Patriot League 2025-26 Women’s Swimming and Diving Preview (9.25.25)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2025-26 Patriot League girls’s swimming and diving season opens this weekend, with the League’s 10 packages competing by early October.

Defending Patriot League champion Navy seeks its 14th consecutive title because the Mids return ten All-League honorees, together with 2025 Women’s Diver of the Meet Mackenzie Kim and three-time first-teamer Sarah Eldridge.

Army West Point, which completed because the runner-up for the third straight 12 months finally season’s Patriot League Championship, returns a number of All-League honorees, together with first-teamers Catriona Gilmore, Angie McKane and Molly Webber.

The 2025-26 Patriot League Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship is ready to happen on Wednesday, February 18, via Saturday, February 21, on the United States Naval Academy’s Lejeune Hall in Annapolis, Md.

AMERICAN EAGLES

Head Coach: Garland Bartlett (fifth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 23/6

All-League Returnees: None

Despite the departure of Mimi Watts, the 2025 Patriot League’s Women’s Highest Point Scorer, American continues to construct momentum below fifth-year head coach Garland Bartlett. Sophomores Piper Crosby and Marian Priddy will lead the Eagles into the season, which begins this weekend with the Potomac Relay Invitational at Reeves Aquatic Center.

Coach Garland Bartlett on the Eagles: “It will be the first season in five years without the program’s top scorer and Patriot League High Point Scorer, Mimi Watts. However, Watts has laid a strong foundation for the women’s team and the returners are ready to step up and keep the upward momentum going that we have had the past few seasons. If the past few weeks of training indicate what is to come for this season, it’s going to be a very successful one, for sure!”

ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS

Head Coach: Brandt Nigro (seventh season)

Letterwinners returning: 21

All-League Returnees: First Team- Catriona Gilmore, Angie McKane, Molly Webber; Second Team- Jenna Hart, Kira MacMullan

Under the route of seventh-year head coach Brandt Nigro, Army West Point is seeking to seize its first title since 1991 after posting seven runner-up finishes relationship again to 2016. The Black Knights will lean on 5 All-League returners, together with Catriona Gilmore, Angie McKane, Molly Webber, Jenna Hart and Kira MacMullan.

Coach Brandt Nigro on the Black Knights: “We are coming off historic seasons for each our males’s and ladies’s groups. However, our crew is as hungry and decided as ever. As a lot as we have now achieved prior to now few years there’s nonetheless a lot we have now left to do. We have sturdy management and expertise in our Firstie class. We return a variety of expertise and depth in our Cow and Yuk courses. And, we’re excited to welcome a big and well-rounded plebe class. Our problem shall be to remain targeted on ourselves and to get higher every day. Not giving in to the expectations or shedding sight of the massive image. This shall be a protracted season and our important targets don’t come till February and March.”

BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS

Head Coach: James Sica (third season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 13/8

All-League Returnees: First Team- Haley Newman; Second Team- Izzy Valantiejus

Entering his third season as head coach, James Sica appears to be like to information Boston University to a different top-five end at this 12 months’s Patriot League Championships, with All-Patriot League honorees Haley Newman and Izzy Valantiejus main the way in which for the Terriers.

Coach James Sica on the Terriers: “This is going to be an awesome season for BU women’s swimming and diving. Our first-year class of seven swimmers and three divers is the largest of any class on our women’s team, and they have added a lot of energy and excitement to our program already. The sophomores, juniors and seniors on our team have done a great job welcoming our first-years and supporting them as they adjust to life in Boston and at BU. We have been having so much fun at practice, and it is inspiring seeing the great work our team is doing in the pool, in the classroom and within the BU community. I am looking forward to a great 2025-26 season!”

BUCKNELL BISON

Head Coach: Dan Schinnerer (twentieth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 21/10

All-League Returnees: First Team- Sara Ketron, Clara Renner

Dan Schinnerer enters his twentieth season as head coach of Bucknell’s girls’s swimming and diving program and can flip to First Team All-Patriot League honorees Sara Ketron and Clara Renner to assist lead the Bison to a different profitable season. Renner, who recorded 88 factors finally 12 months’s Patriot League Championships, will look to defend her title within the 400 particular person medley.

Coach Dan Schinnerer on the Bison: “We saw our team make some good steps forward last season and we believe we have the ability to get even better this year. We have a strong core of returners and a large and talented incoming class to help both with frontline and depth in events. It should be an exciting year.”

COLGATE RAIDERS

Head Coach: Ed Pretre (seventh season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 23/7

All-League Returnees: Second Team- Audrey Collins, MG King

Ed Pretre, the 2025 Patriot League Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year, appears to be like for Colgate to take one other leap this season as he welcomes again 23 letterwinners and a proficient first-year class. Second Team All-Patriot League honorees Audrey Collins and MG King will lead the Raiders into the 2025-26 marketing campaign.

