The Colorado College swimming and diving teams open their 2025-26 season this weekend in Grinnell, Iowa.
 
The Tigers will open the season with a dual meet against Grinnell College on Friday, Oct. 17, beginning at 6 p.m. CT, then have a double dual with Grinnell and Augustana College on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 10:30 a.m. CT.
 
Jen Buffin enters her second year as head coach at CC after spending two seasons as an assistant coach. The Tigers have posted 28 school records, including nine last year in her debut season as head coach, since Buffin joined the coaching staff in 2022.
 
"This meet is an exciting way to start the year, it's our first chance to get up and race, to see how our training translates, and to compete as a team," Buffin said. "These early season meets are a great opportunity to race and serve as an important step toward our championship goals." 
 
The men's team is looking to defend its SCAC Championship after winning the league title for the first time in program history in '24-25. Leading the way for the men's team are senior Edmund Davis and sophomore Andrew Colgan.
 
Davis is a two-time SCAC champion in the 1650 freestyle (2023 and '24) and won the 500 freestyle in 2023. He has also been a member of the SCAC second-place 800 freestyle relay team each of his three years at CC.

"Edmund has led our distance group for the last three years has set the standard for training and the level at which this group will compete this season," Buffin said. "Lucio Bolletierri will also be an asset in our distance group." 
 
Colgan, meanwhile, is the defending SCAC champion in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke races. He was also a member of the SCAC-champion 200 and 400 medley relay teams and set a school record in the 100 breaststroke and both medley relays.
 
"Andrew and fellow returning school-record holder Sam Allen will continue to be key pieces in the relays," Buffin said. "Both sophomores will also play a major role individual and  their leadership and contributions in and out of the pool form a strong foundation for this year's team. In the sprint group, Liam McCarthy and Dax Sherwood return after breakout seasons, each with ambitious goals to push the relays toward the national stage."
 
Allen won the SCAC 200 backstroke title with a school-record time of 1:50.02, while McCarthy was a member of three SCAC championship relays last season.
 
Freshmen Mark Lofye and Logan Loveday have been impressive so far during the preseason. 
 
"Mark and Logan are expected to make an immediate impact as both have integrated into the team culture training at a high level and motivated to help our team take another step to being a national level program," Buffin said. "And the team is excited to support diver Nico Rimer, who has been putting in tremendous effort and making noticeable strides on the boards in a short period of time."
 
On the women's team, a strong group of returners, including seniors Megan Simonson, Sarah Buchman, Malia Hewitt and Grace Ersfeld O'Brien, will lead the Tigers into the '25-26 campaign after a third consecutive runner-up finish at the SCAC Championships.
 
Hewitt, the defending SCAC champion in the 100 breaststroke, owns a pair of runner-up results in the 200 race.
 
"Malia continues to lead the breaststroke group, while teammates Isabella Cole and Riley Romisher continue their steady improvement from last season," Buffin said. "Charlotte Flory, who is a new member of the breaststroke group after a successful end of season meet last year, will also continue to compete in the sprint free events."

Buchman swam on four second-place relays at the SCAC Meet last season, while Simonson was a member of three.
 
"Sarah, Megan and Julia Cox lead the sprint free group, forming the backbone of the team's relays," Buffin said. "Pilar Pagni will continue to help the depth of our sprint group on relays and individually. I am also excited to see Maddy Golier continue to build on her progress in the individual medley events while expanding her range into the butterfly group. Alyssa Tunggal continues to set the bar high in the middle-distance group, she has been consistently improving and expect this meet to be a great opportunity for her to lead in the 500 free, fly events and medley relays."
 
Several talented freshmen will immediately strengthen the roster this season.
 
"Lizzie McWilliams, Livi Woolery and Lucia Chapell will be featured in backstroke and sprint free events, leading off medley relays and adding depth across the board with Chapell also extending into the 200 backstroke," Buffin said. "Annie Engstrom has shown promise in early training and will join sophomore Kylie Spalt as key contributors in the distance events, while Margaret Rauth will bolster the team's strength in the butterfly and join Ersfeld O'Brien in middle-distance and sprint free races."
 
Keller Pooley, the reigning 1-meter SCAC champion, will join the team for the second half of the season after studying abroad in the fall.