WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 18, 2019) – The King's College women's swimming team finished the 2018-19 season with a 5-6 record in dual meets, but that doesn't tell the true story of the progression and steps taken with this year in mind.

While King's was under .500 in dual meets, King's finished the season on a very high note, finishing fifth at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships. That finish included being tied for third after the first day and then rallying late Sunday to move into fifth place. That experience will come in handy for a women's swimming team that expects to take a huge step forward in head coach Matt Easterday's 11^th year at King's.

"We've been working really hard in the pool, preseason has been very good," said Easterday. "The team has been very enthusiastic and is ready to get into meet season. It's been a good process so far, and we're ambitious to get the ball rolling."

Easterday, who was joined this summer by new assistants Anthony Pompei and Abby Berger, is excited about having such a large, deep and talented women's squad. That depth will allow Easterday to toss out strong relays all the way through the lineup, while also helping to keep everyone healthy and fresh through a grueling five-month meet schedule.

"It's interesting, I think from a coaching perspective I have some high goals for this team," said Easterday. "I think we're going to be very competitive in the Middle Atlantic Conference this year, we have one of the biggest teams in the conference this year, which is also good. But it's not just numbers, we're deep but we're a highly productive team and we're going to showcase that throughout the season."

Leadership will be key to a group with so many members, but Easterday has been quick to note that he'll depend on everyone to be leaders. "We have a great mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen, and the younger women have come in a really done a nice job of putting their foot into the program. But we'll look to our senior captains Kailie Karensky, Abbi Strennen and Megan Whitt to provide that leadership role this year.

If everything goes to plan though, expect big things out of the King's women's swimming program. A full look at each stroke is below.

FREESTYLE
The Monarchs will have a nice mix of returners and newcomers in the freestyle, as King's brings back a strong group including sophomores Claire Coe and Corinne Smith, along with Strennen in the sprint freestyle events. Coe had the top time for the Monarchs in the 50 free last year that wasn't in a relay, while Strennen was right behind here as well in the 50.

Sophomore Stephanie Tabaka was solid in the 50 and 100 free as well for King's last year, while Whitt, Kellyo Keane and Alyssa Gesek will all be returners competing in some sprint freestyle events as well. Among the freshman, Alexis Majka has been looking strong in the shorter free swims and should help immediately, while Madison Modugno also has shown a ton of promise as well. Fellow freshman Ally Rimkie will also swim some spring freestyle to help with depth and free relays.
 
In the middle-distance freestyle events, Majka and Coe will stretch out and be strong options in the 200 while distance free swimmers Noelle Pedersen, Liz Savidge and Hannah Redding will drop down to swim some 200 as well. Redding led all King's swimmers in the 200 last year with a 2:01.37 in a relay, while Coe also posted a 2:02.03. Seniors Paige Molnar, along with Gesek and freshman Kiera Booth will also help in the middle distance for the Monarchs in 2019-20. Sophomore Sam Cote will swim some mid-distance free for the Monarchs as well.

In the longer freestyle events, including the 500, 1000 and 1650, Redding will continue to be top selection for King's as the top returner in all three of those events.

Freshman Rachel Woomer, who the coaching staff is very excited about, will possibly swim some 500 freestyle for the Monarchs while Booth, Karensky and newcomer Sarah Fleisher will also be impact swimmers in the longer freestyle swims. Look for the freestyle group to be a huge point earning stroke for King's in 2019-20.

BACKSTROKE
The Monarchs bring back their top four backstroke specialists from a season ago, led by sophomore Liz Savidge, who was one of the big breakout swimmers for King's last season. As a freshman, Savidge finished fifth in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 at the MAC Championships. Look for her to lead a group that should be polished and ready to contribute this year.

Pedersen was also a strong option in both backstroke events, while sophomore Katelyn Duffy also was one of the top backstrokers for King's last season. Megan Whitt is the last of the four top returners that will also score for the Monarchs this year in the 100 and 200 backstroke, but King's also has a few newcomers looking to crack the lineup as well.

Freshman Emilia Serafin, from Bushkill, PA, will be an option for Easterday in the backstroke events, and Majka possibly as well in the 100 back. Sophomore Corinne Smith will also get some opportunities to swim the backstroke for King's this year. Senior Paige Molnar also should get some swims in the backstroke for KC this season.

BREASTSTROKE
The Monarchs will look to have to replace one of the best swimmers in program history in Kirsten Siwy, who moved on after a stellar career but Easterday is excited about the group this year. Looking at the 100 breaststroke, Strennen will be a key factor as she returns with one of the best times in the event from last year, while Emily Bove has the top time of any swimmer back in 2019-20 with a 1:13.22 last year.

Freshman Amina Zaidi will be another option for the Monarchs in the 100 breaststroke, while classmate Rachel Woomer will likely get some swims in the shorter breast event especially in relays. In the 200 breaststroke, Zaidi and Bove will be the two most likely options while Laura Bogert, Keane and Cote all have experience in the event during their time at King's.

BUTTERFLY
The Monarchs thing that butterfly could be one of the team's strengths this season, thanks to some strong additions and bringing junior Kaelyn Gardner back along with Corinne Smith and Alyssa Gesek. Gardner had the top time for King's in both the 100 and 200 butterfly events last season, earning a spot in the "A" final in both at the MAC Championships.

Gardner will get some reinforcements in the event this year, as Woomer looks strong in the event and should score for King's immediately especially in the 200 Fly. Fellow freshman Sarah Fleisher will likely swim the 200 Fly as well for the Monarchs, and Smith will be a 100 Fly competitor for King's this season.

IM
The individual medley events for King's have been a strength recently, thanks to the swimming of Kirsten Siwy. With her gone, the Monarchs will look to others to pick up the slack though Easterday is confident that the group will be just as strong this year.

Sophomore Liz Savidge is the top returner in both the 200 and 400 IM events, while Kaelyn Gardner and Noelle Pederson each will get their chance to swim one of sports most grueling events. Freshman Emilia Serafin, Sarah Fleisher and Rachel Woomer will give the Monarchs some depth, as well Alyssa Gesek and Bogert.

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The Monarchs will get their season underway Saturday, October 18 at home, taking on Marywood University in a non-conference meet with the Pacers in Scandlon Pool.