2015-16 Schedule   |   Roster

The Malone University Swimming & Diving team is ready to start the 2015-2016 season under the direction of second-year head coach Russ Hunt. Coach Hunt stated that the goal for his team this season is to get better every day.

"I think that our biggest goal will be to improve throughout the season," commented Hunt. "The season is a process and we need to be willing to engage in that process through a long season," noted Hunt. "We need to start at point A and we're aiming for point Z. There's a lot of alphabet to get there."

The captains for the women's team this season are seniors Marta Jankowska and Cindy Jewel. While the senior captains on the men's squad are Tim Collet, Evan Dickes, Chris Eckard, Hector Gonzalez, and Florian Zellin. Hunt talked highly of his senior captains, citing that he is looking to them to take the lead.

"Clearly it's a big group, a group with a strong voice and a group that absolutely leads by example," said Hunt. "In our first month and a half of being on campus, they have certainly showed the way as leaders and they need to continue doing so."

The men's team is filled with veteran athletes, 10 of whom are returning from last year's squad. Last season, they finished undefeated in dual meets, while placing third at the GLIAC Championships, which is the best finish in program history.

"Our men's team, as far as experience goes, has a wealth of it," according to Hunt. "They have been through these fights together through the years, and I can only hope that the underclassmen are paying attention."

The women's team finished ninth at the GLIAC Championships and is returning 11 athletes from a season ago.  

"Our women's team is certainly younger, certainly a team that is going to develop," noted Hunt. "Our junior class is a big group and they are forming their own identity as leaders. It's a large team, the largest we have ever had on the women's side."    

When asking Coach Hunt about this year's top returners, he was quick to state that he is looking to the senior class to lead the way.

"I think at the end of the day, it needs to be those senior captains who have been in this program, who have created tradition and made this program what it is," commented Hunt. "It is the seniors who will set the tone in all our dual meet competitions and our midseason invite invitationals and in championship competition." 

The six seniors on this year's men squad are: Collet, Dickes, Eckard, Dan Furno, Gonzalez, and Zellin. While the top two returners on the women's side are seniors: Jankowska and Jewel. 

Collet had a remarkable junior campaign for Malone. At the GLIAC Championship last season, he finished runner-up in the 200 breaststroke with a season-best mark of 2:00.69, third in the 200 butterfly (1:49.27) which broke the school record, fourth in the 100 butterfly (51.30), and fifth in the 200 individual medley (1:54.28).  

Jankowska had an impressive junior season for the Pioneers as she finished first in the 200 individual medley (2:07.09 time), third in the 200 butterfly (2:04.37), fifth in the 400 individual medley (4:28.54), and 11^th in the 1650 freestyle (17:48.81), while breaking the school record in all of those events at the GLIAC Championship last season. 

The men's junior class consists of four athletes: Cory Boogaart, Zachary Misak, Jacob Rehfus, and Jeremy Williams. While the women have six juniors, which is the largest class on this year's team: Olivia Bently, Emily Luli, Brittany McCue, Audrey Miller, Charis Parker and Christina Yu.  

The sophomore class is the smallest group on the men's side with one athlete, Austin Weingart. While the women have four sophomores: Carolin Friedrich, Kaitlyn Hoch, Quincy Livchak and Sarah Mally.

Coach Hunt stated that this year's newcomers are a talented group of athletes who he is looking forward to watching grow.

"They are able to do a lot of different things," noted Hunt. "They are diverse in their events and they certainly make us a stronger team both on the men's and women's side and we are going to be looking to them to contribute."   

There are seven newcomers joining this year's team, three on the men's side and four on the women's side. The freshmen men are Zachary Moore, Carlton Lenartowicz, and Collin Schmid, while the freshmen women are Victoria Baker, Christina Neumann, Kaylor Schuttinger and Karleigh Stichert.

The Pioneers will open the 2015-16 season on Friday, October 23^rd against the University of Mount Union in a 6:00 p.m. meet at Branin Natatorium.