2020-21 NSIC Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll

12/22/2020 11:00:00 AM

St. Cloud State earns top spot in NSIC Swimming & Diving Coaches' Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - For the fifth consecutive season, St. Cloud State University was picked by the league coaches in the NSIC Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The defending NSIC Champions received all eight first place votes (coaches cannot vote for own team) and amassed 64 points, nine points ahead of Minnesota State. The Mavericks received 55 points while Sioux Falls was third with 51 points and the other first place vote.

Augustana's Taylor Beagle was named the NSIC Preseason Swimmer of the Year while St. Cloud State's Mady Brinkman earned NSIC Preseason Diver of the Year honors.

The NSIC sponsored women’s swimming and diving during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years with the aid of affiliated members. In 2016-17 season, NSIC Swimming and Diving returned as a seven team all NSIC sport. In 2019-20 the NSIC moved to eight participating members with the addition of Southwest Minnesota State and is now an nine-team league with the addition of Concordia-St. Paul in 2020-21.

The NSIC Swimming and Diving season will get underway in January with the regular season culminating at the NSIC Swimming & Diving Championship on February 10-13, 2021 at the Hulbert Aquatic Center in West Fargo, North Dakota; hosted by the MSU Moorhead.

Taylor Beagle (Distance Free, 400 IM, Sr., Lead, S.D. / Lead-Deadwood HS) - Augustana University

Named NSIC Swimmer of the Year
Named NSIC Swimmer of the Meet
Placed first in the 1000-yard freestyle at the NSIC championships with a time of 10:10.65
Placed first in the 400-yard IM at the NSIC championships with a time of 4:29.64
Placed first in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 17:03.87
A part of the 800-freestyle relay that placed second at the NSIC championships with a time of 7:39.58
Qualified for nationals in the 1000-yard freestyle and the 1650-yard freestyle
Earned All-American honors in the 1000-yard freestyle

Taylor is a young lady who gives 100% in both athletics and academics. Each year she has made great strides as an athlete and sets a great example for her teammates. At the same time, she sets a high bar for herself in the classroom. She epitomizes a true student-athlete. I’m excited to see her perform this year!

Head Coach Lindsie Micko

Mady Brinkman (Diving, Sr., Grey Eagle, Minn. / Melrose HS) - St. Cloud State University

2020 NSIC Championships Diver of the Meet after claiming first place finishes in both the 1M and 3M events
Set NSIC 1M diving record with a score of 446.90 at 2020 NSIC Championships.
Named an NCAA Division II All-America award winner in 2020 in both diving events.
Placed 8th in 1M event at NCAA championships in 2020, before meet was halted due to COVID crisis.
Academic All-NSIC and CSCAA Scholar All-American selection in 2019 and 2020.

Mady is a model student-athlete. She has worked extremely hard to become one of the top divers in Division II. She is a leader in practice and the classroom where she is a Radiology Tech major with a 3.71 GPA.

Head Coach Jeff Hegle

NSIC TEAM PREVIEWS & ATHLETES TO WATCH

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

The Augustana swimming team graduated six seniors from last year’s team that finished fourth at the NSIC Championships. Head coach Lindsie Micko, the only coach in the five-year history of the program, added four newcomers to the 2020-21 squad. Augustana’s All-American senior, Taylor Beagle, took home three individual championships at the NSIC Championships and the Vikings totaled 21 top-10 finishes. Beagle was also awarded NSIC Swimmer of the Meet and named the NSIC Swimmer of the Year. The Vikings also claimed NSIC Freshman of the Year in Ruth Huffman for the third time in the program's short history. Augustana enters its fifth season of competition this year and already are making a splash in their short history. During the regular season last year, the Vikings earned their first-ever national ranking, checking in at No. 22 of the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Top-25 poll. Two Vikings also made their appearances at the National Championships in Destini Oehlertz and Taylor Beagle. Both were honored with All-America accolades following the cancellation of the partial event.

What excites me most about this team is seeing them happy, in the pool doing what they love and enjoying being around each other. I look forward to seeing them perform and to return to their "normal". They have had great perseverance and I think all that they have worked through the last 8 months has made them stronger and more excited to race.

