High hopes in new era of Flames swimming
With 17 years of swim coach experience to her credit, Liz Germonprez only knows one way to think:
Big.
The new College of Saint Mary coach begins her inaugural season with the Flames at 11 a.m. Saturday in the GPAC Invite in Fremont, Neb., and there are two reasons why she's thinking big.
"They trust the process, and they have a champion's mindset,'' she said.
This year's CSM squad consists of 15 athletes, including 12 who are first- or second-year swimmers at the school. Based on the work the team has put in during the preseason, Germonprez already has high expectations.
"These athletes can expect to drop time this season, swim a lot of (personal bests), break some long-standing records and send a contingent of athletes to nationals in March,'' the former Texas A&M swimmer said. "I expect to have a very strong showing against GPAC and KCAC teams this season.''
Since the Great Plains Athletic Conference only has four schools with swimming (CSM, Midland, Morningside, Dordt), the Flames compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference for swimming, along with the other three GPAC schools plus Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Bethel (Kan.), University of Saint Mary (Kan.), Aquinas (Mich.), Jamestown (N.D.) and Sterling (Kan.).
The Flames return one athlete who advanced to the national meet last season in sophomore Kylee Brown. She placed 22nd in both the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, and 33rd in the 100 freestyle at nationals.
CSM has one senior on the roster, Mia Gauvin, and a pair of juniors, Autumn Neale and Jaidyn Vanschoiack.
"They bring experience, maturity and leadership to our young team,'' Germonprez said.
If preseason workouts are an indication, the CSM coach expects to have a highly successful season.
"This team leaves it in the water during practice!'' she said. "Swimming is an individual as well as a team sport. We will continue to build on a tremendous first three weeks of training."