2021-22 Swimming and Diving Season Preview

Friday, October 1

Ames, Iowa

6 PM

Iowa State

Cardinal & Gold Intrasquad Meet

2021-22 Swimming and Diving Season Preview

09.29.2021 | Swimming and Diving

SD Intrasquad

AMES, Iowa – The 2021-22 swimming and diving team kicks off the 52nd season this Friday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. with the Cardinal and Gold Intrasquad meet. Head Coach Duane Sorenson begins his 25th year leading the team, Assistant Head Coach Kelly Nordell undertakes her 14th season, while Head Diving Coach Jeff Warrick enters his 24th season.

Twelve All-Big 12 honorees return after tallying a total of 19 All-Big 12 honors last season. Five newcomers and 24 returners make up the roster, with seniors Jazlyn Horras, Lucia Rizzo and Michelle Schlossmacher Smith serving as captains.

SPRINT FREESTYLE

The sprint free group returns junior Sophia Goushchina following a season posting all-time top performances and leading the team in the 50 and 100 free. Newcomer Maddie Ziegert, out of the University of Iowa, will make her first swim as a Cyclone after consistently posting collegiate times sub-24 seconds in the 50 free and sub-52 seconds in the 100 free. Fellow newcomer Carley Caughron joins the group after improving her sprint free times year after year in her high school career.

"We've got a lot returning and a couple new people who joined us," Head Coach Duane Sorenson said. "Maddie Ziegert has had a tremendous history in the sprint free events. Freshman Carley Caughron was runner-up at the high school state meet in the sprint free and has a really bright future because she's pretty new to the sport and has a lot of explosiveness."

MIDDLE DISTANCE AND DISTANCE

Returning distance swimmers claimed eight all-time top performances and three All-Big 12 honors in 2020-21. The young group of Brinley Horras, Sydney Jackson and Ashley Bengtson left their mark in their freshman year, all notching spots on the freshman records list. Keely Tierney also made her name known in her first year with the team as she is now a top performer in the 1000 and 1650 free.

"In the 200 free, we're returning Ashley and she really does a nice job pacing and racing," Sorenson said. "Brinley can swim anything from the 200 to the 1650 free so she has a bright future there. In the 500, we have a tremendous depth of choices with which direction we could go."

BREASTSTROKE

The tradition of powerful Iowa State breaststrokers lives on as five all-time top performers open another season. Lehr Thorson and Martha Haas now combine to hold one third of all 100 and 200 breast top times in Iowa State history. Alaina Breitbach enters her sophomore season after lighting up at Big 12s last season and cementing All-Big 12 status.

"We've got super seniors Lehr Thorson and Martha Haas coming back," Sorenson said. "Paige Hanley and Alaina Breitbach are both Big 12 finalists and are really going to have an outstanding year. Emily Heymans joins them and can swim the 200 breaststroke, so we've got five people that we're really comfortable swimming the 200 breaststroke."

BUTTERFLY

Trinity Gilbert and Rizzo presented as a dominant duo, capturing over 20 points together in scoring butterfly finals at the 2021 Big 12 Championships. The Cyclones add Winter Craig, a transfer from Tulane University, who posted collegiate-bests of 56.42 in the 100 fly and 2:03.76 in the 200 fly. Freshman Mallory Miller joins Iowa State following posting 100 and 200 fly PRs in her high school senior season.

"Carley [Caughron] is also a really good sprint flyer and Lucia Rizzo is coming back in that event," Sorenson said. "Trinity Sadecky has really improved a lot and I think will kind of come out of her shell. We've got Winter Craig, who's an outstanding 200 flyer but I think also has good potential in the 100 fly."

BACKSTROKE

Three-time All-Big 12 honoree Emily Haan embarks on her senior campaign while fellow All-Big 12 honorees Elizabeth Richardson and Goushschina open the season as upperclassmen. Fallon DeWitt looks to contend in dominating fashion as a newcomer. Gilbert, Anna Ellis and Jazlyn Horras, all backstroke all-time top performers, round out the commanding group.

"We have Liz Richardson who wasn't able to swim at the Big 12 Championships and is on a redemption year to show everybody what she can do," Sorenson said. "She had an outstanding freshman year being a finalist at the Big 12 Championships. We add newcomer Fallon DeWitt who has done a really good job, and we have two seniors, Anna Ellis and Jazlyn Horras, who have been really steady and consistent for us in the backstroke."

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

200 and 400 IM school-record holder Rizzo continues her career as she closes in on becoming an all-time point scorer, sitting 60 points away. Junior Heymans enters the season following solidifying new 200 and 400 IM PRs and All-Big 12 400 IM honors while strong freshman DeWitt and Miller will make their collegiate debut in IM events.

"In the 200 IM, Trinity Gilbert and Lucia Rizzo are our top swimmers there," Sorenson said. "We also have a lot of people who can swim those events from Lehr Thorson to Alaina Breitbach to Mallory Miller, who is a good 400 IMer, so I think she's going to be very versatile for us."

DIVING

No. 2-ranked divers Michelle Schlossmacher Smith (three-meter) and Jayna Misra (one-meter) look to surpass their PRs and take hold of the school record. The duo also put up 17 Zone-qualifying cuts in 2020-21. Last season, Joscelyn Buss took the fourth slot on the platform freshman records list while also becoming only the fifth Cyclone freshman diver to earn All-Big 12 honors. Joining the divers is Lauren Kimball, who ranked No. 1 on the one-meter in the state of Iowa as a high school senior.

"We bring back a lot of strength with all four divers who are returning," Head Diving Coach Jeff Warrick said. "Michelle Schlossmacher Smith, who is our team captain, I'm looking forward to seeing her continue and what she can do at the Big 12s and beyond. Joscelyn Buss made finals at the Big 12 Championships, which I thought was a great accomplishment for her on the platform. I think she's not only going to do well there but also in the one- and three-meter events this season. We're excited to see Jayna Misra and what she can do with a healthy season ahead of her. I think she's going to bring some great excitement to the team and is really going to bring a lot of points to the team as well. Added to the team, Lauren Kimball, I've really enjoyed working with her so far this season. She's learning some dives and things as a freshman but I think she's going to do a great job and I just look forward to seeing what she's going to do."

The intrasquad meet on Friday, Oct. 1 begins at 6 p.m. at Beyer Pool and admission is free and open to the public. Cardinal holds the advantage, taking three of the last five intrasquad meetings. Regular season action opens Oct. 9 against Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.