Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
No. 18 Women's Swimming/Diving Leaps Into National Rankings
February 15, 2008 | Women's Swimming and Diving
It's one thing to be among the elite and respected programs. It's another thing to break into that group. After a perfect dual meet season and an impressive showing at the Big Al Open, the 2007-08 women's swimming team has earned national respect. Princeton, which has spent most of the year in the "Others Receiving Votes" category, leaped seven spots in the national Top 25 and will enter the Ivy League championships as the No. 18 team in the country and the lone non-scholarship program receiving votes.
Ironically, the next competition for the No. 18 team will be the 2008 Ivy League Championships, where Princeton will be going for its (you guessed it) 18th league title in program history.
"We're excited to be recognized by the Top 25 committee," veteran head coach Susan Teeter said. "One of our team goals this year has been to show both ourselves and the rest of the country that, even though we are not a swimming scholarship school, we are indeed a powerful team. We are having a great year and we are looking forward to swimming even faster at the Ivy League Championships in two weeks."
Princeton is 9-0, 7-0 on the season, and is coming off its most dominant performance in the recent history of the annual HYP series. The Tigers swept each swimming event in the two-day competition and picked up wins over Harvard (210-107) and Yale (237-65). The only team to beat Princeton at the Big Al Open was Penn State, which is currently ranked 11th nationally and is one of three programs in the Top 25 with perfect dual meet records, along with Princeton and No. 1 Georgia (10-0).
Leading the way for Princeton is Olympic hopeful Alicia Aemisegger, a sophomore who is rewriting the Princeton record book every time she competes. She has qualified for NCAAs in nine events after earning a silver medal, a bronze medal and three All-America honors in her first NCAA competition last year. Classmate Courtney Kilkuts will make her NCAA debut this year in the 200 IM, while other teammates will look to earn their own ticket at the Ivy Championships. Junior Justina DiFazio is a reigning Ivy champion, while seniors Brett Shiflett, Ellen Gray and co-captain Lisa Hamming will be looking to complete their Princeton careers with another championship dive into the friendly waters of DeNunzio Pool.
Princeton has also been bolstered by another impressive freshman class brought in by Teeter and assistant coach Phil Spiniello. Leading the way has been Dallas native Meredith Monroe, who filled a major role in the backstroke events and will undoubtedly be a key figure in the Princeton relays at the Ivy championships. Classmates Nicole McAndrew, Ming Ong and Megan Waters are among the other young Tigers who are already contributing to the two-time defending Ivy League champions.
Check back with GoPrincetonTigers.com as the Ivy League Championships get closer for a Q&A with a member of the talented squad and a full preview of the three-day event, when No. 18 goes for No. 18.