2011-12 Season Outlook

Coming off a very successful 2010-11 campaign, the Bryn Mawr College swim team and sixth-year head coach Nikki Whitlock are poised and ready to make a splash during the upcoming season.

“Our swimmers are anxious to get the season started and test the waters with our returners leading the strength of our new swimmers on the squad! We hope to surprise some of our opponents this year!” stated head coach Nikki Whitlock.

A few years ago the Owls had six swimmers in the pool. Now fast forward three years, Whitlock has transformed the team culture and attitude to sport a healthy squad size of 19. With a new found depth, Bryn Mawr will look to the returners to lead the team and for the newcomers to make an immediate impact both in the water and out.

Looking to lead the Owls in distance events and IM will be sophomore transfer Ruth Logan. Coming to the Main Line form Goucher College in Baltimore, Md., Logan’s impact will be felt when the Owls host Centennial Conference rival Washington College on Oct. 29. After swimming her freshman year with the Gopher’s, Logan’s commitment to stay focused will prove her well during the five-month season.

Despite just changing the record books for relays at the end of the 2010 season, Bryn Mawr is hoping they will have to do the same by February. With the help of freshman Phoebe Jordan and Kristina Xiang, the records in the 200 and 400 medley relays might be re-written this year. Jordan, a native of State College, will primarily swim breaststroke and IM while Xiang, a Palo Alto, Calif. native, will be Bryn Mawr’s go-to freestyler until the return of junior Meredith Davis from Junior Year abroad. With the returners and freshman, the 200, 400 and 800 free relay records also have a chance to be re-written.

Leading the Owls for their senior campaign, Wanda Lee and Kelsey Power have their eyes set high as they don the Yellow and White for one more year. Lee will be swimming breaststroke and freestyle while Power a butterfly/IM’er will be vying for a podium finish every time they enter the water. Power currently holds school records in the 200, 400 and 800 free relays as well as the anchor on the 200 medley relay’s that re-wrote Bryn Mawr’s history books back in 2009-10.

Juniors Maura Barrett, Hannah Gilbert and Zoe Guastella return to the water for the Owls this season. Sophomores Jessica Arbon, Jenna Myers, Emma Rosenblum and Judy Yueng will aide Bryn Mawr’s coaching staff and provide leadership for the six freshman swimmers.

New to the Owls roster this year are Kamila Ganijanova, Jordan, Logan, Katrina Obieta, Lila O’Brien-Milne, Jordan Schwartz and Xiang.

Returning in the spring semester from their Junior Year Abroad, the trio of Jenny Chen, Meredith Davis and Mairin O’Connor’s presence will be felt as the team gears-up for the annual Seven Sisters and Centennial Conference Championships.

Coming off a stellar 2010-11 season that concluded with win the 100 butterfly at the annual Centennial Conference Championships, Davis continues to add to her legacy in the pool. In addition to the Conference title, Davis took home the top spot in the 50 and 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly at the Seven Sisters Championships.

For her podium finishes at both championships, Davis was named to the All-Seven Sisters and All-Centennial Conference Teams. Also, Davis holds school records in the 50 (24.72) and 100 (53.90) freestyle, the 100 butterfly (58.63), and was a member of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay as well as the 200 medley relay.

At the helm of Bryn Mawr for the sixth year is Whitlock, the 2009-10 Centennial Conference Coach of the Year. A former Division I, full scholarship standout at The George Washington University, Whitlock was a four-year letter winner and co-captained the team in her junior and senior year. She specialized in distance and butterfly. Assisting Whitlock this season will be Francesca Kotey and Kelly Landman.

The Owls will host three swim meets this year. They kick-off the season on Saturday, Oct. 29, when they host Washington College at 1:00 pm. They will host a double dual meet on Wednesday, Nov. 30, when Arcadia and Cabrini come to the Bern Schwartz Fitness and Athletic Center. Their final home meet of the year will be on Jan. 28, when they host McDaniel on Senior Day.

CLICK HERE for the complete 2011-12 swim schedule.