The Emory University men’s and women’s swim and dive teams are launching into the 2o25-26 season with a splash, coming off a strong 2024-25 season in which both teams finished in the top five at the NCAA Division III Championships and retained their University Athletic Association (UAA) titles for the 26th year in a row.
On Oct. 4, the teams competed at home against Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.), opening the season against the Division I opponent. The women’s team won 179-83 while the men’s team fell 154-108. The teams also sent their divers to the University of West Florida over the weekend, where they earned numerous top-three finishes.
The men’s team ended last season with their seventh consecutive top-two finish at the NCAA championships, along with three national championship event performances and 10 First Team All-Americans. Despite their successful season last year, the men’s team remains ambitious. Senior swimmer Henri Bonnault said the team is not satisfied and wants to win nationals this year.
“We got a little disappointed last year from being second,” Bonnault said. “This year we have a real chance of winning again, and I will do [everything] possible to accomplish this goal.”
Junior swimmer McKee Thorsen has similar hopes for the team this year, but said he is focusing on creating an uplifting environment as they begin the season.
“My goal for the team is to win NCAAs in the end, but in the meantime, getting to that point to foster a really supportive environment where everyone is always cheering and rooting for each other,” Thorsen said. “Maintaining the high amounts of energy that the freshmen have brought in this year, using that to build into really, really fast swimming at the end of the season.”
Prior to last weekend’s competitions, the Eagles competed in their annual Blue-Gold intrasquad meet on Sept. 26 to kick off the new season, with the Gold team winning 190-100. Thorsen, who competed on the Gold team, said the meet showcased the strong support everyone on the team has for each other.
“Even though we were on different teams, people were still cheering for everyone in the Emory cap,” Thorsen said. “Every race, there were teammates behind your lane supporting you, which I really appreciated, and you always swim faster when you’re thrown into the meet and support your teammates as much as you can.”
Thorsen credited his coaches, head coach Jon Howell and assistant coaches Cindy Fontana, John Petroff, Bob Hackett and diving coach Tomasz Rossa, for helping him become “more fearless” in the pool. Similarly, Bonnault said Howell is very positive and encouraging.
“John … likes to listen to us,” Bonnault said. “He likes to take the process step by step, and for him, it doesn’t matter where you are at the beginning of the season. All that matters is how you do at the end of the season.”
The women’s team also had a successful season last year, placing fifth at the NCAA championships and seeing 14 members earn First Team All-America recognition and 18 earn Second Team All-America nods.
Junior swimmer Katie Cohen emphasized the importance of keeping the energy levels up during the season. She said the seven new freshmen will play an important role in that aspect.
“We’re all super excited to keep building the momentum we had from last year,” Cohen said. “We had a really good UAAs and nationals, and now with our new freshmen, we’re excited to bring them into the team and just keep the good energy and positivity going for this year.”
Similarly, sophomore swimmer Allison Greeneway said she is excited for the months ahead to see if the team can live up to their strong potential.
“What makes me the most excited is the potential we have as a team to really carry each other,” Greeneway said. “We have the potential to be really good this year, and that’s super exciting. It really motivates me, especially during practice, to see what we can all do.”
Cohen, who competed on the Gold team at the Blue-Gold meet, said that the meet was a great start for the team and is always a good way to ease back into the season.
“It’s always hard coming off the summer and getting back into shape, so I was excited that I was at the same place I’ve been in the previous years, and as a whole we were about the same, just getting ready to get back into the season,” Cohen said.
Greeneway said that the win over Queens was crucial for getting back in the race routine and also created a positive atmosphere for the team as their season ramps up.
“We tied with Queens last year, and then we beat them by quite a bit this year,” Greeneway said. “We’re all really excited about that and try to carry that energy and determination moving forward.”
