Washington College’s Swimming Season Preview

Men’s Swimming Season Preview

The Washington College men’s swim team finished third at last year’s Centennial Conference Championships and return six of last year’s conference championship medal winners for the 2018-19 season.

Two-sport student-athlete Josh Samuels (Allentown, N.J./Allentown) will be the Shoremen’s lone senior this season. Samuels, a freestyle and relay contributor for the Shoremen swim team, will return to the team after completing his fourth season as a goalkeeper on the Shoremen soccer team.

The Shoremen have a deep and accomplished junior class. Jake Brown (Centreville, Md./Queen Anne’s County) was named the team’s Most Valuable Swimmer a year ago, winning bronze in the 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle relay at the Centennial Conference Championships. He is among the Shoremen’s top four fastest swimmers ever in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyle events. He is also a part of three school-record relay teams. Teague Sauter (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair), meanwhile, was named the team’s Most Improved Swimmer last year after winning bronze in the 200 breaststroke at the conference championships. He is the second-fastest swimmer in team history in the 100 breaststroke, fourth-fastest in the 200 breaststroke, and sixth-fastest in the 200 individual medley. Another junior, Aidan Sullivan (Richmond, Va./Trinity Episcopal), won bronze in the 200 individual medley at the conference championships two years ago and also has won four relay medals. He is the Shoremen’s second-fastest swimmer ever in the 200 individual medley, ranks in the top five in four other events, and is a part of three school-record relay teams.

Seth Wrigley (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area) is the Shoremen’s sixth-fastest swimmer ever in both butterfly events, while Brendan Jones (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) ranks among the Shoremen’s top five fastest swimmers ever in five individual events, including all three distance events. Also a member of the school-record 800 freestyle relay team, Jones won bronze in the 400 individual medley at the 2017 conference championships. Dave Rovansek (State College, Pa./State College Area) is among the Shoremen’s top 10 fastest swimmers ever in the 500 and 1650 freestyle events. Butterfly and freestyle swimmer Brannon March (Red Bluff, Calif./Roseville) and freestyle swimmer Alex Sabo (Westminster, Md./Westminster) complete the Shoremen’s junior class.

The Shoremen have six sophomores back this season after several made immediate impacts on the conference level as freshmen. Andrew Feeley(Baltimore, Md./Towson) won gold in the 200 backstroke at last year’s conference championships, breaking the school record in the event. He is also the Shoremen’s third-fastest swimmer ever in the 100 backstroke and eighth-fastest ever in the 200 individual medley. Leo Johnson (Baltimore, Md./Jemicy Upper School) is the Shoremen’s second-fastest swimmer ever in all three distance events, third-fastest ever in the 200 backstroke, and among the eight fastest ever in two other events. He is also a part of the school-record 800 freestyle relay team. Brett Edwards (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) is the Shoremen’s third-fastest swimmer ever in the 100 breaststroke and fifth-fastest ever in both the 200 breaststroke and 400 individual medley. Classmates Michael Cebzanov (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland), Matthew Gregory (Manchester, Md./Manchester Valley), and Josh Shenot (Upper Marlboro, Md./home school) made contributions in breaststroke, backstroke, and distance events, respectively, as freshmen.

Joseph Bozzi (Bangor, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) and Nate Braddock (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) are the two freshmen on the Shoremen’s roster this season.

Head coach Matt Harris welcomes Philip Quick as the team’s new assistant coach this season. Quick, a veteran high school and club coach, is no stranger to the Centennial Conference, having competed at and graduated from Ursinus.

Schedule Breakdown
Total Meets: 13 (five home and eight away)
Home and Season Opener: October 20 versus Washington and Lee (1:00 p.m.)
Away and Centennial Opener: October 26th at Franklin & Marshall (7:00 p.m.)
Centennial Home Opener: November 3 versus Gettysburg (1:00 p.m.)
Centennial Home Opponents: Gettysburg, Ursinus (2/2), McDaniel (2/9)
Centennial Road Opponents: Franklin & Marshall, Swarthmore (11/10), Dickinson (1/26)
Non-Conference Home Opponents: Washington and Lee, Catholic (1/12)

Non-Conference Road Opponents: Salisbury (11/7), St. Mary’s (Md.) (11/16), York (12/8)
Multi-Team Road Meets: Yellow Jacket Invitational at Randolph-Macon (11/30-12/1), Centennial Conference Championships (2/21-24)

Women’s Swimming Season Preview

Coming off its winningest dual-meet season in eight years, the Washington College women’s swim team is ready to carry that momentum over into the 2018-19 season.