Head Coach Lindsie Micko

Taylor Beagle (Distance. Free, 400 IM, Sr., Lead, S.D. / Lead-Deadwood HS) - Augustana University

Named NSIC Swimmer of the Year
Named NSIC Swimmer of the Meet
Placed first in the 1000-yard freestyle at the NSIC championships with a time of 10:10.65
Placed first in the 400-yard IM at the NSIC championships with a time of 4:29.64
Placed first in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 17:03.87
A part of the 800-freestyle relay that placed second at the NSIC championships with a time of 7:39.58
Qualified for nationals in the 1000-yard freestyle and the 1650-yard freestyle
Earned All-American honors in the 1000-yard freestyle

Taylor is a young lady who gives 100% in both athletics and academics. Each year she has made great strides as an athlete and sets a great example for her teammates. At the same time, she sets a high bar for herself in the classroom. She epitomizes a true student-athlete. I’m excited to see her perform this year!

Head Coach Lindsie Micko

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL

Concordia-St. Paul swimming & diving will join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference this year, led by first year head coach Matt Bos, who brings NCAA Division I head coaching experience to the program. His resume includes a 2013 Summit League Women's Coach of the Year honor. The Golden Bears will look to freshman Laura Vekony. Only a freshman, she has experience in big meets in Europe.

Laura Vekony (200 Fly, 500 Free, Fr., Budapest, Hungary / Móricz Zsigmond HS) - Concordia University, St. Paul

Freshman will compete in 200 Fly, & 500 Freestyle for the Golden Bears

Laura come to CSP with a lot of experience in big meets back in Europe. She is a well rounded athlete and can be a factor in a number of events. She also has a huge training background so once she gets adapted to the NCAA season I think she will really be special.

Head Coach Matt Bos

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

The University of Mary swimming and diving team is ready to get back in action for the 2020-21 season after having three swimmers qualify for the NCAA Championships last year. The team finished with a 6-4 record overall and placed 5th in the NSIC Championships.

All three NCAA qualifiers (Victoria Murillo, Andre Lee and Breena DeLegge) return to the Marauders this season. The NCAA championships were canceled after the second day due to COVID-19.

DeLegge broke the school record for her time of 23.75 seconds in the 50 free finishing 34th at the NCAA Division II Championships. A 5-time All-NSIC performer, Lee finished 27th for the 1000 free and 37th for the 200 free at the NCAA Division II Championships. The 2019 NSIC Freshman of the Year and conference record-holder in the 500 yard frees, Murillo earned a 29th place finish for the 200 free at the NCAA Division II Championships. She is a 5-time NSIC champion.

Head coach Leah Neiheisel looks to improve upon last season by adding some new firepower for this upcoming year. Freshmen Madison Yonke (freestyle/backstroke) and Korie Riely (freestyle) are expected to make a big impact for UMary.

Victoria Murillo (Free, Breaststroke, Jr., Cancun, Mexico / Tecmilenio Campus Cancun) - University of Mary

NSIC Freshman of the Year in 2019 after winning the 200 Free, 500 Free and 1000 Free
NSIC Champion 2019-20 for the 200 Free and 500 Free
Two-time NCAA qualifier
2019-20 CSCAA All-American

Victoria is a swimmer that will continue to make an immediate impact for the Marauder program and within the conference. She is a school record holder, multiple time conference champion, conference record holder and NCAA qualifier. She is set up well to have a tremendous junior season. Victoria and all the Marauder swimmers are looking forward to our first competition of the season this January!

Head coach Leah Neiheisel

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO

The Minnesota State women’s swimming and diving team will see 28 letterwinners return from last season’s team that finished second at the NSIC Championships. The Mavericks will see all seven of their All-NSIC honorees return from last season’s squad including juniors Anja Enervold and Katie Streiff who each won an event at the NSIC Championships last season. Enervold took first in the 200 backstroke (2:03.45) and second as a member of the 400 medley relay team (3:53.08), while Streiff won the 100 IM (58.22) and took second in the 200 IM (2:07.88). Senior Emily Bollendorf, junior Emily Goodman and senior Emelia Selky were members of the 400 medley relay team that took second as well. Bollendorf also garnered All-NSIC honors in the 100 butterfly with a third-place finish (56.47). Sophomore Ayla Taylor claimed All-NSIC honors in the 1-meter diving event as she took third place with 442.55 points. Sophomore Darah Coleman received All-NSIC honors also as she took second in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.58).

