Union swim set to send five members to NAIA National Championships
Barbourville, Ky. - Five members of the Union College swimming and diving programs are headed to the NAIA National Championships this week.
Dorottya Jozsa, Emma Phillips, Lise Puissant, Zach Nepogoda, and Gabriel Icobescu are the five who have earned their spot to compete at nationals.
Union head swim coach Ryan Winders shared these sentiments:
"I am extremely proud of this group of swimmers. Last year, only Zach qualified so he had to go through the process by himself. That can be really difficult. This year, the freshmen really stepped up and have added support and depth to our team at a high level. Everyone is in a position to score, and some have the opportunity to make an A Final. From where our team has been, this is unbelievable.
On the women's side, Dori and Emma are seeded top 8 in the 200 Individual Medley, while Lise (who just came in January) is just outside the top 16 in the 500. We haven't had any women qualify the past three years, so this is huge growth for us.
On the men's side, Gabi is seeded top 8 in his 200 Freestyle, while Zach is top 16 in the 500 Freestyle. They both have chances to score in multiple events.
I am really excited about what could go down. We could see some really fast swims, and maybe some new team records. Who knows, we could even come close to an individual title."
The Bulldogs compete in the NAIA National Championships on Wednesday, March 6, through Saturday, March 9.