The Shorewomen have four seniors on this year’s roster, including Julia Portmann (Paltaine, Ill./William Fremd). Portmann, who ranks third all-time for the Shorewomen in all three distance events as well as the 200 freestyle and is part of a pair of school-record relay teams, has won a total of 11 Centennial Conference Championship medals, including four individual medals. She was also named the 2018 Centennial Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s swimming and the 2018 Centennial Conference Co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for all sports.

Anna Schmittle (York, Pa./York Suburban), Tricia Markey (Ardmore, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy), and Emma Silber (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) complete the Shorewomen’s senior class. Schmittle was named the Shorewomen’s Most Improved Swimmer last season and has won six relay medals at Centennial Conference Championship meets. She’s the team’s second-fastest swimmer ever in the 50 freestyle and sixth-fastest ever in the 100 freestyle and is also a part of the school-record 800 freestyle relay team. Markey ranks among the Shorewomen’s top 10 fastest swimmers ever in the 500 and 1650 freestyles and is a part of the school-record 800 freestyle relay team. Silber was the Shorewomen’s second-fastest 100 butterfly swimmer a year ago.

Junior Lindsay Wiecki (Bristow, Va./Osbourn Park) was the Shorewomen’s top swimmer in both butterfly events last year and ranks in the top six all-time at the school in both events. She is also a part of three school-record relay teams. Classmate Alex Searles (Richmond, Va./Douglas S. Freeman) ranks in the Shorewomen’s top nine all-time in both breaststroke events and is the team’s top returning swimmer in those events. Another junior, Savannah Quade(Gaithersburg, Md./Damascus), is the Shorewomen’s sixth-fastest swimmer ever in the 100 backstroke. Bailey Reigel (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett), one of the team’s top distance swimmers, and Ana Reynoso-Zimmerer (Chula Vista, Calif./High Tech), who contributes in breaststroke and freestyle events, complete the junior class.

Allison Gallagher (Saunderstown, R.I./Exeter-West Greenwich Regional) and Lindsay Strauss (Dover, Del./Caesar Rodney) are the Shorewomen’s returning sophomores. Gallagher was the team’s fastest 200 backstroke swimmer as a freshman and ranks eighth in school history in that event. Strauss is a freestyle and backstroke swimmer.

Nine newcomers dot the Shorewomen’s roster – sophomore Kamdyn Finney (Ellicott City, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) and freshmen Alison Buckwalter(Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township), Emily Culmone (Absecon, N.J./Ocean City), Teresa Draves (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area), Anna Hall (Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales Academy), Emily Homer (Lavallette, N.J./Manasquan), Alexa Luecke (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts), Sylvie Randall (Media, Pa./Penncrest), and Haleigh Seek (Frederick, Md./Frederick).

Head coach Matt Harris welcomes Philip Quick as the team’s new assistant coach this season. Quick, a veteran high school and club coach, is no stranger to the Centennial Conference, having competed at and graduated from Ursinus.

Schedule Breakdown
Total Meets: 14 (six home and eight away)
Home and Season Opener: October 20 versus Washington and Lee (1:00 p.m.)
Away and Centennial Opener: October 26th at Franklin & Marshall (7:00 p.m.)
Centennial Home Opener: November 3 versus Gettysburg (1:00 p.m.)
Centennial Home Opponents: Gettysburg, Bryn Mawr (11/17), Ursinus (2/2), McDaniel (2/9)
Centennial Road Opponents: Franklin & Marshall, Swarthmore (11/10), Dickinson (1/26)
Non-Conference Home Opponents: Washington and Lee, Catholic (1/12)

Non-Conference Road Opponents: Salisbury (11/7), St. Mary’s (Md.) (11/16), York (12/8)
Multi-Team Road Meets: Yellow Jacket Invitational at Randolph-Macon (11/30-12/1), Centennial Conference Championships (2/21-24)

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Washington College Athletics