PUEBLO, Colo. (October 18, 2019) – Colorado State University-Pueblo Swimming & Diving will open its 2019-20 season by hosting a quad dual meet Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the Sam Jones Aquatic Center located inside Massari Arena.
The Pack will compete against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foes Adams State University and Western Colorado University as well as Colorado College. The Pack has won four consecutive meetings against the Grizzlies. They are seeking their first dual win against the Mountaineers and the Tigers.
In the RMAC's preseason poll, the Pack was picked to share seventh in the RMAC standings with Adams State. The ThunderWolves finished 3-4 in dual meets last season. CSU-Pueblo placed sixth at last year's RMAC Championships, 107 points behind the Mountaineers and 149 points ahead of the Grizzlies.
Phoebe Pontious (Caledonia, Mich.) is the team's lone senior. Pontious holds the school records in both the 50 and 100 Free. Pontious leads a group of seven returners.
Returner
Julia Whitfield (So., Wichita, Kan.) challenged Pontious for the title of the Pack's top sprinter. Whitfield's best 50 Free time as a freshman was .01 seconds slower than Pontious' school record. Her 100 Free time sits just .13 seconds off the program record.
Two-time RMAC Diver of the Week
Madison Ortega (So., Pueblo West, Colo.) returns to the boards for the Pack. Ortega became the Pack's first RMAC Diver of the Week in program history last season.
Additionally, the Pack returns juniors
Bristyn Croswhite (Tempe, Ariz.),
Shion Ienaga (Phoenix, Ariz.), and
Kate Miller (Draper, Utah). Sophomore
Alyssa Grunloh (Round Rock, Texas) also looks to make an impact in her second season with the Pack. Croswhite and Grunloh each earned their first collegiate win last season.
Freshmen
Melissa Braddock (Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, UK),
Mckenna Hauber (Gillette, Wyo.), and
Selina Wang (Taipei, Taiwan) were named Athletes To Watch by the RMAC. Braddock and Hauber will take over the distance events for the Pack. Wang is expected to shine in the sprinting events.
Three newcomers will join Ortega to make up the Pack's diving contingent.
Kari Yamada (Jr., Vacaville, Calif.) comes to the Pack from Solano Community College where she won a Bay Valley Conference Championship as a sophomore. Freshmen
Holly Humphries (Cypress, Texas) and
Sarah Steele (Pueblo, Colo.)join the team under the guidance of new diving coach
Dylan Apicello. Steele placed sixth at the Colorado 3A State Championships, while Humphries won the District 6 Championship last season.
The Pack's largest recruiting class since the program launched, brings 13 newcomers to Pueblo.
Jillian Abrian (Fr., Ladera Ranch, Calif.) won four conference championships in high school.
Kayla Chavez (Fr., Las Vegas, Nev.)placed in the top 16 at the Nevada State Championships. Pueblo's own,
Hannah Combs competed at the Colorado 4A State Championship last season.
Vivica Craig (Fr., North Las Vegas, Nev.)set Legacy High School records in the 100 and 200 Free. Freshman
Rashelle Freeman (Temecula, Calif.) earned her First Oahu Interscholastic Association All Star in the 200 IM as a freshman.
Erin Mabry (Fr., Mesa, Ariz.) qualified for the Division 1 State Championships in the 100 Butterfly and 200 IM.
Kristen Wolf (Fr., Topeka, Kan.)earned First Team All-City and First Team All- Centennial League honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
