The women’s swimming and diving team, from top to bottom one of the most talent-rich teams on campus, opens the 2007-08 season this coming Saturday with a home meet against Bates College. Although finishing with a 6-7 overall meet record last year, the team produced an array of record-breaking races in 2006-07. All of Wesleyan’s standout female swimmers return this season, hoping to lead the team to a new level of team success.

14 letter winners are returning from last season, including co-captains and All-Americans Amanda Shapiro ’08 and Kate Krems ’08. Krems and Shapiro have been the face of the women’s swimming team for years; and their veteran experience and perennial post-season laurels speak for themselves.

A two-time All-American, Shapiro holds all three of Wesleyan’s breaststroke records and has been named all-conference in the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke twice and in the 200 breaststroke and 400 medley once. Krems had a stellar year in 2006-07, earning her first All-American award, breaking two of Wesleyan’s backstroke records, and being named all-conference in the 50 butterfly for the second consecutive year.

In addition to its senior stars, the team has a number of core returnees from the classes of 2009 and 2010.

Carly Bollinger ’09, who will return during winter break from study abroad, improved throughout the season last year and in the NESCAC turned in one of the team’s more impressive performances, earning a lighting-fast time of 2:11.41 in the 200 fly and setting a team record in the 400 IM with a time of 4: 40.55.

Caitlin Bethlahmy ’09 and Cate Haring ’10 are the team’s distance free specialists, and their versatility and endurance will put to good use this upcoming season. Bethlahmy grouped with Krems, Shapiro, and Agnes Koczo’09 to earn all-conference honors for the 400 medley in the 2005-2006 season. The team’s top free sprinter, Koczo, teamed with Shapiro and Krems to earn a NCAA “B” cut in the 400 medley relay during NESCAC competition last year.

Niki Holtzman ’10, who picked up important points during the NESCAC tournament in the fly, will assume a larger role on this year’s team.

With 14 divers, the team boasts the largest corps of divers in the history of Wesleyan swimming. Leading the group are standout returnees Lauren Cruz ’09, Jessica Houghton ’09, and Kalen Flynn ’10. All three scored points for the team in the one meter dive at last year’s NESCAC tournament, with Houghton scoring in the three meter dive and receiving academic all-NESCAC honors as well. Cruz, also abroad this fall semester, will return to the line-up during the university’s winter break.

A full slate of meets awaits a team that is more than capable of breaking more individual records and returning to the winning ways of 2005-06, when the team finished the season 12-6.