keeping pace after coach departure

By KATE WALTER daily senior staffer @katewalter03

Northwestern will look to build upon its solid performance during the 2022-2023 season as it begins its first season in four years without Katie Robinson as a part of the program.

Robinson, who has served as director of swimming and diving since 2020 and first came to Evanston as an associate coach in 2018, announced her departure in June to join the coaching staff on Stanford’s women’s team.

As one of only two female coaches to oversee both men’s and women’s teams among Power 5 schools, Robinson led the program to new heights. Several school records fell during Robinson’s tenure and both the men’s and women’s teams achieved a slew of top-25 national rankings.

This season, the women finished sixth at Big Ten Championships and earned three All-American Honorable Mention performances at NCAA Championships, placing 28th overall. Diver Jaye Patrick snagged an All-American Honorable Mention in the platform event. The men finished seventh at Big Ten’s, with senior Kevin Houseman, who’s been named to the USA Swimming National team, placing fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Several Wildcats rewrote the record books this season, with graduate student Miriam Guevara breaking a school record in the 100-yard butterfly and finishing 10th at NCAA Championships. Junior Jasmine Nocentini, multi-time Big Ten swimmer of the week, set a new mark of 21.59 in the 50-yard freestyle.

The Wildcats are also making a mark on the global stage this summer, with six swimmers competing at the World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan and four at the World University Games. katewalter2025@u.northwestern.edu and foil Anna Biasco also performed well. Though Biasco and four others graduated this year, nine new recruits will join the team. The young core of the Cats, headed up by Oishi and Wang, make them a force to be reckoned with next year. nicolemarkus2025@u.northwestern.edu