Experience, Record Holder & Youth Have CC Optimistic
Concordia enters the 2022-23 season full of optimism. The reason for the upward trend is the return of all 11 athletes from last year’s team which included a 2-event school record holder, add four first-year swimmers and the Cobbers are ready for the year to start.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/03/22)---Concordia enters the 2022-23 season full of optimism. The reason for the upward trend is the return of all 11 athletes from last year's team which included a 2-event school record holder as well as an up-and-coming diver. Add four first-year swimmers to the mix and you can see why third-year head coach Anneliesse Bruns is excited for the year to start.
Sophomore Hailey Jaeger returns after break a pair of Cobber school records las year. Jaeger bettered the two freestyle spring marks at last season's MIAC Championship Meet. She posted a time of 24.59 in the 50-yard freestyle which bettered the record set back in 2012. Jaeger followed that performance by breaking the 100-yard freestyle mark with a time of 54.64. Both records are now on the wall in the Cobber pool, but you get the feeling that both might have to be redone several times before Jaeger graduates.
The Cobbers have one of their biggest senior classes in recent seasons. Lindsey Biebl, Jess Bray, Kaitlin Cramer, Camille Gunderson and Audrey Zeleny all return to give Concordia experience and leadership. The senior quintet will help CC in the early part of the season when they open with home dual meets against Minn.-Morris and Hamline. The Cobbers split their two dual meets against the Cougars last season.
Concordia will also score critical points in dual meets and team invitationals from the one year of experience that diver Kiernan Darling gained last year. Darling improved throughout last season, and finished by posting Top 16 scores at the MIAC Meet in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions.
Concordia first-year class of Madelyn Barlage, Haley Juetten, Christina Moore and Tinsley Porter will give the team depth and a chance to compete in multiple events throughout the season.
In addition to the season-opening duals against Morris and Hamline, the Cobbers will host a double dual with Jamestown and the University of Mary on Jan. 27. Another highlight for Concordia will be the return of the Christmas break training trip to Florida.