Women’s Swimming 2025-26 Season Preview

LANCASTER, Pa. – Following a third-place end finally yr’s Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, the Franklin & Marshall girls’s swimming group enters 2025-26 with interim head coach Ben Delia returning for his twelfth season on the helm of the Diplomats. F&M opens the 2025-26 marketing campaign by internet hosting Dickinson, No. 16 Swarthmore, and Ursinus in a quad meet on Saturday, October 25. 

2024-25 Recap 

The Diplomats have been 5-5 general in duals and 5-2 towards Centennial Conference opponents. F&M defeated Centennial foes Dickinson, Ursinus, Washington, Bryn Mawr and McDaniel. The Diplomats have been 0-3 to non-conference opponents together with Mary Washington, Millersville, and Johns Hopkins. At the F&M Invitational, the Diplomats completed seventh out of 13 groups.

The Diplomats claimed third place and 6 bronze medals on the 2025 Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, marking a one-spot enchancment from 2024 whereas setting 4 new program information and leveling one.  Across the weekend, the Diplomats logged 12 new entries into this system’s Top Ten occasions. 

Swimmers to Watch

Free/Back/Fly/IM – Caitlin Barr – Jr.

Free/Back – Madi Bickford – So.

Free – Matti Harvey – So.

Free – Ava Tseng – So. 

Barr was part of the 400 freestyle relay group that set a brand new program file finally yr’s Franklin & Marshall Invitational, whereas she established this system’s finest 50 butterfly cut up and prime ten occasions in program historical past in three particular person occasions together with the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 100 butterfly. At final season’s Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, she helped declare third place within the 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay whereas claiming an A Final spot within the 100 butterfly and B Final locations within the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle.

Bickford impressed in her first collegiate marketing campaign, contributing in the direction of two program information in relays and setting two of the most effective particular person freestyle occasions in program historical past. She was part of the 400 freestyle relay group that established a brand new program file twice final season, whereas she was additionally on the 200 freestyle relay group that tied this system file. Individually, she set this system’s second finest occasions in a 50 freestyle cut up and the third finest time within the 100 freestyle. At the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, she helped win bronze within the 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, and 200 medley relay, whereas she was a B Finalist in each the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. 

Harvey performed an element in establishing three program information in relays for the Diplomats in 2025-26 whereas establishing sturdy particular person occasion occasions. She was part of the 400 freestyle relay group that set new program information twice final season, whereas she additionally helped set up this system’s finest 400 medley relay and tie the 200 freestyle relay file. Individually, she set the third-best time within the 50 freestyle and the sixth-quickest 100 IM time. At the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, she helped earn third place within the 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, and 400 medley relay, whereas she was an A Finalist within the 50 freestyle and B Finalist within the 100 freestyle. 

Tseng was efficient in distance occasions in her first season swimming collegiately, as she was a three-time particular person occasion finalist on the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship. She was an A Finalist within the 1650 freestyle and B Finalist within the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. She additionally helped contribute in the direction of a fourth-place exhibiting within the 800 freestyle relay.

The Road Ahead

The Diplomats open the marketing campaign by internet hosting Dickinson, No. 16 Swarthmore, and Ursinus in a quad meet on Saturday, October 25. One week later, they journey to No. 22 Gettysburg on Friday, October 31 forward of internet hosting Mary Washington on Saturday, November 1. The Diplomats wrap up the 2025 portion of the calendar by internet hosting the annual Franklin & Marshall Invitational from Friday, November 21, by way of Sunday, November 23. 

2026 begins with journeys to Washington College on Friday, January 16 and No. 24 Salisbury on Saturday, January 17. The Franklin & Marshall Spring Invitational on Saturday, February 7, is the ultimate competitors forward of the 2026 Centennial Conference Swimming Championship.

The Kunkel Aquatic Center will but once more play host to the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship from Thursday, February 19, by way of Sunday, February 22. 

The 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship might be hosted on the campus of Indiana University Indianapolis from Thursday, March 18, by way of Sunday, March 21. 

In the Polls

With 43 factors, F&M was chosen to complete fourth within the Centennial Conference Coaches Preseason Poll, behind defending Centennial Conference Champions No. 16 Swarthmore, newcomers No. 18 Johns Hopkins, and No. 22 Gettysburg. Swarthmore acquired 62 factors and 6 first-place votes, whereas Johns Hopkins earned 58 factors and three first-place picks forward of their first season within the convention. The Blue Jays, a well-recognized Centennial opponent, competed as an unbiased swimming program since 2016-17. Gettysburg had 51 factors. Behind the Diplomats, Dickinson (35), Ursinus (29), Washington College (23), Bryn Mawr (14), and McDaniel (9) full the rankings. You can view the whole Centennial Conference Coaches Preseason Poll here.