Northeastern swim and dive’s deep freshman class shone in the Oct. 4 season opener as the program looks to climb CAA standings.
The team kicked off its 2025-26 season in dominant fashion, earning a 192-108 victory over the University of Vermont Catamounts at Barletta Natatorium. The meet, held as part of Friends and Family Day and the team’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness meet, served as an early showcase of the Huskies’ depth, balance and promise for the season ahead.
The season-opening win marked the debut of 11 newcomers — 10 swimmers and one diver — on the 25-member roster led by head coach of 33 years, Roy Coates.
“We lost a lot of leadership and a lot of talent, and we brought in a lot of youth and a lot of depth and a lot of talent also,” Coates said in an interview with The Huntington News. “[The freshmen are] just a really, really great class. We’re really lucky to have such a talented group join our team.”
Despite high roster turnover from last season, the program’s leadership has quickly solidified. The team has three captains, seniors Teagan Osga and Kotoko Blair along with junior Mary Nordmann, who have already shown themselves to be strong leaders. Senior diver Anelise Kim has also proved a key component and leader of the diving squad.
Kim opened the meet with a statement performance, sweeping both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Kim posted scores of 261.00 and 253.95, respectively, to take home a pair of individual victories and give the Huskies momentum.
In her collegiate debut, freshman Kailyn Aquino earned a third-place finish in the 3-meter with a score of 223.20, showcasing the early strength of the freshman class.
On the swimming side, the Huskies started fast with a first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay as sophomore Delaney Alonso, graduate student Elisabeth Bendall, freshman Alexandra Fuller and junior May Bradburn clocked in at 1:46.42.
From there, rookies compounded the Huskies’ efforts. Freshman Abigail Gowern had her first career win in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:29.11) and then followed it with a second win in the 500-yard freestyle (5:09.59). Fellow freshman Siena Griffiths won the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.09), followed by freshman Eliana Auerbach in third (1:59.21), establishing the team’s dominance in mid-distance and distance freestyle.
The freshman class continued its strong showing with Sophie Bromley taking the 100-yard backstroke in 57.67, while Marea Li dominated in the 200-yard breaststroke with a winning time of 2:25.36.
While the freshmen impressed, Northeastern’s veterans ensured stability across the lineup. Bradburn had a standout performance, winning the 50-yard freestyle (24.33) alongside important relay contributions. Blair finished just behind her in third (24.49), showing consistency and speed in her final season opener.
The Huskies also dominated in the 100-yard butterfly, sweeping the top four spots. Fuller led the way in 56.13, followed by Bradburn, Nordmann and sophomore Kate Kerber. Freshman Alex Campion brought home another win for the Huskies in the 200-yard individual medley (2:08.68), leading a sweep with Bromley and Li.
To close out the meet, Nordmann, Fuller, Blair and Bradburn combined to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:36.31, capping off a convincing season-opening victory.
The team, led to victory by a cohesive group of captains, anticipates a competitive season ahead.
“We have really strong leadership with Teagan [Osga], Kotoko [Blair] and Mary [Nordmann],” Coates said. “They set the tone in and out of the pool, and that’s critical when you’re integrating so many freshmen.”
The coaches — including a new assistant coach who will start soon, according to Coates — and captains have already begun prioritizing community building. Ranging from a team barbecue at Coates’ house, mentorship pairings and a charity open-water swim that raised nearly $9,000 for cancer research, the team is working toward community in and out of the water.
“We talk a lot about balance — between training, school and life,” Coates said. “For our freshmen, everything about their life changes in one day. We make sure they know the resources available and that they’re supported.”
With the first meet in the books, the Huskies are already turning their attention to the coming weeks and the team’s long-term goals.
“Our mission this year is to be top three in the CAA,” Coates said. “[Everything] is about continuing to build every week so we’re at our best in February.”
The Huskies will look to extend their early momentum when they travel south to face the University of Rhode Island at the Tootell Aquatic Center Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12 p.m.
