Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Brings Talent, Youth Into Challenging 2011-12 Swim/Dive Season
November 10, 2011 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Susan Teeter doesn't talk about tradition simply as a motivating tool.
Now in her 28th year as the head coach of Princeton women's swimming and diving, she has experienced what the tradition of this program is all about. From the development of her student-athletes to the continued involvement of its alumni, the program has become everything she ever hoped it could.
Of course, all the winning doesn't hurt, either.
Under her guidance, Princeton has won 15 Ivy League titles, including 10 in the last 12 years. Her team has won each of the last two Ivy League titles, as well as 38 straight dual meets heading into this season.
And Princeton has done so while the Ivy League has grown stronger and faster as a conference.
The challenge for the upcoming season, which opens this weekend in both the Minnesota Grand Prix and at DeNunzio Pool, is a great one. While several teams will build on improved performances from last season, Harvard brings in one of its most talented squads and will host both the H-Y-P meet (Feb. 4-5) and the Ivy League Championships (Feb. 23-25).
Teeter knows the Crimson comes in as the favorite this season, but she believes in the potential of her current roster. With the right work, similar to the work that built this tradition over decades of winning, Princeton should be a top challenger for a third straight Ivy League title come February.
Below is a stroke-by-stroke preview of the 2011 Princeton women's swimming and diving team:
FREE • Nobody had as dramatic an impact on the 2011 Ivy championship meet as Megan Waters, who led Princeton to seven wins (three individual, four relay) at the conference meet and earned Ivy League Swimmer of the Meet honors. Her graduation will undoubtedly be felt, but Princeton does have some young talent ready to step up.
Leading that group is sophomore Lisa Boyce, who was the top returning finisher in both the 50 and 100 free finals. She was at least .3 of a second faster than any returner in the league, and she will likely be called upon to replace Waters' impact in both individual and relay events.
Junior Carter Stephens is the second-fastest returner in the 50 (23.84), while sophomore Laura Slater was a consolation finalist in both the 50 and the 100.
In the mid-distance events, senior Aislinn Smalling returns as a championship finalist in both the 200 and 500. Her best finish came in the 500, where she placed third (4:49.60); she was one of three returners to break 4:51.00, so she could be a big scorer in the event. Sophomore Maureen McCotter placed sixth in the 500, while junior Kathy Qu was a consolation finalist in the 200.
McCotter appeared to be Princeton's lone hope in the distance events entering the season, though she would come in as a strong hope. She placed second in both the 1000 and the 1650, and she was within one second of winning the mile for her first Ivy League title. She will be vying for that individual championship at Blodgett Pool in Harvard this year.
Sophomore Kasey Morris placed 15th in the mile, while Smalling was a 10th-place finisher in the 1000.
Knowing she needed reinforcements, Teeter has brought in a strong trio of freshmen that she hopes can be immediate scorers. Damaris Iriondo represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships in the open water event, and she qualified for USA National Youth Team, Junior Pan-Pac Team and Zone Select Camp. Claire Loht is a six-time Pennsylvania state medalist for Red Land High, and she has a mile time that would have placed her in the top three at the 2011 Ivy Championships. Theresa Meyer is a three-time state champion in North Carolina who could impact both the mid-distance and distance groups.
BACK • Senior co-captain Meredith Monroe has been an Ivy League individual champion in the back, and she placed in the top three in both the 100 and 200 finals at last year's championship meet. Monroe, who also won the consolation final in the 50 free, also brings two other valuable roles to the program. She is an invaluable member in relays, and not just in the medley relays; it was her brilliant anchor leg at the NCAA Championships that once helped Princeton to an All-America finish. And with a roster loaded with young talent, having a leader like Monroe is critical for both present and future success.
Boyce, the sprint free power, is actually the reigning Ivy champion in the 100 back, so she will remain a big threat in the conference meet. Two freshmen to watch are Courtney Ciardiello and Shirley Wang. Ciardiello is an Olympic Trial qualifier in the 200 back and a three-time all-state honoree. Her top times in the 100 and 200 back would have put her in both championship finals in the 2011 conference meet.
Wang also possesses times that would qualify her for both championship events. She is a four-time All-America honoree, a three-time regional champion and a four-time state finalist in Texas.
BREAST • Senior co-captain Kerry Gruendel and junior Sarah Furgatch are Princeton's top returners in the breaststroke, though a trio of freshmen could quickly become factors in the event.
Gruendel is a championship finalist in the 100 and a consolation finalist in the 200, and she brings experience and leadership to a program with more than 20 underclassmen. Furgatch was a two-time championship finalist as a freshman and a consolation finalist last year, and she will be counted on to provide important points in the 2012 meet.
Freshmen Sarah Liang, Cara Slear and Emily Yu could all be conference contenders during their first years. Liang is a two-time CIF-CCS champion in the 100 breast, and her top time would have placed her second in the 2011 100 final. Slear qualified for NSCA Junior Nationals and 2010 Speedo Champions Series, and she has 100 and 200 times that would have been Top 8 in the Ivy championships. Yu, who helped Walnut High to a 2010 CIF Division II title and four league championships, also has times that would put her amongst the championship finalists in the 100 and 200.
FLY • Stephens has the Ivy League's top returning time in the 100 fly and the second-fastest time in the 200 fly, and she will be looking for her first individual Ivy title. She could also be an integral component of both of Princeton's medley relays, and with the potential for a tight championship competition, those swims could be as vital as any.
Qu is also a returning championship finalist, having placed fifth in the 100. She also finished third in the 200 consolation finals, so she gives Princeton a strong returning duo in the event.
Ciardiello and Yu join classmate Elizabeth Gelb as early contenders for Princeton. Ciardiello was a 2010 New York state championship runner-up in the 100 fly and a two-time Scholastic All-America honoree, while Yu holds her high school record in the 100 fly. Gelb is an All-America and two-time USA Swimming Academic All-America honoree.
IM • Both Gruendel and sophomore Rebecca Lewinson are returning championship finalists in the IM. Gruendel placed seventh in the 200, while Lewinson, who grew up only miles from DeNunzio Pool, placed fifth in the 400 IM and 10th in the 200 IM. With a year of experience under her belt, Lewinson should be an even bigger factor in both events this coming season.
Furgatch will also be vying for spots in both championship finals, as she qualified for the consolation finals in both events last year.
Gelb, Liang, Slear and Wang could all compete for spots on the conference team in the IM. Liang had a championship final-level time in the 200 IM.
DIVING • As a freshman, Rachel Zambrowicz had shown signs of her talent throughout the regular season, but nobody could have anticipated her performance at the Ivy League championships. After a third-place finish in the 3-meter competition, she won the 1-meter event by less than one point and was ultimately named the Championships Diver of the Meet. She gives diving coach Greg Gunn a strong option on a diving group that returns plenty of experience.
Senior Christina Kirkwood will be looking to match former teammate Carolyn Littlefield, who ended her career last season with a win in the 3-meter event. Kirkwood reached both championship finals last season and placed as high as fourth (1-meter).
Juniors Bryna Tsai and Katelyn Perry, as well as sophomore Randi Brown, all scored at the Ivy Championships last season, and freshman Margaret Craycraft will be competing for a spot on the conference team this year.