Season Preview: 2023-24 Swimming & Diving

Photo by: Nick Vuylsteke

10/4/2023 1:50:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware men's and women's swimming & diving programs kick off the start of the season this weekend at the Rutgers Invitational on Friday and Saturday Oct. 6 and 7.

Men's Season Preview

The men's team placed second in the Costal Athletic Association Championships for the second year in a row.
The Blue Hens return several athletes who currently hold program records, including Matvei Namakanov (50 free), Gavin Currie (200 free, 100 & 200 back) Andrew Taylor (500, 1000, and 1650 free), Toni Sabev (100 & 200 breast, 200 IM), Jack Hattery (200 fly), and Kevin Siegfried (one-meter dive). The Blue Hens also broke records in the 200-freestyle relay, 800 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay.
UD earned 12 medals at the CAA Championships last season. Three of those 13 medals were golds from included Currie, who won the 200 back, and was a member of the the 200 and 400 Medley Relay.
Seven of their 12 medals came from Sabev in the 100 breast, Currie in the 100 back, Hattery in the 200 fly, Taylor in the 500 and 1650 free, the 800 free relay team, and Philip Townsend in the 3-meter dive.
Evan Frick and Currie earned bronze medals in the 200 breast, and 500 free. The two were also named team captains prior to the start of the season.
The Blue Hens also welcome Joe Clark, Ryan Cortes, Kaloyan Levterov, Ian Metzger, Max Moen, Carson Raisner, Karan Raju, and Max Wolfenden to the squad.

Women's Preview

The women's team is coming off a fourth-place finish in the 2023 CAA Championships.
UD returns a handful of athletes who either broke a program record, or ranks in the top 10 in program history.
One of the key returners is Nicole Chiappa, who was named a team captain for the season. She ranks third all-time in the 50 free, and ninth in the 200 free.
Additional key returners include Erin Shema, Aislinn Mitchell, and Mania Tasakou
Shema holds program records in the 100 and 200 back, and was a member of the relay team that broke the program records in the 400 free, and 800 free relay, as well as the 200 medley relay.
Mitchell owns the record in the 100 fly, and Tasakou own the record in the 200 breast.
Of the nine podium finishers at the CAA Championships, the Blue Hens return six. Shema and Anthi Lyra were members of the 400 and 800 free relays that placed first. Julia Servas was first in the 1-meter dive. Shema and Mitchell were members of the 400-medley relay team that placed second, and also earned individual bronze medals in the 200 IM, and 200 fly.
The Blue Hens welcome in newcomers Keira Allison, Emily Buckley, Eleanor Cook, Agnes Cruz, Meghan Finnegan, Victoria Novinsky, Brenna Ross, Marisa Schenkenberger, Sara Smith, and Olivia Willemsen.

Up Next

The Blue Hens will host their meet of the season against Yale on Oct. 21 at the Harry W. Rawstorm Natatorium in the Carpenter Sports Building at noon. It will be the first of four home meets for the Blue Hens this season