Head Coach Paul Waas of The Catholic University of America Men's and Women's swimming & diving teams is excited to announce the teams' 2016-17 competition schedule and team captains.
The Catholic women's swim team wrapped up the 2015-16 season with its second consecutive runner-up finish at in the Landmark Conference, while the men finished in third-place for the third year in a row. This season, Waas added a total of 20 swimmers to the roster, 12 men and 8 women, to continue the teams' pursuit of conference titles.
The Cardinals will take on the Seagulls of Salisbury University in their home opener on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. They will continue their first half of the season with three consecutive away meets and one additional home meet, each against Landmark opponent.
Catholic will travel to Scranton Pa., for back-to-back meets versus the University of Scranton (10/28) and Marywood University (10/29). After a weekend off, the Cards will head to Elizabethtown, Pa., to face the Blue Jays (11/12) before hosting the Gophers of Goucher College in their final dual meet of the semester.
Before heading to Treasure Island, Fla., for their annual training trip the Cardinals will participate in the Yellow Jacket mid-season invitational in Richmond, Va.
Throughout the second half of the season, the Cardinals will face three non-Landmark opponents, Washington & Lee (1/14), Randolph-Macon (1/21) and Division I program Howard (1/28). For its senior meet and final dual of the year, Catholic will host Susquehanna at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Catholic men and women will compete for the Landmark titles Friday, Feb. 17 – Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Germantown Indoor Swim Center in Boyds, Md.
"I think this season we have a great opportunity for success both in and out of the Landmark Conference," explains Waas. "There are some great teams on our schedule that will challenge us to rise to the occasion."
The Cardinals have selected four men and three women to lead the team as captains for the 2016-17 season.
Senior Danny McLaughlin will serve in his second term as a men's team captain. He has been a three-year member of the Cardinals' scoring team and garnered a spot on Landmark Conference Honor Roll each of his eligible semesters.
Additionally, seniors Joe Cihak, Guido Saccaggi and Mark Solace will lead the men's squad. Cihak, Saccaggi and Solace each earned First Team All-Conference honors last season along with Landmark Conference Honor Roll selections. Additionally, Saccaggi is a seven-time individual Landmark Champion and three-time CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-American.
For the women's team, seniors Elizabeth Malia and Meaghan Rush along with junior Madison Amann will serve as team captains. All three women were members of last year's Landmark Honor Roll while Amann earned First Team All-Conference honors and Rush was a member of the Second Team.
"The team selects their captains and I think they've done an outstanding job of that yet again," said Waas "I know we're all very excited to get started in a few weeks."
