Last season, the Columbia women’s swimming and diving team ended the season on a low note, finishing fifth at the Ivy League Championships after an uneven league campaign. The prospects look better for this year, however, with the team returning the majority of its upperclassmen core while adding a bevy of talented freshmen to the roster.
The Lions lost seven seniors from the 2006 squad, including freestyle specialist Mary McCue. Fortunately for Columbia, the team’s juniors and seniors look more than able to fill the leadership role, led by captains Amy Krakauer, Lisa Rohrs, and Madeline Merrill. Krakauer, one of the Ivy League’s top breaststrokers, is second all-time in Columbia history in the 200-yard breaststroke behind former Olympian Cristina Teuscher, CC ’96. Rohrs is a fly specialist, while Merrill, who has sustained a successful career despite an injury-plagued first season, can adeptly swim both the free and the fly and could be an important part of the Lions’ relay team this year.
Nonetheless, the great majority of the team’s success will ride on the junior class, especially in diving with Shannon Hosey and Joanna Corby. Hosey, who excelled in three-meter last year, qualified for NCAA Zones, while Corby turned in a 19th-place finish on the three-meter at Ivy Championships.
Despite the loss of Casey Weddle, who was part of several relay teams at Ivy championships, the Lions will return a number of important contributors, including Hannah Galey, Lauren Fraley, and Bridgette McCabe. Galey, a freestyler, was the team’s highest individual point-scorer last year, while consistently leading the Lions in sprint times.
The upperclassmen must take the initiative to lead the young team, which includes ten freshmen. The newcomers will most likely make their most immediate impact in the breaststroke event, as freshmen Mariele Dunn and Amanda Stewart look to continue their high school success.
In addition, the development of last year’s freshmen into mature, Ivy-tested swimmers will play a key role in the chemistry of the team. Versatile swimmer Delghir Urubshurow is among the talented class. Urubshurow proved herself in several key events last season, emerging most strongly as a backstroke threat. In addition, the sophomore will be an important component of both relay teams, as her sprint ability allows her to contribute to both the medley and freestyle teams.
With such a great degree of talent, Columbia should look to improve upon last year’s fifth place Ivy League finish. The development of new swimmers and the overall chemistry of the returning class will determine if the Lions can meet high expectations this season.