The UIndy Swim and Dive teams competed in the Division II National Championship March 15-16. The men’s team finished fifth while the women came in fourth.
The competition was held at the IU Natatorium as part of the NCAA Division II Championships Festival, according to the Indiana Sports Corp. 27 Hounds competed at nationals, and several won events throughout the competition including first place in the 1000m relay by the UIndy’s Andrea Gomez and a relay team win, according to UIndy Athletics. The relay team of Julia Magierowska, Megan Gregory, Andrea Paaske and Kirabo Namutebi set a new DII record in the 200m medley with a time of 1:30.37.
Head Coach Brent Noble said the focus for this year was using the team’s prior experience, as the men’s team won the national championship in 2023 and other athletes have qualified previously and have that experience under their belt. In his time at UIndy, Noble has led the Hounds to win 19 events, which is more than the program’s entire history under any previous coaches. Noble was voted by his peers as the 2023 CSCAA Division II Men’s Head Coach of the Year, having led the men’s team to their first ever national title, and also coaching 83 All-American athletes.
“We’ve been here, most of the group that’s here, has been there, and has been there with solid success,” Noble said. “Each year we assess what we did well and what we maybe can do better, and have tried to build that together this year. So the group we’re bringing, I feel really good about.”
Despite the positive feelings going forward to the national championship this time, Noble said the work has been demanding. He said the sport requires a lot of time and effort and the athlete’s must be willing to put in the work.
“They’ve worked,” Noble said. “It’s a sport that demands a lot, so we have a program here where it’s pretty well required to want to come in and put in the work to get better, because I think that’s really the only way to do it.”
Noble said the team attitude is a huge factor into its success. The athletes need to be able to perform at high levels, he said, which can be hard to do consistently but his team has found a way.
“You need to be surrounded by people who are also going to do that,” Noble said. “They’ve worked hard, they’ve stayed the course, but I think in doing that work, they build a mental strength that allows them to come in and understand they’re going to get the best out of themselves any given day.”
This was the last meet of the season for senior and Olympian Cedric Buessing and the final meet of his college career. He qualified for the 500m freestyle and 200m backstroke amongst other events. Buessing said the journey has been a challenge.
“It’s definitely hard in the beginning, not having any dual meets, and then dual meet season starts, and it’s easy to become very fatigued, and you just sort of push through classes,” Buessing said. “Winter training is tough, probably the toughest time of the year, and then conference hits it’s just exhausting, but you just put your head back down for the final sprint and make it to Nationals.”
Senior Celina Schmidt has qualified for the 200m individual medley, 100m fly, 100m and 200m breaststroke. As an upperclassmen, Schmidt said these events are not a new challenge for her.
“It means a lot to me,” Schmidt said. “Last year I had a very good nationals, and I won twice, which created a lot of pressure for me at first, but I think right now, everything that I’m doing right now this nationals is going to be an extra bonus for me, so I’m just glad being there with the team and show what I can do, and just be totally grateful that I’m be able even to compete at this nationals this year.”
