Indiana Wesleyan University started a women’s swimming program this fall, and the team will compete in their first official swim meet on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Morgan J. Burke Aquatics Center at Purdue University.
The IWU team of 16 swimmers will compete against eight opponents: Ball State University, DePauw University, University of Evansville, Manchester University, Purdue University, Rose-Holman Institute of Technology, Valparaiso University and Wabash College. According to IWU Assistant Coach Emily Vermilya, the team will swim a modified collegiate meet line up focused on shorter sprint events, including 200 yard relays, 200 yard freestyle, 500 yard freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 yard freestyle and 100 yard sprints.
“We are most excited to see the ladies compete at the collegiate level and to see the fruit of the past many weeks of training,” said Vermilya.
Leading up to this weekend, the team has focused on developing their identity and cohesiveness as a team by getting to know one another while also focusing on training, conditioning and technique refinement. In addition to practices, they also competed in a fun, untimed open-water event on Sept. 9 at Mississinewa Lake in Peru, Indiana.
“We’ve had to battle several health issues with many of the ladies; but as we turn into the competition season, we are getting healthy and gaining strength,” said Vermilya. “The ladies have supported and cared for one another well in these early weeks of the season, and we are excitedly optimistic about this first season of IWU swimming!”
To view the full women’s swimming schedule, visit iwuwildcats.com/sport/0/21.php.