SIOUX FALLS – Beginning their second year of competition, University of Sioux Falls Swimming opens their 2017-18 dual schedule on Saturday, Oct. 14 against University of Northern Iowa at 3 p.m. in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Cougars will return to action in two weeks, hosting MSU Moorhead for the first home dual on Friday, Oct. 27.
 
Sioux Falls unofficially opened their season at the CSCAA Open Water National Championships, where they placed seventh overall, first among NCAA Division II programs. Freshmen Alex Sanchez Clark and Nina Groene made their collegiate debuts and finished 22nd and 30th, respectively, and sophomore Maike Doerr finished 32nd to help the Cougars to their seventh-place finish.
 
Sanchez Clark and Groene are two members of a highly-touted freshman class that join a core of USF swimmers from last year's inaugural season. Head coach Jon Maccoll added 20 student-athletes to his program for the 2017-18 season. Joining Sanchez Clark (Canary Islands, Spain) and Groene (Viernheim, Germany) as international students are Cassie Wright (Christchurch, New Zealand), Giulia Marcon (Juiz de Forta, Brazil), and Chatal Kasch (Stade, Germany). Maccoll also signed student-athletes from 12 different states, who all figure to make an impact on the USF Swimming squad.
 
Along with the impressive signing class that brings in 20 freshmen, USF's core of returning swimmers was a historically impressive bunch in the program's inaugural season. USF sent five freshman swimmers to the NCAA Championships last season and four return for their sophomore campaigns. Individual qualifier in the freestyle, Ingelin Lima is joined by mid-distance/butterflyer Doerr, breaststroker Brie Lavelle and freestyler Kyjana Webber, who all competed in relay events at the national meet.
 
USF opened the season in Cedar Falls last year as well, where they dualed Northern Iowa and Quincy (Ill.). This year the Cougars will only face the host Panthers and they are looking to avenge the 146-86 defeat. Lima was runner-up in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle while Doerr notched second- and third-place times in the 100 200 butterfly, respectively.