George Washington University
Atlantic 10 Championships
Swimming & Diving Set for A-10 Championships
4/13/2021 4:47:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Colonials aim to collect more conference hardware
GW swimming and diving aims to build on its recent success at this week's Atlantic 10 Championships.
In an unprecedented season, the rescheduled conference meet takes on a split format with the swimming portion contested Wednesday through Saturday at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, and the divers in action at George Mason's Aquatic and Fitness Center on Thursday and Friday. All of the action can be streamed via ESPN+.
Despite the new challenges, the goals remain familiar under Head Coach Brian Thomas: The women will try to follow up their first-ever A-10 title with a repeat crown, while the men seek to celebrate their fourth conference championship in five seasons.
We’re locked in for A-10s and ready to bring some ???? back to 22nd & G! ??#RaiseHigh pic.twitter.com/i1wd4NeZSL
— GW Swimming & Diving (@GWSwimDive) April 13, 2021
Hear from @GWCoachBThom ahead of the @atlantic10 Championship. #RaiseHigh pic.twitter.com/1EUp443B8u
— GW Swimming & Diving (@GWSwimDive) April 13, 2021
A LOOK BACK: Last February, the GW women completed their determined climb to the top of the A-10, improving their positioning in the conference standings for a fifth straight season. They piled up 608 points to distance themselves from second-place Fordham, earning nine total medals while being represented in each of the meet’s championship finals.
The GW men had their bid for a fourth straight A-10 title come up just short in 2020, though Moritz Fath (Most Outstanding Performer) and Peter Nachtwey (Most Outstanding Diver) picked up major awards for their efforts in a runner-up finish. In all, the Buff and Blue claimed 19 medals on the week, including eight golds.
PROVEN PERFORMERS: GW's lineup features a host of veterans who have experienced success vs. the A-10's best.
Owner of five career A-10 medals, Nachtwey has won Most Outstanding Diver honors at the past two conference meets. Last season, the Chagrin Falls, Ohio, native won gold on 3-meter (330.30) and placed fourth on 1-meter (279.55).
Emils Pone returns to the A-10 Championship following a redshirt season, aiming to bolster his impressive collection of conference awards. In three trips to the conference meet, the Jurmala, Latvia, native has earned nine gold medals, including six in 2019 to help the Buff and Blue earn a team title.
Youssef Ragab is also a three-time All-Conference honoree. Last year, the Alexandria, Egypt, native secured individual medals in both breaststroke events, plus four relay medals.
Tyler Kawakami returns after landing six medals, including silver in the 100 free and bronze in the 200 free, last season. The sophomore from Honolulu, Hawaii, has the team's top times in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free this season.
The distance group graduated Fath but brings back juniors Josh Legge and DH Hwang. In 2020, Legge took silver behind Fath in the 500 free, while Hwang was runner-up in the 1,650 free.
On the women's side, Andrea Moussier is the two-time defending champion in the 1,650 free. The Queretaro, Mexico, native earned a repeat gold last February by finishing in 16:49.75 and also set personal bests in the 500 free and 400 IM.
Andrea Ho is a two-time All-Conference performer. The Perth, Australia, native claimed her first A-10 gold last season with a sizzling backstroke leg in a win in the 200 medley relay in a program-record time of 1:39.49.
Sophomore Stine Omdahl Petersen hopes to build on a strong rookie season in which she set program records in both backstroke events. She's been pushed in practice by teammate Courtney Sicinski, who ranks among the program's top six all-time in both events.
Caitlin Inall leads the way on the diving boards after qualifying for both A finals as a first-year.
READY TO MAKE A SPLASH: First-years Karol Mlynarczyk and Marlee Rickert headline GW's contingent of newcomers.
In limited racing, Mlynarczyk has posted the A-10's top times in the 100 back (:46.97), 200 back (1:43.91) and 100 fly (:47.98). The rookie from Warsaw, Poland, narrowly missed the NCAA cut in the 100 back thanks to his excellent debut at the Cavalier Invitational back in February.
Hailing from Leesport, Pa., Rickert has already cracked the program's all-time top 10 in the 50 free (:23.77), 100 back (:56.12) and 200 back (2:02.69), and she also has the team's top mark of the season in the 100 free (:52.47).
Last year's AAC gold-medalist in the 200 back while at ECU, Marek Osina is set for his first trip to the A-10 Championship. The junior out of Kromeriz, Czech Republic, has the conference's best time in the 200 breast (2:02.67) and ranks No. 2 in the 200 fly (1:49.24), 200 IM (1:49.76) and 400 IM (3:57.95).
