2024-25 Union swimming and diving season preview

Barbourville, Ky. - The Union Commonwealth University swimming and diving teams will begin their 2024-25 season on Friday at the King Invite in Kingsport, Tennessee.

To preview the upcoming season, here is a Q&A session with head coach Ryan Winders.

1. What are your expectations for this season?

   I am really looking forward to seeing what this group can accomplish, and I am already witnessing great things both in and out of the pool. Last year marked a kind of rebirth for the program, and we had a phenomenal season with both teams finishing in the Top 25. Emma Phillips was named a three-time All-American by the CSCAA. 

This year, I expect us to build on that success. Several swimmers narrowly missed qualifying for Nationals last year, and they're determined to make it this season. They understand the level of competition nationwide and what it takes to get there. Each year, the time standards get tougher, so our training has to be sharp from the start. 

From a team perspective, I definitely expect us to win more meets, especially on the women's side. As our team grows, we naturally become more competitive, but we're also getting faster. Both factors contributed to last year's win-loss record. We could be faster overall than a competing team, but if they had more swimmers, they would win. This year, with 30 athletes on the roster (men and women combined), I believe we'll surprise a lot of people right from the start—and I kind of love that! 

This will also play a role in conference competition. I expect both teams to finish as Conference Runner-Up this year, with a strong push to challenge Milligan for first. While part of that will come down to numbers, it's also an opportunity for us to make a statement across the conference.

2. What goals have you set for your team?

   
   From a goals perspective, I have a few. I would like to see at least eight team records broken this year, and I believe that can happen across men's, women's, and relay events. I'd like to take eight athletes to Nationals so we can field relays for both sides, which will help us achieve a higher overall finish. I also aim to have four conference champions on each side this year. Finally, I would like the women's team to finish the year ranked inside the Top 15 and the men's team inside the Top 10.

3. Are there specific skills or areas of the game you'd like to focus on improving during the pre-season?

   
   Right now, the biggest area we are focusing on is conditioning and wall work/underwaters. Many of our swimmers are not accustomed to swimming in short course yards pools, so we need to teach them to take advantage of their walls. This has been a major emphasis for us. As we transition from one part of the season to another, individual needs will begin to take precedence, but this aspect remains crucial. I also strongly believe in the importance of doing the little things right: train effectively and be smart. When you swim intelligently in practice, you automatically perform correctly when it counts in a meet.

4. What strengths do you see in your team this year?

   
   We have some very unique strengths this season. I believe our mid-distance and distance groups are particularly strong, even though sprinters make up the majority of our team. We have some special talent that will be swimming longer races, such as Individual Medleys, 500-yard Freestyles, and the Mile. Truly, a significant change and strength of our team right now is our coaching. I have a staff around me that supports me every day. Without them, the team wouldn't be where it is today. We are able to coach individual groups and meet the needs of each swimmer. We have daily training groups and sessions to help them reach their goals.

5. Which returning players are you most excited about?

   
   It's hard not to get excited about Emma coming back. She's looking forward to having another great year in her events. I'm also really excited about Dori Jozsa, who seems to be focusing a little more on Freestyle events this season. I believe that move will be very beneficial for her. Zsombor Sipaki has a real chance to impact the team in backstroke events and has been training really well so far. I'm also super excited to see Malik Biad compete in events like the 200-yard Butterfly. He has made incredible progress this summer, and I think he is ready to surprise some people when he jumps in the water.

   6.  Are there any newcomers or transfers who you believe could make a significant impact this season?

       Yes, we have several newcomers who are set to do some really exciting things. Freshman Enzo Constable from France is a very promising sprinter with top-end speed and may have the opportunity to be a contender for the conference championship. Abel Eszenyi from Hungary is multi-talented; he can swim mid-distance, distance, IM, and breaststroke. He can literally do anything he sets his mind to, and I believe he could be an all-time special swimmer at Union. Manca Petric is a distance swimmer from Slovenia who has been training at very high levels lately, and Sarah Graves is a swimmer/diver from Tennessee who looks to become the school's first Conference Champion in both 1m and 3m diving, as well as a National Qualifier in both events.