SIOUX FALLS -- With an 18-match dual match winning streak in hand, the University of Sioux Falls Swimming Team (8-0) faces the last team to defeat them when they travel to DI Nebraska-Omaha (2-2) on Saturday, January 23. After opening 8-0, the Cougars are hoping to keep the same energy going into their dual with Nebraska-Omaha. 

USF has captured a school-record 18 straight dual wins, which dates back to a loss to DI Nebraska-Omaha in December 2018. In a dominating performance on Jan. 15 at the Midco Aquatic Center, the Cougars defeated city rival Augustana,148-56. Then, USF had a spotloess 6-0 mark as they had wins of 86-80 and 86-61 over U-Mary, 128-39 and 112-33 over Northern State, and 95-72 and 102-43 over Augustana. With the victories, USF has a combined all-time mark of 21-0 against Augustana, Mary and NSU.

Series Marks Against Nebraska-Omaha

In the overall series, it's all tied up, with the Cougars and the Mavericks each having one win and one loss. The first time the two teams competed, back on Dec. 18, 2018, UNO defeated USF 169.5-124.5. On Nov. 9, 2019, the two competed once again, however, this time the Cougars came out on top, 174-114. Both meets were held at the Midco Aquatic Center.  UNO has opened 2-2 with its most recent competition a 187-79 dual loss to Iowa State on Jan. 16.

USF Swimming Head Coach Chris Hamstra looks forward to seeing how his team handles competing against a DI program. 

"We are excited to continue our season. We have a tough challenge going into a DI program's house, but we will have some awesome races to help us prepare for the end of the season," said Hamstra, whose team is 21-2 in dual matches since he took over the program in 2018.

The USF Swimming Team is led by All-Americans Chantal Kasch, Lizzy Spaans, and Jenna Krahn, as well as an impressive roster, including freshman and sophomores who are making a splash this season. 
 

Individual Top Three Placings for the 2021 Season So Far

Giovanna Bario

• 1st place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 3rd place - 100 back vs Augie 

Chantal Kasch (8 titles - 4 relays, 4 individual)

• 1st place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 1st place - 100 breaststroke @ NSU 

• 1st place - 200 breaststroke @ NSU

• 1st place - 200  medley relay vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 200 IM vs Augie 

• 1st place - 100 breaststroke vs Augie

• 1st place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 2nd place - 200 breaststroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 200 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 100 breaststroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Domenica Solano (8 titles - 4 individual - four relays)

• 1st place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 2nd place - 200 freestyle @ NSU

• 1st place - 100 butterfly @ NSU

• 1st place - 200 free relay @ NSU

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay vs Augie     

• 1st place - 100 back vs Augie 

• 1st place - 400 free relay vs Augie

• 1st place - 200 backstroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 200 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 2nd place - 100 IM vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 1st place - 100 backstroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Ursula Demarquet (2 titles both relays)

• 1st place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 2nd place - 50 free @ NSU

• 1st place - 200  medley relay vs Augie 

• 2nd place - 50 free vs Augie 

• 2nd place - 100 free vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 50 free vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 3rd place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

Lizzy Spaans (5 titles - 3 relays - 2 individual

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 1st place - 100 back @ NSU

• 1st place - 200 back @ NSU 

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay vs Augie

• 1st place - 200 IM vs Augie 

• 2nd place - 100 breaststroke vs Augie 

• 1st place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary    

• 2nd place - 200 backstroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 2nd place - 200 backstroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Abby Ford 

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 2nd place - 500 free vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 free relay vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 3rd place - 100 breaststroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Valerie Childs (7 titles - 3 individual - four relays)

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 1st place - 200 butterfly @ NSU 

• 1st place - 200 free relay @ NSU

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay vs Augie    

• 1st place - 200 free vs Augie 

• 1st place - 100 butterfly vs Augie 

• 1st place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 2nd place - 100 butterfly vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 200 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 2nd place - 200 butterfly vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Jenna Krahn (9 titles - 5 individual - 4 relays)

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay @ NSU

• 1st place - 50 free @ NSU

• 1st place - 100 free @ NSU 

• 1st place - 50 free vs Augie

• 1st place - 100 free vs Augie 

• 1st place - 400 free relay vs Augie

• 1st place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 1st place - 50 free vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 200 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 2nd place - 100 free vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Nina Groene (one title)

• 1st place - 1000 freestyle @ NSU 

• 2nd place - 1000 free vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 free relay vs Augie 

Alexandra Sanchez-Clark 

• 2nd place - 1000 freestyle @ NSU 

Kaylee Tringali (2 titles - one individual - one relay)

• 1st place - 200 freestyle @ NSU

• 1st place - 400 free relay vs Augie

• 3rd place - 200 free vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 3rd place - 200 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 3rd place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

Evelyn Van De Mark (two titles - one relay - one individual)

• 3rd place - 200 freestyle @ NSU 

• 1st place - 500 free @ NSU

• 3rd place - 1000 free vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 free relay vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 500 free vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 1st place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Ilinde du Plessis (one title - relay)

• 3rd place - 100 back @ NSU 

• 1st place - 200  medley relay vs Augie 

• 2nd place - 100 back vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 3rd place - 100 backstroke vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 3rd place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

Jaidyn Nelson 

• 3rd place - 100 breaststroke @ NSU 

Paulina Ruelas (one title - one individual)

• 2nd place - 200 butterfly @ NSU 

• 1st place - 200 IM @ NSU

• 2nd place - 200 IM vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 IM vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 3rd place - 200 butterfly vs AU, NSU, UMary 

• 3rd place - 800 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

Tori Bailey (one title - one relay)

• 3rd place - 50 free @ NSU

• 1st place - 400 free relay vs Augie

• 3rd place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 3rd place - 200 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Sydnie Saddoris 

• 1st place - 200 free relay @ NSU

• 3rd place - 200 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Giulia Marcon (one title - one relay)

• 1st place - 200 free relay @ NSU

• 2nd place - 200 medley relay vs Augie

• 3rd place - 400 free relay vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 200 free relay vs AU, NSU, UMary 

Emily Solarski  (one title - one relay)

• 1st place - 200  medley relay vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 100 butterfly vs Augie 

Makenzy Kennedy 

• 2nd place - 100 butterfly vs Augie 

• 3rd place - 400 medley relay vs AU, NSU, UMary

• 3rd place - 100 IM vs AU, NSU, UMary 
   

Past History - Cougars have finished 3rd in NSIC Championships 3 straight years
The Cougars, who had eight individuals or relays crowned champions at the 2020 NSIC Championships, are looking to take the success from their first few meets and keep it rolling into the rest of their season. 

For the 2021 season, the Cougars, who have finished third at the NSIC Championship three consecutive years, are facing a competitive schedule line up, including this week's upcoming meet against Nebraska-Omaha (Jan. 23), as well as the Coyote Invite (Jan. 29-30).

The NSIC Intercollegiate Conference Championships are set for Feb.10 - Feb.13, with location still to be determined, while the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships are set for Mar. 17 - Mar. 20 in Birmingham, AL.