Swimming & Diving | 10/11/2016 4:28:00 PM

MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's swimming and diving team kicks off the regular season this week by competing at the Northern Michigan quad in Marquette, Mich.  The team will face Northern Michigan, St. Cloud State and Northern State in scored duals on both Friday and Saturday.

Competition begins on Friday at 4 p.m. and on Saturday at 10 a.m.

"It's been a long seven weeks of practicing leading up to our first competition weekend," MSUM head coach Todd Peters said.  "The team is very excited and ready to show how good they are.  We get to compete against two of the best NCAA DII teams in St. Cloud State and Northern Michigan and we get to see Northern State's Hannah Kastigar, in action.  Kastigar is arguably the best swimmer in DII this year.  We have our own lineup of impressive athletes and it will be great to see how we stack up against tough competition.  The long road trip is also a great opportunity for team building and to get to see some locations many of the team members have never visited.  We are staying Thursday night in Duluth before continuing to Marquette.  Those two cities are wonderful to visit in the fall and we will take time to check out the sights this weekend when we aren't in the pool."

MSUM returns three of its top five point scorers from a year ago, led by junior Erin Sullivan, who led MSUM in points scored (654.25) and wins (22). Sullivan earned All-American consideration in the 100 backstroke last March. Sophomore Taylor Beynon also returns after finishing second in points scored (482) and wins (17).

Sophomore Natalie Kampa is also back after a strong freshman campaign. She finished fifth on the team with 369.25 points and had six wins.  Sophomore Erin Fons was third on the team with 12 wins, while seniors Madison Kuznia and Ashley Higgins and sophomore Sami DuVal all finished in the top 10 in points scored.

Senior Amanda Groebner is the team's most experienced diver; she has earned trips to the national pre-qualifying meet in back-to-back years.

MSUM has a record 45 swimmers and divers on the roster, including 19 freshmen. Freshmen who are expected to make an immediate impact are swimmers Breah Anderson, Leticia Rodovalho, Téa Nyland and Haley Roed and diver Chantell Mindt.

The Dragons held their Alumni Meet on Oct. 9. Beynon won the pentathlon with Sullivan second, Nyland third, Kampa fourth and Roed fifth.

MSUM's home opener is Nov. 21 vs. Northern State.