Sophomore swimmer Deidra Osula poses with her trophy during the national meet. Osula earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships meet in Greensboro NC (Courtesy of Emily Smith).
Members of Geneseo’s women’s swimming and diving team were able to extend their season long past its usual end date by qualifying for and competing at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships meet held March 20-23. Geneseo placed 19th overall out of 50 teams, with three individual athletes earning All-American honors.
Head coach Paul Dotterweich was happy with the results of the nationals meet, especially coming out of such a successful regular season for both the men and women’s teams. The women won their 12th straight SUNYAC title and the men took their sixth.
“It was the first time in our program’s history that we had four top-eight performances [at nationals],” Dotterweich said. “Three girls were All-Americans. We finished in the top 20 in scoring, second highest finish ever for the women’s team. So I’m really pleased with how they did.”
Six swimmers and three divers represented the Blue Wave in Greensboro, N.C. for four days of tough competition and plenty of record-breaking success.
Day one saw sophomore swimmer Deidra Osula earn her first All-American honor after finishing seventh in the 50 free. Osula’s performance in the 50 free also set a new Geneseo record in the race, clocking in at just under 24 seconds.
Senior swimmer Nancy Nasky began her fourth nationals meet of her career by finishing 16th in the 500 free with a time of five minutes and five seconds which was good enough to earn her an All-American honorable mention, a follow-up to the nod she also earned in 2016.
“It’s such a special and amazing accomplishment to make [nationals all four years],” Nasky said. “I’m just very lucky to have made it four times because it’s not easy and it’s very competitive … I hold that deeply in my heart because it’s not something many people get to experience.”
Rounding out the first day of competition was junior diver Samantha Reichman who took fifth in the three-meter dive. Reichman, alongside Osula, also received All-American honors, having received two honorable mentions at last year’s nationals.
As successful as day one was, day two of competition did not show any signs of slowing down the Blue Wave. Osula competed in the 100 fly and finished 22nd overall, but her time of 56.33 seconds was able to break both the Geneseo and SUNYAC record.
“I’m very happy,” Osula said of her accomplishments at nationals. “I keep doing better than I think I’m going to so I’m just very proud and thankful for all my teammates, my coach, my family for pushing me every day.”
Sophomore swimmers Lauren Siegel, Noelle Staso, Maddie Knight and Kelly Lennon joined together for the 400 medley relay, putting up a time of just under four minutes and ultimately placing 23rd. Osula teamed up with Knight, Lennon and Staso to finish 21st in the 200 free relay.
Day three of the meet turned all focus to the divers. Sophomores Kiersten Coates and Alyssa Vadala finished 16th and 18th respectively in the one-meter dives. Coates’ performance earned her an All-American honorable mention.
Reichman returned to the platform for the one-meter as well and was able to place eighth. In addition to earning another spot on the podium, she was awarded her second All-American nod of the meet. Reichman becomes the first Geneseo female diver to finish in the top eight of both the one-meter and three-meter dive at nationals.
“[Earning two All-Americans] was a big step,” Reichman said. “It lit a fire. It made me want to work harder for next year.”
In the fourth and final day of competition, Nasky finished seventh in the mile, good for an All-American award. Her time of 17 minutes set a Geneseo and SUNYAC record. Siegel’s time in the 200 back was a new program record and Osula finished out a spectacular nationals meet by earning an All-American honorable mention with her 12th place finish in the 100 free.
By the end of the four-day champion meet, the Geneseo Blue Wave was able to leave North Carolina with numerous All-American awards as well as new school and conference records under their belt. And yet, the team is already looking forward to next year.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the pool, racing again. I just love it so much,” Osula said.
Despite losing a strong senior class, it’s no question that Geneseo’s swimming and diving team can look forward to yet another successful season next year. Talented underclassmen have clearly been prepped and are ready to guide this team toward what it’s used to: winning.