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Team Preview: New Hampshire

With the 2014-15 season starting Saturday, Oct. 18, the reigning America East champion University of New Hampshire women's swimming & diving team sets its sights on a conference three-peat and sending representatives to the NCAA's once again. 

Last season was another distinguished season for the program, winning its sixth America East crown. Individually, the Wildcats snapped a myriad of records, collected two Philip Hunsaker CollegeSwimming.com Women's Division I Swimmer of the Week accolades, achieved five provisional cuts and garnered a pair of Coaching Staff of the Year honors. As a team, New Hampshire put forth an 8-1 record dual meet record, eclipsed the conference's championships points record for the second consecutive year (877) and won the America East Championships in back-to-back seasons and for the sixth time overall. UNH looks to continue its storied success. 

The Wildcats welcome back 13-time America East and four-time ECAC Coach of the Year Josh Willman to the helm. The 22nd year head coach returns associate head coach Jarrod Zwirko for his seventh season and second year diving coach Robin Kamil. Collectively, the UNH swimming & diving coaches were bestowed America East Coach of the Year awards for the fifth consecutive year last season. Most recently, Willman added Melissa Hubley as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2014-15 season.

Seniors

Katie Mann (Prince George, British Columbia) leads the returning seniors after another stellar season. Returning to the NCAA's for the second consecutive year, she kicked off the 2014 meet with a new UNH and America East open record with a time of 1 minute, 58.78 seconds in the 200-yard IM. She followed with a 19th place finish in the 400-yard IM, clocking in at 4:10.39. Mann's 19th place finish was best by a Wildcat since 1998. She wrapped up the championships with a 2:12.11 time in the 200-yard breaststroke, placing 40th overall. Last season, Mann rewrote the program records in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.17), 200-yard breaststroke (2:10.30), 200-yard IM (1:58.78), 400-yard IM (4:09.40), and 400-yard medley relay (3:41.88). 

Oneida Cooper (Johannesburg, South Africa) shared the most points (57) scored at the America East Championships, winning the 200- and 500-yard freestyle with times of 1:50.24 and 4:52.45, respectively. She went on to compete at the ECAC Championships to earn second and a provisional cut in the 200-yard IM (2:02.37), fifth in the 400-yard IM (4:24.07) and fifth in the 200-yard backstroke (2:02.84).

On the boards, Nicole Zahka (Medway, Mass.) looks to spearhead the diving squad. The two-time America East Diver of the Week earned career-best scores in both the one-meter (247.20) and three-meter (250.40) boards in a win against Northeastern University (Oct. 26, 167-128). 

Nicole Anderson (Dover, N.H.), Megan Suffel (Cornwall, Ontario) and Kathryn Violette (Portland, Maine) round out the senior corps, providing high levels of talent and experience to the roster. Anderson put forth a silver medal finish at last year's America East Championships, touching the wall at 56.53 in the 100-yard backstroke. Suffell was a member of the first place 200-yard freestyle relay at the conference championships, powering through the water to earn a collective time of 1:33.25. Among six UNH swimmers registering points in the 1,650-yard freestyle to aid the Wildcats capturing the conference title, Violette registered a 12th place finish with a time of 18:00.96.

Juniors

Representing the junior class, Bettina Caspersen (Lyngby, Denmark) is poised to build upon an impressive sophomore season. Placing first on 10 occasions last season, Caspersen earned a provisional cut at the America East Championships with a second place time of 2:13.56 in the 200-yard breaststroke. She went on to compete at the ECAC Championships, logging a career-best time in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.80) and improving her B-cut time in the 200-yard breaststroke (2.13.51).

Sophomores

Sarah Broderick (Haverhill, Mass.) headlines the sophomore class after a strong rookie season. Tallying seven first place finishes in 2013-14, Broderick placed second on the podium at the conference championships, clocking in at 23.41 in the 50-yard freestyle. Alongside, Broderick is Emily Giambastini (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and Sarah Olver (Milwaukee, Wis.). Giambastini put forth a ninth place effort in the 100-yard backstroke at the America East Championship, touching the wall at 56.53. Olver recorded a trio of personal bests at the league championships in the in the 200-yard IM (2:08.02), 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.52) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:20.15).  

Freshmen

Six newcomers bolster the Wildcats' roster for the upcoming season. The freshman class consists of Liza Baykova (Moscow, Russia), Hailey Boulia (Hudson, N.H.), Kaitlin Cahill (Troy, N.Y.), Savanna Desmarais (Hampton, N.H.), Jessica Harper (Easthampton, Mass.) and Bridget Miller (Longmeadow, Mass.). 

Schedule

The Wildcats will compete against seven teams in dual meets this season as well as participating at the Rutgers Invitational. UNH then defends its conference title at the America East Championships (Feb. 12-15) held on the campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The following week, individuals will have one more chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships at the ECAC Championships (Feb. 27-March 1) in a three-day meet hosted by the University of Pittsburgh. This year's NCAA women's swimming & diving championships takes place at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina from March 19-21.

New Hampshire begins its 2014-15 campaign on the road as the Wildcats clash with the University of Vermont on Saturday, Oct. 18 (11 a.m.). UNH holds its first home meet of the season Saturday, Nov. 1 (2 p.m.), hosting Central Connecticut State University. 

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