We love our team! Everyone has done a great job adapting to some very adverse circumstances this fall. We got great upperclassmen leadership along with a talented group of youngsters. It will be exciting to see the team come together and start hopefully competing soon!

Head Coach Nathan Owens

Anja Envervold (Sprints, Jr., La Crosse, Wis. / Homeschooled ) - Minnesota State University, Mankato

Claimed All-NSIC honors as she won the 200 breaststroke event at the NSIC Championships last season with a time of 2:03.45
Also garnered All-NSIC honors as a member of the 400 medley relay that finished second at the NSIC Championships with a time of 3:53.08
Also finished fifth in the 100 backstroke and eighth in the 200 backstroke at the NSIC Championships with times of 57.36 and 1:52.24, respectively

Anja is an amazing all around swimmer. She’s versatile, competitive, and tough. She’s coming off of a breakout year, so it will be fun to see what she does as a junior.

Head Coach Nathan Owens

Ayla Taylor (Diving, So., Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Cedar Rapids HS) - Minnesota State University, Mankato

Was named the NSIC Diver of the Week after winning the 1-meter diving event (234.00 pts) vs. South Dakota in her first ever college meet
Claimed All-NSIC honors in the 1-meter diving event at the NSIC Championships as she took third place with 442.55 pts
Took fifth place in the 3-meter diving event at the NSIC Championships with a score of 400.55

Ayla really came on strong during the last month of her first season. She’s been looking great so far and should be on track to pick up right where she left off. We’re all excited to see where she can take her diving from here.

Head Coach Nathan Owens

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD

Junior Katelin Winter leads the Dragon swimming and diving program into 2020-21. She set a school record in the 200 free in Dec. 2019 and led the Dragons with five wins last season. Winter, along with junior Lexie Bray, was among the swimmers who were part of the school-record setting 800 free relay. MSUM has two seniors on the active roster in Alyssa Ege and Julia Wallace. A majority of the squad is sophomores and freshmen. Freshman Rachel Kriese will lead the diving corps.

We are very excited about for the opportunity to compete this year. It has been a fall full of adversity, and We couldn't be more proud of how our team has responded to the ever changing environment we are currently living in. We have an amazing group of freshman that have been working very hard and a great group of upperclassman that have provided stability for the team to rely on. We feel extremely lucky to still be doing what we love.

Head Coach Charles King

Katelin Winter (100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 200 IM, Jr., Dillworth, Minn. / Moorhead HS) - Minnesota State University Moorhead

School record holder in 200 free (1:52.71), set in Dec. 2019
Part of 800 free relay that set school record
Led team with five wins last season

Katelin is a diverse swimmer who can swim almost anything. She is great in the classroom and dedicated to her work. She knows how to work hard and knows how bring people with her. Katelin is a Junior and a Captain. Katelin is fun to work with and a great competitor.

Head Coach Charles King

Rachel Kriese (Diving, Fr., Alexandria, Minn. / Alexandria HS) - Minnesota State University Moorhead

State qualifier in diving at Alexandria High Schoo
A 6-year letterwinner in high school

Rachel is a Diver that will try any dive. She has perseverance to push through tough practices. She is extremely dedicated and goal oriented. Rachel has a great cheeriness about her and spreads positivity to all around her.

Head Coach Charles King

NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY

The Northern State University swim team is coming off a 1-13 meet finish and seventh place finish at the NSIC Swimming and Diving Championships. The Wolves tallied 157 points as a team with 16 top-15 event finishes. Lauren Forsyth led the team with two top-10 finishes, nearly earning all-conference accolades in the 200 fly. The Wolves return 16 from a season ago and welcome four newcomers to the program in 2020-21. The Northern State roster hails from 13 different states and four different countries. NSU is slated to compete in seven dual meets prior to the NSIC Championships in early February.

What excites me about this year's team is how excited they all are. We are a team that loves to race and loves to race fast. With the past year being very non-traditional many of the swimmers have not had the chance to race and they are building up that race energy just waiting for their chance. With a year that has been up and down and incredibly unpredictable, our swimmers have embraced it and are ready to show how we are unpredictable as well!

