ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT women's swimming and diving team opens the 2026-27 season on Saturday (Oct. 10) with a dual meet at RPI. Here are the six things you need to know about the Tigers.
LAST SEASON
RIT placed fourth out of 10 teams at the Liberty League Championships last season.
Taryn Hickey was named the conference's Rookie of the Year after winning with the 50 and 100 Free at the meet. Hickey swam the 100 Free in 51.41, nearly set a meet record, which stands at 51.38 seconds.
Gwen Petrie led the RIT divers, being named the Liberty League Diver of the Year. The then-junior swept the 1 and 3-meter boards at the conference championship.
NCAA QUALIFIERS
Junior divers
Gwen Petrie and
McKenna Porter competed at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships in Indianapolis. Petrie earned Second Team All-America honors in both events, placing 12th in the 1-meter dive and 16th in the 3-meter dive. Porter also qualified for nationals and competed in both diving events.
Both Petrie and Porter were making their second straight appearance at the national championships.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Two members of the RIT women's swimming and diving team earned College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America honors following the 2025-26 season.
Gwen Petrie and
McKenna Porter were both named First Team Scholar All-Americans.
To qualify for First Team Scholar All-America honors, student-athletes must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher and compete at their respective national championship. Second Team selections must also maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and achieve an NCAA "B" qualifying standard or qualify for a diving regional or zone meet.
The Tigers also excelled collectively in the classroom, posting a 3.73 team GPA and earning recognition as a CSCAA Spring Scholar All-America Team.
WELCOME BACK
The Tigers return 18 from last year's squad, including seniors
Evan Arnold,
Meghan Black,
Cassandra Collins,
Lunden Dinkel,
Rose LaDue,
Megan Metivier,
Madisen Pavoris,
Gwen Petrie, and
McKenna Porter; juniors
Zoe Joss,
Annika Rieger,
Sephora Schoenheit,
Emma Seibel,
Valerie Tennyson, and
Jessica Walsh; and sophomores
Taryn Hickey,
Margaret Sokalzuk, and
Laina Swartzwelder.
NEW FACES
RIT welcomes five newcomers to the 2026-27 roster: first-years
Anna Bangert,
Marina Eshelman,
Gabby Metry,
Brianna Rejewski, and
Camille Smith.
2026-27 SCHEDULE
The Tigers begin the 2026-27 season on the road at RPI on Oct. 10 before returning home to host Alfred the following Friday (Oct. 16). RIT then welcomes teams to Judson Pool for the RIT Invitational on Oct. 23 before heading to Chicago for the D3 Shootout on Nov. 6.
RIT hosts the Don Richards Invitational on Nov. 19 to close out the fall semester schedule.
Following winter break, the Tigers return to action at home against Hamilton on Jan. 9 before crossing town to face Rochester on Jan. 16. RIT then hosts Geneseo on Jan. 22 and William Smith on Jan. 30. The regular season concludes with the RIT Diving Invitational on Feb. 6.
Postseason competition begins with the Liberty League Championships in Ithaca from Feb. 17-20, followed by the NCAA Division III Diving Regionals on Feb. 26-28. The season culminates at the NCAA Division III National Championships, scheduled for Mar. 17-21 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
