans, who is a very good 200 breaststroker. Coming off of knee surgery, is Jennifer Roessler. It will be exciting to see how she develops throughout the year. Madi Rundell can also go out of the distance free into the breaststroke. We've got six really good breaststrokers."

BUTTERFLY

A solid group of fliers comes into the season ready to dominate. Two swimmers, Tan and Lucia Rizzo, sit within the top-5 of the top performers list in the 100 and 200 fly, respectively. Wyli Erlechman, Kami Pankratz, Tranel and Snyder round out this powerful group.

"In the 100 butterfly, Elynn, Wyli and incoming freshman Trinity Gilbert are all three really good butterfliers," Sorenson said. "In the 200 fly, we have Lucia Rizzo, Kami Pankratz, Kennedy Tranel and then Grace Snyder can swim both the 100 and 200 fly, so we've got a lot of depth in that race too."

BACKSTROKE

Haan begins her sophomore season sitting at fourth overall the top performers list. Missing this year is the now-graduated Evan Hundley, who holds multiple top-10 spots of the top performers list in the 100 and 200 back. Also dominant in backstroke events, are the returning sophomores Anna Ellis and Jazlyn Horras. New this season is Elizabeth Richardson, the second-ranked recruit from the state of Nebraska by CollegeSwimming.com. Newcomer Goushchina also eyes success this season, being the Illinois state runner-up in the 100 back.

"We are returning Emily Haan who was our top swimmer in the 100 back and second-fastest in the 200 back last year, Sorenson said. "I think she can really be good. Wyli Erlechman who is a very good 100 backstroker, had a great year last year. Some incoming freshman, Liz Richardson I think has a ton of talent and Sophia Goushchina who is also a very good backstroker. Both of them are great 100 backstrokers, Liz is a little bit stronger in the 200 back but I think Sophia could develop in the 200 back also."

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

The individual medley will feature the talent of returners Rizzo and Ruehle. Rizzo and Ruehle both sit in the top-10 of the top performers list. Rizzo, Pankratz, Horras, Thorson and Ruehle look to continue the success they found in IM events last season. Freshman Trinity Gilbert and Emily Heymans join the IM group this year. In high school, Gilbert was an All-State swimmer in the 200 IM and Heymans was a three-time All-Conference honoree.

"In the 200 IM, Emma Ruehle and Trinity Gilbert are very, very good," Sorenson said. "In dual meets, Lucia Rizzo will probably be joining them quite often. In the 400 IM, Lucia and Kami Pankratz are top people coming back in those races. Liz Richardson could also be a really good 200 IMer and I think she'll develop. Freshman Emily Heymans had a great summer and her 400 IM time really improved so we see a great future in that race for her."

DIVING

Senior captain Dana Liva, who currently holds the platform diving school record, returns to leave an impact this season. Liva comes in as the lone NCAA Zone qualifier, as Sydney Ronald has now graduated. In addition, redshirt-senior Alex Aaberg and sophomore Jessica Coffin return after setting new personal bests last season. The Cyclone divers welcome two newcomers, Michelle Schlossmacher Smith and Jayna Misra. Schlossmacher Smith begins her sophomore campaign after completing a year with NC State. Misra is coming off an undefeated senior season.

"I'm excited for this season for a lot of reasons, but one is just the returners and the experience that they've brought," head diving coach Jeff Warrick said. "Dana has a lot of experience and has done really well at our Big 12 Championships. It's going to be fun to watch her again her senior year. I'm excited too for our two new divers we're bringing in. Michelle, the transfer sophomore, I think she's already fitting in really well with the team and I think is going to be a very important piece in our success. Jayna, our incoming freshman, she's just going to be really fun to watch. I think she's going to do exceptionally well and also be a huge piece in our success."

The intrasquad meet begins at 7 p.m. on Oct. 4 at Beyer Pool. The Cyclones then travel to Nebraska to face the Cornhuskers on Oct. 19. Iowa State's home opener is slated for Oct. 25 where the Cyclones will face Omaha and St. Catherine University at 6 p.m. Admission is free to all home meets at Beyer Pool.

Players Mentioned

Alex Aaberg

Anna Andersen

Jessica Coffin

Anna Ellis

Bryn Ericksen

Wyli Erlechman

Sophia Goushchina

Emily Haan

Martha Haas

Emily Heymans

Jazlyn Horras

Evan Hundley

Kat Jones

Trinity Kay

Dana Liva

Jayna Misra

Nolwenn Nunes

Kami Pankratz

Elizabeth Richardson

Lucia Rizzo

Jennifer Roessler

Sydney Ronald

Emma Ruehle

Madison Rundell

Emma Sass

Michelle Schlossmacher Smith

Polina Shynkarenko

Grace Snyder

Keely Soellner

Elynn Tan

Lehr Thorson

Kennedy Tranel

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