Women's Swimming & Diving Open 2009-10 Season with Ivy Rival Yale

11/13/2009 10:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving

By: Columbia University Athletics

NEW YORK – The Columbia women's swimming & diving team opens the 2009-10 dual meet season this weekend, with a home meet against Ivy rival Yale in Uris Pool, Friday, November 13, at 5 p.m.

Scouting the Bulldogs
Last year saw Yale and Columbia battle it out in an early season dual meet, with the Lions taking the win by the slimmest of margins, 155-145. Though Columbia bested Yale in the dual meet season, the Bulldogs ended the season strong, claiming third at the Ivy League Championships. Yale returns most of the swimmers who scored points at last year's meet, and have added a class of impressive freshmen to the ranks. This season marks the last one of head coach Frank Keefe, giving the Bulldogs some added motivation, as they hope to knock Princeton and Harvard out of the top two spots in the League.

Learning About the Lions
Columbia finished fifth at the 2009 Ivy League Championships in March, capping a season in which the team finished a program-best 9-2 overall, and 5-2 in Ivy League dual meets. The Lions saw two swimmers finish as Ivy League champions, and are looking to this year's squad to build on that success.

The First-Years
This year, coach Diana Caskey welcomes a talented class of incoming first-years, with a group that includes All-Americans, Junior Olympic champions, and multiple team MVPs. It's a strong class, according to Caskey, which will bolster the Lions' lineup across the board.

“Almost every event in the line-up will get a boost from our freshmen.,” Caskey said. “Most of them have excellent versatility, which is always a bonus. This class is poised to make a powerful immediate impact!”

Renee Brown, Molly Dengler, Alex Hammerberg, Lacey Harris-Coble, Kristin Hehir, Caroline Lukins, Katie Meili, Bunge Okeyo and Kristina Parsons will swim their first dual meet in Uris Pool this weekend, in one of the most heated dual meets the Lions see all season.

The Sophomores
A talented sophomore class will be helping to show the first-years the ropes this weekend, as the 2009-10 season kicks off. Paige Endsley and Isabelle Vandenbroucke, both of whom scored at the 2009 Ivy League championships in their first season with Columbia, lead the distance contingent. Erin Kampscmidt adds depth at distance, while new diver Casey Bresee joins Stephanie Foster on the boards, under the tutelage of head diving coach Gordon Spencer. Rounding out the class of 2012 are Nicole Marsh, a point scorer in the middle distance events, and backstroke and butterfly specialist Caitlin Rogers, who was a finalist in the 200 back last February.

The Juniors
Mariele Dunn, who will be looking to make an even bigger splash in her junior year, leads the class of 2011. Dunn, a school record holder in multiple events, finished second in the league in the 200 breast last season and had top-five finishes in two other events, including helping two relays place second. Classmates Abby Reilly and Amanda Stewart, who scored valuable points for the Lions last year at Ivies, in the distance and breaststroke events, join her. Emily Brown, also an Ivy League point scorer in 2009, will help strengthen Columbia's relay contingent, while Erin Adams and Ashley MacLean lead the sprint corps. Junior Ashley Ramsden is studying abroad in the fall semester, but will return to Morningside Heights in January to help out in the backstroke group.

The Seniors
Leading all of these young Lions is a senior class of five accomplished swimmers, who will be looking to make waves in the league this year. Senior co-captain Allison Hobbs leads the group, as the defending Ivy League champion in the 100 butterfly. Named the teams Most Outstanding Swimmer in 2008-09, Hobbs will look to continue to contribute in butterfly events, as well as freestyle and the relays. Fellow co-captains Caitlin Bertelsen and Katie Omsetead, Ivy League and ECAC point scorers, are versatile swimmers who will lead by example in their last season with the Lions. Senior Christina Hughes will help lead the freestyle contingent, as a school record holder in two relay events, while Delghi Urubshurow, a three-time finalist at last year's Ivies, will be the go-to swimmer in backstroke events for Columbia.

Up Next
After opening the season at home against Yale, the women's swimming & diving team will head north, to take part in the Harvard Invitational, a two-day event in Cambridge, Mass., Friday, November 20 to Sunday, November 22.