Shreveport – The Centenary women's swimming team hopes to utilize the strength and experience of a veteran roster in order to achieve success during the 2021-22 season.
The Ladies begin their journey this weekend in Georgetown, Texas as they face a pair of fellow conference members in host Southwestern and Colorado College on Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m.
Centenary placed fourth at the 2021 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships last season, finishing the three-day event with 477 total points. Junior Brianna Serret (Alexandria, La.) won the 100-Yard Backstroke with a time of 59.29, marking the program's first individual win in the event and just the third individual win by a Centenary Ladies swimmer at the SCAC Championships since the Maroon and White joined the conference prior to the 2012-13 season. She edged Trinity's Caroline North by seven seconds to claim the victory and secure all-conference honors for the second-straight season.
The previous two individual wins by the Ladies were Haley Schneider in 2013 in the 100 butterfly, 57.04, and Rachel Olson in the 200 fly in 2014 with a time of 2:06.34. Serret earned all-conference honors in the 100 back and 100 fly and was a member of the 200 medley relay team which placed third and claim all-conference recognition.
The Ladies also return a solid core of upperclassmen in seniors Margot Frost (Prairieville, La.), Madelyn Frederick (Slidell, La.), Lindsay Strohm (McKinney, Texas), and a pair of juniors - Christine Goodman (Alexandria, La.), and Camryn Hebert (Youngsville, La.). A trio of sophomores Bryn Jenkins (Houston, Texas), Anacelia Galeano-Balam (Baton Rouge, La.), and Melissa Kryzwanski (Shreveport) are also back and each recorded top-15 finishes at the SCAC Championships last season as rookies. Freshman Madeline Vacula (Belton, Texas) is expected to make an immediate impact in her first season. Junior Katie Malicoat (Wichita, Kan.) has also joined the Ladies for this season after previously swimming at the University of Montevallo.
"I'm excited for the season to start and to hopefully have a more normal one," said Centenary head coach Brad Langford. "With our season being short last year, I feel we did a great job of competing. I feel we can build off of last year and continue to have success this year. Southwestern and Colorado college will be tough in conference to start off with but I feel that we will compete well against them."
"The Ladies have worked hard in the first weeks of training," said assistant coach Butch Jordan. We have swam almost all long course and just last week we moved to short course. They are pushing hard and they know this is a process that will bring good results in February."
We have high expectations for Brianna not only in the backstroke but the fly as well. Margot Frost has gotten better each year and is very motivated to finish her college swimming on a high note. Our top incoming freshman is Maddie Vacula. She has set the pace for everyone in the first weeks of practice. Maddie has a great work ethic and will do well in the middle and distance freestyle events."
Our meet schedule is nice this year since we have four home meets which we have never had that many in a season," said Jordan. The Conference championships are scheduled to be in a brand-new facility in Garland, Texas in February and we will look forward to swimming well there."
The Ladies will host McMurry in their home opener on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. following their season-opening visit to Southwestern. The Maroon and White then welcome Hendrix to town on Saturday, Nov. 13 on Homecoming weekend for a meet scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Ladies begin the New Year at home on Saturday, Jan. 8 versus Millsaps at 1 p.m. and then a week later head to the Austin College Invitational in Sherman, Texas. Centenary then faces Austin College at home on Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. The SCAC Championships are scheduled for Feb. 16-19 in Garland, Texas.
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wswim/2021-22/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Updated COVID-19 information is now available via www.GoCentenary.com.
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