CMS Women's Swimming and Diving Picked 18th in Preseason Poll

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's swimming and diving team earned a top 20 spot (No. 18) in the preseason poll released today by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America.

The Athenas finished 11th last season at the NCAA Division III Championships, but will get a boost in the spring with the return of Augusta Lewis, who finished in the top four in three different individual events at last year's nationals. She was second in the 400 IM, third in the 200 IM and fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke to lead the Athenas to the cusp of the top 10. 

Jameson Mitchum is also a returning All-America for the Athenas, after earning it in the 200 back by becoming the first swimmer in program history to break the two-minute barrier (1:59.91), placing seventh at nationals. 

Ella Blake and Katelyn Dang earned honorable mention All-America honors a year ago with new program records in the 200 free and the 200 fly, respectively. Blake swam a 1:50.78 in the 200 free to earn 10th place, while Dang had a 2:02.58 in the 200 fly to come in 11th place. Izzy Doud also earned honorable mention All-America honors in the one-meter and three-meter dives, while Kelly Prawira and Gracey Hiebert were also part of the CMS contingent at nationals and are back again this winter. 

CMS came in second place in the SCIAC Championships, highlighted by a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 back from Mitchum, Sammy Ennis and Anna Werts. Blake and Lewis each won two SCIAC titles, and Ennis picked up a win in the 100 back. 

Kenyon, Emory and Denison ranked 1-2-3 in the preseason poll. NYU, Chicago, Williams, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Tufts and Carnegie Mellon rounded out the top 10. 

CMS will open its 2022-23 season with a road meet at UC San Diego on Oct. 22. The Athenas will first compete at home on Nov. 12, when it has a SCIAC tri-meet with Chapman and Caltech, beginning at 10 a.m.