For the first time since 2018, Ashland had a College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American.
The Eagles swim and dive team is coming off a rejuvenation in the 2023-2024 season. For the first time since 2018, Ashland had a College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American.
Not only did they have one, but the program also had three receivers of this honor. The trio was made up of juniors Joey Lenczyk and Maddi Whitticar, and sophomore Riley Hunt.
While it was a confidence booster for those three, they are ready to learn from that experience. Lenczyk placed 26th in men’s 3-meter diving and 30th in men’s 1-meter diving at nationals on Tuesday, March 12 at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio.
For the junior diver, he realized the importance of preparation at the national level.
“Although you are not diving the entire meet, you must be attentive and ready to perform when it is your turn,” said Lenczyk. “I found that my body was far more fatigued than I expected, making it more difficult to perform my dives at a high level.”
In just her freshman season, Hunt finished in 20th place in women’s 1-meter diving and 23rd in women’s 3-meter diving. Qualifying at such a high level in one year gives Hunt a whole new state of mind heading into her sophomore campaign.
“Last year was a year full of new dives and new environments,” said Hunt. “Now that I know what I am capable of, I want to continue to [improve] each dive and feel more confident when competing.”
Hunt is determined to give her all, in and out of the pool.
As for the swim team, they are excited to get the season underway. They are led by captains Josh Hagan and Holly Kraemer. Both captains are seniors, excited to close out their AU careers on the right note. Kraemer is focused on being close to her teammates and leading by example.
“My biggest goal for myself is to cherish this last year and have fun with it,” said Kraemer. “I’m not going to put as much pressure on myself as I have in the past and I am just going to try to swim fast and enjoy it.”
It’s safe to say that the Eagles are eager to kick start their 2024-2025 season with a bang.
Their first challenge will take them to Oberlin, Ohio, for the Oberlin Early Invite on Sunday, October 13th.
As for their first home matchup, that will occur on Friday, October 18th at 5 p.m. from Messerly Natatorium.
