Huntingdon, Pa. – After landing seventh on the 2016 Landmark Conference Preseason Poll, the Juniata women's swim team aims to surprise this 2016-17 season with six returning swimmers and four newcomers.
Head coach Nathan Smith pegged sophomore Jocelyn Skelly (Hershey, Pa./Hershey High School) as a key returner this season. Skelly came out strong for the Eagles from the beginning of her freshman year, winning 50- and 100-yard butterfly in multiple meets. As the season went on, her times only improved. She won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:11.02 in Juniata's first meet at Millersville. In her last event, at the Landmark Championships, Skelly placed fourth in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 59.62, nearly breaking Juniata's record of 59.60.
Elise Kurry (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) is the only senior returning this year. Kurry has participated in the back, fly, free and IM events in her past three seasons as an Eagle.
Emily Angeline (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East), Krista Peachey (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and Hannah Shumway (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock) make up the junior swimmers. Maiya Mastovich (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) is also joining Skelly in the sophomore class.
Juniata lost four successful seniors, but they welcome the addition of four talented freshmen, Meghan Brubaker (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg), Kerry McClaughry (Somerville, N.J./Somerville High School), Nadia Moss (Narragansett, R.I./St. Margaret's School, Va.) and Emily Stahl (State College, Pa./State College Area High School).
The 2016 Landmark Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll put the Eagles in seventh with 20 points. They will face conference members Scranton (3rd), Marywood (4th) and Goucher (6th) during the regular season before the Landmark Championships Feb. 17-19.
The women will be in action on Saturday, Oct. 15, for their first meet at Millersville at 1 p.m. The Eagles will be home on Nov. 4 to face California University at 5 p.m. in the Binder Natatorium.