Head Coach Nicole Monanian

Lauren Forsyth (200Fly, 100Fly, 200 IM, So., Durban, South Africa / St. Mary's DSG Kloof) - Northern State University

Placed fourth in the 200 fly at the NSIC Championships (2:08.67)
Took tenth in the 100 fly at the NSIC Championships (58.09)
Recorded personal bests in eight events in her freshman campaign

Lauren was a stand out last year as a freshman and I am expecting this year to be even better. As a Freshman she finished 4th in the 200Fly, 10th in the 100Fly, and 21st in the 200IM. She holds multiple freshman school records at Northern and was the recipient of the 2019 Freshman of the Year award.

Head Coach Nicole Monanian

UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS

The University of Sioux Falls Swimming Team, directed by third-year Head Coach Chris Hamstra, is coming off another successful season, which included a third place finish at the NSIC Championships for a third straight year. In this year’s preseason coaches poll by the NSIC, USF is picked to finish third but picked up a first place vote. In its best season to date, Cougars had its first unbeaten dual mark of 8-0 a year ago and earned a No. 15 national ranking. In addition, USF had four student-athletes (Chantal Kasch, Ella Johnson, Jenna Krahn and Lizzie Spaans) earn All-American honors before the CoVID-19 pandemic shut down the national championships. With the momentum of the unbeaten regular season in duals, national ranking, and top-three placing at the NSIC Championships, the Cougars head in 2021 with high expectations. It is a veteran team with strong senior leadership, including Kasch and Jenna Krahn among 10 seniors – nearly all which scored points at the NSIC Meet. At the NSIC meet, USF had 797 points or 192 more than the previous year. At the NSIC Meet, the Cougars had eight individual or relay champions with 12 DII provisional marks and 34 All-NSIC performers. Add in talented newcomers and a strong group of sophomores and juniors, including All-American Lizzie Spaans, and the Cougars should again with a team on the move.

Chantal Kasch (Breaststroke, Sr., Stade, Germany / Vincent-Luebeck-Gymnasium) - University of Sioux Falls

Three-time CSCAA Individual Scholar Athlete All-American
Five-time NSIC champion, including individual victories in the 2019-20 NSIC Championships in the 100 breast (1:02.30) and 200 breast (2:16.43) and the 50 breast in 2018-19
Also part of the two-time 400 medley relay, including the 2018-19 squad which set an NSIC meet record of 3:45.23
Two-time Academic All-NSIC and Academic Teal of Excellence
NSIC Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 26, 2019

Chantal is part of our strong senior class. She has made great strides while at USF in the classroom and in the water. She is a triple major: Psychology, Criminal Justice and Sociology and Social Science, all while maintaining an extremely high GPA. Chantal is an CSCAA Individual Scholar Athlete All-American. In the 2019-20 season she was the NSIC Champion in the 100 and 200 breaststroke as well as the 400 Medley Relay and was a CSCAA All-American. I'm so proud to be Chantal's coach and nominate her as USF's preseason player to watch.

Head Coach Chris Hamstra

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

Southwest Minnesota State University opens its second collegiate season in 2021 after successful inaugural season in 2019-20.

SMSU head coach Marty Wahle has expanded the roster to 17 athletes in 2020-21, including seven letter winners and 10 strong newcomers to the 2020-21 roster. The Mustangs will look to build upon last season’s 3-6 dual meet record and eighth place finish at the NSIC Championships.

Headlining the returners is sophomore Natalie Bohnert, who earned All-NSIC accolades last season in two events. She placed third in the 100 backstroke and also recorded a second place finish in the 200 backstroke. She also competed in the 100 butterfly and the individual medley at the NSIC meet. Sophomores Annika Freiburger and MacKenzie Kallevig also return following strong showings at the NSIC Championships last season.

Sophomore Megan Nelson is the team’s lone diver and gained valuable experience during her first season in 2019-20.

We are thrilled that our team continues to grow; doubling in size since the 2019-20 season. We have added some depth in most events and our returners have been making great connections with our first year athletes. We have a team full of people that truly love being around the water and hope that we can continue to focus on daily growth and improvement.

