2022-23 SEASON PREVIEW

For the sixth consecutive season, the Mountaineers are fortunate to have a double-digit member senior class. A total of 16 senior swimmers and divers (seven men, nine women) are prepared to provide team leadership and set the tone both in and out of the pool.

Diver Owen Johns and swimmer David Snider lead the way for the Mountaineer men; Johns is a three-time NCAA Zones A qualifier and has been recognized twice as All-Big 12 Second Team, while Snider qualified for USA Swimming’s 2022 Phillips 66 National meet in July 2022. Jonathan Bennett, Zach Boley, Conrad Molinaro, Jack Saum and Roberts Zemturis round out the men’s senior class.

On the women’s side, diver Marian Tiemeier and swimmers Jaqueline McCutchan and Harna Minezawa lead the way for WVU. All three were All-Big 12 Second Team during the 2021-22 season, while Tiemeier is a three-time NCAA Zones A qualifier and looks for to qualify for her fourth-consecutive year. Meredith Bolinger, Ginger Hansen, Mathilde Kaelbel, Tatum Peyerl, Anne-Elaine Tiller and Sarah Young complete the women’s senior class.

In addition to a well-rounded senior class, WVU is fortunate to have talent in its junior and sophomore classes as well, including juniors Justin Heimes, who took home two bronze medals at the 2022 Big 12 Championships, and William Mullen, who set a program record in the 1650 to earn All-Big 12 First Team. Juniors

Joe Schaefer, Roanoke Shirk and Brendan Williams all secured All-Big 12 Second Team during the 2021-22 season, along with sophomore’s Glenn Eloriaga, Zhenya Ingram, Reilly Keaney and Jake Young.

After gaining a new home in 2019, a shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, the Mountaineers are ready to carry the momentum from last season into 2022-23 campaign.

Last season, WVU tallied a pair of program records, including junior William Mullen’s record-breaking performance in the men’s 1650. Mullen topped a 39-year-standing record, previously set by Craig Cooper in 1983, with a time of 15:21.57. Additionally, transfer and fifth-year Ana Zortea set a new program record in the women’s 100 backstroke, touching the wall in 53.41.

In total, the Mountaineers combined to earn 13 medals at the 2022 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships, including one gold, four silvers and eight bronze. The men’s team earned a third-place finish and the women’s squad finished fourth at the conference meet.

Behind the momentum from last season and the additions to this year’s squad, West Virginia is looking ahead to 2022-23.

Junior Paige Dressel and sophomore Mia Walters lead the pack for the women after both secured bronze at Conference meet last season, while Walters’ classmate, Emily Knorr earned All-Big 12 First Team honors. Sophomores Miranda Kirtley, juniors Lauren Musbach and Abby Reardon were recognized as All-Big 12 Second Team last season, also, sophomore diver Sarah Krusinski qualified for her first NCAA Zones A meet and earned All-Big 12 Second Team.

Twenty-two newcomers from across the country and around the globe join coach Vic Riggs and his Mountaineer swimming and diving teams in Morgantown this season. With just two transfer student-athletes, 20 freshmen are set to begin their college careers at WVU.

“The incoming men’s and women’s classes are two of our strongest in recent years,” Riggs said. “The staff did a great job of identifying strong individuals and building those connections with them about WVU and our program. During the recruiting process, it became very apparent that they all share the same values of passion, integrity and commitment that we are looking for to improve our program.”

Lilly Culp joins the 2022-23 squad from University of Illinois Chicago, while Olivia Busch, Mia Cheatwood, Peyton Day, Elysabeth Grossman, Alyssa Heffelfinger, Makena Malkemus, Gabriela Martin, Mackenzie Pagett, Kaylee Price, Bella Reynolds, Abigail Sullivan and Ada Szwabinska complete the freshman class on the women’s side.

For the men, Danny Berlitz joins the Mountaineers from the University of Michigan, while Maverick Bray, Patrick Burke, Jamin Harlan, Adam McDonald, Maxwell Nielsen, Alvaro Santiago, Christian Simpson and Christian Torres are set to begin their collegiate careers this season.

In their fourth season at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park, the Mountaineers are eyeing seven home meets, a U.S. Open meet and other prime opportunities for the squad to carry the momentum from the 2021-22 slate.

WVU opens the fall campaign with three straight home meets, kicking off with the annual Gold-Blue meet on October 1, before hosting the 11th annual West Virginia State Games on Oct. 14-15h, to open the regular season.

The following weekend, the Mountaineers play host to soon-tobe Big 12 Conference member and former Big East foe, Cincinnati on Oct. 21-22 for a two-day dual meet.

WVU kicks off November with a road-trip to State College, Pennsylvania, for a dual meet against Penn State on the 4-5, before the Mountaineers return home to host the third annual WVU Invitational, on Nov. 17-29. Six swimming and diving programs travel to Morgantown for the three-day, mid-season winter invite – including Colgate, Drexel, ECU, Old Dominion, Seton Hall and Villanova.

Following the Invite, qualifying Mountaineers will compete in the USA Swimming’s 2022 Toyota U.S. Open from Nov. 30-December 3, in Greensboro, North Carolina, to wrap up the first half of the season.

WVU kicks off the new year with a trio of dual meets, beginning with the Backyard Brawl in Pittsburgh, Pa. on January 14. The Mountaineers and Pitt will square off for the first time since 2021. The women’s squad continues their road swing with a Big 12 dual meet in Ames, Iowa, against Iowa State on Jan. 21.

To cap off the regular season, WVU’s 16 seniors will be recognized on Jan. 27-28, as the Mountaineers close out their seven-meet homestand, on Senior Day against Villanova.

Postseason begins on February 3-5, as West Virginia hosts the WVU First Chance Meet, providing some Mountaineers their first look at postseason competition prior to the 2023 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships.

The Mountaineers travel to Austin, Texas, on Feb. 22-25, for the conference meet, as Texas will play host for the last time. Following Big 12s, the women will have the opportunity to compete at the NCAA Last Chance Meet in Austin, on Feb. 26.

WVU comes back to Morgantown to host one last postseason swimming competition following Big 12’s on March 5, as the NCAA Men’s Last Chance Meet takes place. The following week, West Virginia plays host to the 2023 NCAA Zone A Diving Championships for the second time, with dates to be announced at a later date.

The CSCAA National Invitational is tabbed for March 8-11, in Elkhart, Indiana, before the Mountaineers conclude the season at the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships are scheduled for March 15-18, while the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships are set for the following weekend, March 22-25. The championships will be held at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, hosted by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.