SIOUX FALLS — The No. 11 University of Sioux Falls Swimming squad (7-0) will return to the pool as they host Northern State on Senior Day on Saturday, Jan. 11 in the final dual competition of the 2019-20 season. Competition will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Midco Aquatic Center.  After the meet with NSU, USF will next compete at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Championship on Feb. 12-15 at Bismarck, N.D.

On Saturday prior to the meet, USF will recognize seniors Leah Eagleton of Auckland, New Zealand; Kyjana Webber of Gulfport, Miss.; Lauren Tabbert of LeMars, Iowa; and Julia Zanto of New Hope, Minn. Fans can follow the meet on live video by clicking here.

Under the direction of second-year head coach Chris Hamstra, the Cougars have started a perfect 7-0 in 2019-20, which is the best record in the life of the four-year program. In their most recent meet, USF took care of business by taking down NCAA Division I Nebraska-Omaha 174-114, winning 12 of the 16 events, with two of the events being events that only UNO participated in.

In USF's most recent competition, they finished a standout performance at the Augustana Invitational with 23 NCAA "B" cuts and seven school records as the meet concluded on Nov. 23. After three days of competition, USF finished only behind two DI schools. SDSU was first with 1,301.5 points with USF second at 1,251 points and USF, third, at 1,092 points. Host Augustana was fourth with 894 points followed by U-Mary, 612.5; Iowa Central CC, 217; College of Saint Mary, 121; and Iowa Lake CC, 30.

USF has had four NSIC Swimmers of the Week
One of the leaders for USF was standout junior Chantal Kasch, who became the third different USF swimmer named NSIC Athlete of the Week in 2019-20. A junior from Stade, Germany, Kasch is the fourth USF swimmer (Ella Johnson, twice; Jenna Krahn) to earn the NSIC weekly honor in the 2019-20 season. Kasch earned the award after a high-level performance at the Augustana Invitational where she put together two top six individual times – both NCAA "B" cuts - and was part of two relays which had NCAA cuts to nationals and stand sixth in DII rankings. As such, Kasch is part of four events now ranked nationally in the top-six in DII. Kasch won the 200 breast with an NCAA B cut of 2:17.58 (prelims) before clocking a 2:18.2 in the finals. With the clocking of 2:17.58 in the 200 breast, she ranks ninth in NCAA DII. In the 100 breast, Kasch not only had an NCAA "B" cut but she broke a school record with the fifth-ranked time in DII at 1:02.10 in the prelims. In the finals she clocked 1:02.26 to win the individual title. She was part of the 400 medley relay (Elizabeth Spaans, Ella Johnson, Jenna Krahn and Kasch), which won a title in 3:46.26 at the Augie Invite. The relay's clocking was an NCAA cut and will send the relay to nationals in that event.  With Kasch leading the way, the USF relay ranks 11th in DII. She also swam on the 200 medley relay which also had an NCAA cut of 1:43.02 which sends the team to DII nationals in the event. She was joined on the relay, which is ranked eighth in DII, by Ella Johnson, Elizabeth Spaans, and Jenna Krahn.

USF sophomore Ella Johnson and junior Jenna Krahn have been named NSIC Swimmers of the Week, with Johnson earning these honors twice. Johnson, who has three fly times that rank in the top 15 nationally, was honored after accounting for seven individual or relay wins during the quad dual in Bismarck on Oct. 5. Krahn was honored by league after she had an NCAA "B" standard, won the 100 free and was a major contributor in three relays as the Cougars rolled to dual meet victories over Minnesota State, MSU Moorhead and Augustana on Oct. 25-26.    

Johnson, Krahn, Spaans and Kasch among individuals ranked nationally
In total, Johnson, who earned honorable mention individual honors in the 200 back at the NCAA DII nationals and was part of an All-American relay, is part of seven events, individual or relay, which ranks in the top-25 nationally. Johnson, who has 21 individual or relay wins this season, ranks third in the 200 fly with a clocking of 1:59.73 (11-23-19), sits fourth in the 100 fly at 54.29 (11-21-19). She is also 15^th in the 50 fly at 26.31.  Johnson is a member of the 11^th ranked 400 free relay, 10^th ranked 800 free relay, 11^th ranked 400 medley and eight-ranked 200 medley.

Kasch is ranked in three individual and five overall events (two relays) in DII. She is fifth nationally and first in the NSIC in the 100 breast with a clocking of 1:02.00. In the 50 breast, Kasch ranks eighth nationally and first in the NSIC with a clocking of 30.50. She is also ninth in DII and first in the NSIC in the 200 breast with a "B" standard time of 2:17.58. Kasch is also a member of the eighth-ranked 200 medley and the 11^th-ranked 400 medley relays.

Krahn is ranked in the top 25 in the 50 free with her clocking of 23.33 ranking 18^th in DII.  She is also a member of the 10^th ranked 200 free relay, the 11^th-ranked 400 free relay, the 11^th ranked 400 medley and the eighth-ranked 200 medley.

Elizabeth Spaans is ranked in the top-25 in two individuals events and swims as part of four ranked relays. She has a DII ranking of 16^th in the 50 back with a time of 26.13 while sitting 17^th nationally in the 100 back with a clocking of 55.55.  She is part of the 200 free relay ranked 10^th; 800 free relay, ranked 10^th; 400 medley relay, ranked 11^th and the eight-ranked 200 medley relay. 

Senior Leah Eagleton is a member of the ranked 200 free relay (10^th), 400 free relay (11^th) and 800-free relay (10^th).    

NCAA DII Rankings – Individual

Among the individual rankings, Ella Johnson has two top four rankings while Chantal Kasch is ranked in the top 10 in three events.

50 Free – Jenna Krahn, 18^th, 23.33, 11-21-19
50 Back – Elizabeth Spaans, 16^th, 26.13, 11-21-19
100 Back – Elizabeth Spaans, 17^th, 55.55, 11-22-19
50 Breast – Chantal Kasch, 8^th, 30.80, 10-5-19; Abby Ford, 25^th, 31.69
100 Breast – Chantal Kasch, 5^th, 1:02.10, 11-22-19
200 Breast – Chantal Kasch, 9^th, 2:17.58, 11-23-19
50 Fly – Ella Johnson, 15^th, 26.31, 10-5-19
100 Fly – Ella Johnson, 4^th, 54.29, 11-21-19
200 Fly – Ella Johnson, 3^rd, 1:59.73, 11-23-19

USF ranked relays
USF has five relays ranked in the top 12 which including three (200 free, 10^th; 800 free, 10^th; and 200 medley, 8^th) ranked in the nation's top 10.

200 Free – 10^th, 1:34.44, 11-22-19 (Elizabeth Spaans, Leah Eagleton, Jenna Krahn and Kyjanna Webber)
400 Free – 11^th, 3:27.23, 11-20-19 (Ella Johnson, Jenna Krahn, Ursula Demarquet and Leah Eagleton)
800 Free – 10^th, 7:33.80, 11-19-19 (Elizabeth Spaans, Leah Eagleton, Ella Johnson and Guilia Marcon)
400 Medley – 11^th, 3:46.26, 11-5-19 (Elizabeth Spaans, Ella Johnson, Jenna Krahn and Chantal Kasch)
200 Medley – 8^th, 1:43.02, 11-21-19 (Elizabeth Spaans, Ella Johnson, Chantal Kasch and Jenna Krahn).