Winter Sports Preview: Swimming
Head Coach: Jeffrey Ziegler (7th season) and Courtney Farrell (3rd season)
Last Year’s Girl Record: 8-1-1
Last Year’s Boy Record: 3-6-2
Key Losses: Cassidy Lê, Eli O’Connor, Sean Kim, Liam Caruth, Jimmy Spillane
Key returnees: Cassidy Freeman (Sr. Captain), Emily Lê (Jr.), Lauren Parisi (Jr.) , Danielle Freeman (Jr.), Haleigh Marzano (So.), Troy Peressini (Sr. Captain), Matthew Green (Jr.), Brendan Broesler (So.), Zachary Zeller (So.)
Key newcomers: Katie Smith (Fr.), Emma Wentland (Fr.), Mark Pothen (Jr.), Paul Kondratowicz (Fr.), Alexander Wołosiuk (Fr.)
Strengths: They have a lot of strong returning swimmers that will contribute greatly to the team as competitive swimmers and team leaders. The boys made the state tournament, while the girls placed fourth in the Meet of Champions. Between Hills and Valley there are a lot of newcomers that will add to the team and having more swimmers to a team is an advantage.
Weakness: There were some potential seniors who did not return for their final year, meaning the newcomers will have to step in right away.
Outlook: Led by Boston University commit Cassidy Freeman, the Indians will look to be one of the premier teams in the Big North Liberty Division, as both the boys and girls team made the state tournament last season. Coming off of a fourth-place finish at last year’s Meet of Champions, the girls will look to repeat and assert their dominance.
Coach’s Comment: “We are a family. That’s how the team has always been since its inception back in 2004-2005. It’s always been we are a family hills and valley pascack swimming,” Farrell said. “Our strength is actually the ability to work together to achieve our big goals of going to states finishing top in our league.”
Nicole Arden graduated in 2018.
Kaitlyn Conti graduated in 2018.