BURNSVILLE, Minn. -- The University of Sioux Falls Women's Swimming Team, which opens the season on Oct. 4-5 at the University of Mary for a four-team dual, was picked to finish third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Coaches Preseason Poll, which was released Thursday (October 3). Following her All-American freshman season, sophomore Ella Johnson was named as one of the NSIC swimmers to watch.

For the fourth consecutive season, St. Cloud State was picked by the league coaches in the NSIC Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll to finish in first place. The Huskies received seven first place votes and amassed 49 points. Minnesota State received one first place vote and 42 points for second while USF, which has finished third two straight seasons, was third with 36 points.
 
USF, which is in its fourth season, has been moved up a spot in the poll after being picked fourth two straight preseason polls. The Cougars are followed in the poll rankings by city rival Augustana which was fourth with 33 points and U-Mary, fifth at 23. Also in the poll, MSU Moorhead was sixth with 20 points with Northern State, seventh, at 14 points and SMSU, eighth with seven points.
 
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USF Swimming, directed by second-year head coach Chris Hamstra, will look to continue its move up the standings and tremendous success. A year ago, the Cougars finished a program-best third at the NSIC Championships and a program-best 20^th at the NCAA DII Nationals. The Cougars return five of its six national swimmers in Giulia Marcon, Johnson, Jenna Krahn, Elizabeth Spaans and Chantal Kasch.  This is USF's first year with a senior class, which will be led by Kyjana Webber, who competed at nationals two years ago, and Leah Eagleton, who had an NCAA B-Cut last year. USF also has a talented freshman class with eight newcomers aboard.
 
A year ago, the Cougars finished 5-2 in duals a year ago and rallied to finish third in the NSIC Championships for a second straight season.
 
"We are excited about the start of the season," said Hamstra. "Our team has worked extraordinarily hard and are ready to get into the water and compete. We will see where we are on Friday and Saturday," he said.
 
Johnson was one of two Cougars to qualify for nationals a year ago. She set a school and conference record of 55:02 in 100 butterfly and also set a school mark in the 200 butterfly at the conference meet (1:59.83). She earned honorable mention All-American honors in the 200 butterfly and was part of USF's first-ever All-American relay team as the 400 medley was seventh. Returning from that All-American team is Johnson, Marcon and Kasch. At the league meet, USF broke four NSIC meet records, recorded seven NCAA 'B' cuts, one NCAA 'A' cut, set five school records and six swimmers posted personal-best results.  
 
Also returning to this talented squad will be conference point earners Elizabeth Spaans, who set a school mark in the 200 IM while finishing third and competing in three relays at nationals, Jenna Krahn, Nina Groene, Evelyn VanDeMark, Sydnie Saddoris, Tori Bailey, Keelin O'Connor, Alex Sanchez Clark, Lauren Tabbert, Aleah Rohde, and Leah Eagleton.  
 
After competing at U-Mary, USF heads to the Midwest Shootout in Omaha, Neb., on Oct. 12.