Head Coach Marty Wahle

Nat Bohnert (Backstroke & IM, So., Petersburg, Ind. / Pike Central HS) - Southwest Minnesota State University

Earned All-NSIC honors in both the 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke in 2020
Placed third at NSIC Championships in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.02 and finished second at the NSIC Championships in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.30
Team best 2:10.41 in the 200 individual medley at the NSIC Championships
Missed time early in the season due to an injury

Nat was our 2019-20 team MVP and arguably most improved athlete. Nat was capable of keeping up her athleticism throughout the spring and summer by doing a lot of conditioning outside of the pool; like many swimmers and divers she was without regular pool access. Nat is hoping that she can continue to improve and become one of the best swimmers in the NSIC.

Head Coach Marty Wahle

Megan Nelson (Diving, So., Cokato, Minn. / Dassel-Cokato HS) - Southwest Minnesota State University

Finished 10th at the NSIC Championships in both the 1m diving and 3m diving
At the 2020 NSIC Championships, scored 355.35 points in 1M diving and finished with 311.90 points in 3M diving

Megan had never practiced or competed in 3m before the 2019-20 season. Not only did her 1m diving improve, but she was able to get a full 3m list of dives within 2-3 months time. She narrowly missed qualifying for top 8 on 1m and 3m at NSIC champs, and is working hard to get top 8 in both boards at the 2021 NSIC Champs.

Head Coach Marty Wahle

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY

The St. Cloud State University women’s swimming and diving team looks to continue its run of success during the upcoming 2020-21 season. Under the direction of 20th year head coach Jeff Hegle, the Huskies have won NSIC championships in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2020. SCSU will be led by one of the nation’s top group of divers including senior Maddie Brinkman, who claimed the 2020 NSIC Championships Diver of the Meet award. SCSU will also see the return of 2020 All-America award winning divers sophomore Meredith Matchinsky and senior Alyssa Doherty. SCSU’s swimmers will bring back a wealth of talent in 2020-21, including several top members of the Huskies’ highly regarded relay squads. SCSU set a NSIC record in the 200 medley relay at the 2020 championships with Marena Kouba, Alexis Burroughs and Kasey Milstroh all back for their senior campaigns this winter. Milstroh earned six All-Conference honors in 2020, including individual efforts in the 50 free, 100 fly and 100 free events. Burroughs won the 2020 NSIC 100 IM and finished with five All-NSIC awards last year, while Kouba, Alaina Friske and Christina Ware also claimed All-NSIC recognition in the relay events in 2020.

This year's team positions us to be very competitive in the NSIC. We have a strong first year class that adds to an experienced group of returners. Most of all, this team works hard every day and keeps a positive attitude. I'm excited to see what this team will accomplish!

Head Coach Jeff Hegle

Kasey Milstroh (Sprint, freestyle & butterfly, Sr., Foley, Minn. / Foley HS) - St. Cloud State University

Academic All-NSIC in 2019-20.
CSCAA Scholar All-American in 2019-20.
NSIC champion in 400 free relay, 200 medley relay and 200 free relay
Earned All-NSIC honors in the 100 fly, 50 free and 100 free
All-American in the 200 medley relay with a 14th place finish at the 2020 NCAA meet
Qualified for the NCAA championships in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly along with the relay teams

Kasey is an individual who leads by example in the classroom and in the pool. She is a Biomed major with a 3.71 GPA and a multiple school record holder. She has a relentless work ethic and is always trying to make herself and her teammates better.

Head Coach Jeff Hegle

Mady Brinkman (Diving, Sr., Grey Eagle, Minn. / Melrose HS) - St. Cloud State University

2020 NSIC Championships Diver of the Meet after claiming first place finishes in both the 1M and 3M events
Set NSIC 1M diving record with a score of 446.90 at 2020 NSIC Championships.
Named an NCAA Division II All-America award winner in 2020 in both diving events.
Placed 8th in 1M event at NCAA championships in 2020, before meet was halted due to COVID crisis.
Academic All-NSIC and CSCAA Scholar All-American selection in 2019 and 2020.

Mady is a model student-athlete. She has worked extremely hard to become one of the top divers in Division II. She is a leader in practice and the classroom where she is a Radiology Tech major with a 3.71 GPA.

Head Coach Jeff Hegle

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