Women's Swim and Dive Kicks Off 2024-25 Season at Youngstown State

The St. Bonaventure women's swim and dive team readies for the 2024-25 season as they kick things off Thursday, Sept. 26 at Youngstown State.
 
Head coach Mike Smiechowski enters his third season at the helm of the Bonnies program and is excited about his experienced squad that includes 15 upperclassmen.

 The senior class for the Bonnies includes Caitlyn Clements, Maggie Holst, Ellie Kraus, Halle Myers, and McKenna Shearing.
 
Myers, an Erie, Pa. native, holds multiple program records and earned her first medal at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship meet last season. The senior posted a time of 22.82 for a bronze medal in the 50-freestyle.
 
Kraus has also been a big contributor to the squad in her first three seasons, helping the 200, 400, and 800-freestyle relays to program top-marks.
 
Roodeport, South Africa native Amy O'Rourke is also back for St. Bonaventure, returning for a fifth year with the program. O'Rourke helped the 200-freestyle relay to a program record in the 2022-23 season and has been a points contributor individually as well.

The upperclassmen have helped build the championship culture Smiechowski is looking for. "Our goal is always to keep improving and keep building our depth. Our captains and upperclassmen have helped build a championship culture here and that is the first step."

The junior class of nine includes Eylul Alli, Kathryn Beyer, Anna Beth Blankenship, Paris Christie, Daciana Colon, Sydney Londergan, Kathryn Lyons, Nele Vetter, along with diver Sanayia Joefield.

"We're going to have some of our athletes who have developed the past two years with us who were outside of finals are now in the position where they can final," Smiechowski said. "This kind of depth helps elevate the team where they can compete at the conference level."

Beyer and Vetter joined Kraus on the 800-freestyle relay team at A-10 Championships, breaking the program record.

Sophomore Anna Bojana Forjan, a standout in her freshman season who broke two individual program records and two relay top-marks, looks to continue her impressive run in her second season.
 
Joining her in the sophomore class are Maris Sadowski and transfer Sarah Gonzalez.
 
Gonzaelz comes to St. Bonaventure from Indian River State College where she helped the team to a NJCAA Championship.

Alessandra Haas Ren, Pheobe McClaren, Caroline Murray, and Hana Wienckowski join the program as freshman for the 2024-25 season.
 
"Our freshman class is filled with talent," said Smiechowski. "Pheobe is someone who could make an A-Final, Alessandra has been very impactful, and Hana and Caroline are all going to be big boosts for us."

The Bonnies placed eighth at the 2024 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship with 234 points.
 
"We've always had top-end talent and that has been helpful and especially allows us to be competitive at dual meets, but depth is what is going to help us win conference championships," said Smiechowski.