Coach Ed Pretre on the Raiders: “I believe our women are poised to make another big jump this year,” Pretre stated. “Our divers are more experienced, and our first-year class is probably one of the most versatile groups of athletes I’ve coached in a long time. We can put them in just about any event, and they’re going to be effective.”

HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS

Head Coach: Kristy Jones (4th season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 21/6

All-League Returnees: None

Fourth-year head coach Kristy Jones returns a powerful core of swimmers and divers for the 2025-26 marketing campaign, together with 5 student-athletes who recorded top-16 finishes finally 12 months’s Patriot League Championships: Devin Brindle, Lily Michell, Megan Nelson, Brenna Short and Nora Smillie.

Coach Kristy Jones on the Crusaders: “With a great core group of our returning women’s swimmers and divers and especially the tremendous leadership of our senior class, we have high expectations for this year. We are focused on building on the successes of last season, continuing to grow as a team, and competing at the highest level.”

LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS

Head Coach: James Dailey (thirty first season)

Letterwinners retuning/misplaced: 34/13

All-League Returnees: None

Entering his thirty first season as head coach of Lafayette, James Dailey is wanting ahead to a mixture of skilled student-athletes alongside a proficient incoming class. The Leopards will lean on prime returners Abby Bebel, Sara Fente-Damers, Mia Guster, Katie Hensell, Natalie Johnson, Mia Mee, Sarah Newman, Meghan Robinson, Caroline Schenck and Isabella Van Ess heading into the 2025-26 season.

Coach James Dailey on the Leopards: “We are very excited for the 2025-26 season. We have several 2025 Patriot League scorers returning, who produced six school records and had one NCAA Zone A Diving Championships qualifier. When you add in our incoming first-year class of 16 swimmers and divers who are very talented, the ’25-’26 season will be one to remember. We have the leadership, motivation, and momentum from last year to inspire us to greatness this year.”

LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS

Head Coach: Rob Herb (Twenty second season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 9/5

All-League Returnees: First Team- Mairin Ludwig

Under Twenty second-year head coach Rob Herb, Lehigh returns 9 letterwinners from final 12 months’s squad that completed sixth on the 2025 Patriot League Championship, led by first-team honoree Mairin Ludwig, who recorded top-eight finishes within the 200-yard, 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle occasions.

Coach Rob Herb on the Mountain Hawks: “We are looking forward to an amazing season. Our last two recruited classes, coupled with the upper-class talent, will make for a super competitive season. We will see not only top performances, but a significant contribution from our depth. This group is consistent, committed, connected, caring, and most of all, competitive.”

LOYOLA MARYLAND GREYHOUNDS

Head Coach: Brian Loeffler (Thirty fourth season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 25/17

All-League Returnees: Second Team- Riley Fried

Coming off their finest end in program historical past on the Patriot League Championships, Loyola Maryland appears to be like to take one other step ahead below Thirty fourth-year head coach Brian Loeffler. The Greyhounds return 25 letterwinners, together with All-Patriot League Second Team choice Riley Fried together with prime performers Haley Robinson and Michela Schultz.

Coach Brian Loeffler on the Greyhounds: “Our women finished a best-ever fourth place last season at the Patriot League Championships. Our goal is to match or beat that finish this season. We have a talented group of new team members that will be called upon to replace a very talented group of seniors who graduated last year.”

NAVY

Head Coach: John Morrison (Twenty second season)

Letterwinners returning/misplaced: 27/9

All-League Returnees: First Team- Elsie Delacruz (2025), Sarah Eldridge (2023-25), Ela Habjan (2024), Mackenzie Kim (2025), Lauren Walsh (2023); Second Team- Samantha Clifford (2025), Ela Habjan (2025), Mackenzie Kim (2024), Maddie Koutavas (2023, 2025), Erin Miller (2025), Marin Rose (2025), Brynn Stoneburg (2025), Lauren Walks (2025)

Led by Twenty second-year head coach John Morrison, Navy appears to be like to seize its 14th consecutive Patriot League title because the Mids return 27 letterwinners from a season in the past. Ten All-League honorees are again, together with 2025 Women’s Diver of the Meet Mackenzie Kim and three-time first-teamer Sarah Eldridge.

Coach John Morrison on the Midshipmen: “We are looking forward to our 2025-26 campaign. We have a great group of freshmen and our upper class have worked diligently to bring them into the fold. The entire team is working hard to recapture the championship points that graduated in the 2025 class. The Patriot League continues to become more competitive every year; and our goal remains the same, to compete with the best in our league. We are cautiously confident that we can do just that.”

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE

The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of educational and athletic achievement, regularly demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at each teachers and athletics with out sacrificing excessive requirements. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved whereas its member establishments stay dedicated to its founding precept of admitting and graduating student-athletes who’re academically consultant of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League establishments is seen as an essential part of a well-rounded schooling.