The Penn State Altoona men's and women's swimming program enters the 2022-23 season with much cause for optimism. Each team returns a very talented core of swimmers, while also welcoming many newcomers who have the potential to make waves this season.

Last season, each squad placed third in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships, and fifth-year head coach Brad Brooks believes that his teams have the talent to improve upon those finishes.

"With our combination of experience and youth on the team, I think we are headed in the right direction, in terms of our ability to be a contender at the conference championship level," said Brooks. "The buy-in to the program is evident and obvious, and I'm excited about the potential of this group as we continue to build volume and intensity in training. We return 136 of our 179 individual men's points from last year's conference championships, and 255 of our 301 women's individual points. Combine that with an incoming class with plenty of scoring potential, and I think the future looks bright."

Men's Swimming Preview:

Penn State Altoona brings back five swimmers from last year, each of whom made a significant impact on the team throughout the schedule.

"We are really excited for this season," said Brooks. "A large majority of our team from last year returns, and they bring much-needed leadership and experience to the team."

Senior Isaac Swanson (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) leads the group of returners for the fourth year of his exceptional collegiate career. Swanson, the 2019-20 AMCC Men's Swimmer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year as a freshman, took first-team all-conference status in the 1,650 Freestyle last season, as well as second-team all-conference honors in the 200 Yard Freestyle. Sophomore Luke Pletz (Jefferson Hill, PA/Thomas Jefferson) is also back after making a strong impression during his freshman season with the Lions. Last year, Pletz was first-team All-AMCC in the 200 Yard Backstroke.

"The men's team is led by captains Isaac Swanson and Luke Pletz," Brooks stated. "Both Isaac and Luke will be expected to contend for individual conference championship titles, and they will be a driving force on our relay squads at the end of the year."

The Lions also return juniors Tomasz Zukowski (Slatington, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) and Ethan Andrews (McVeytown, PA/Mifflin County), as well as sophomore Laurence Wang (New Zealand/Auckland Grammar School).

"Tommy and Laurence will lead the sprint free and fly group, and they will look to build on the success they had at their first conference championship meet last year," said Brooks. "Ethan dropped a huge amount of time in the distance events last year and will remain a reliable and consistent performer in a variety of events for us."

Penn State Altoona's group of returners will be complemented by eight swimmers embarking on their first years with the program: Adam Dotts (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin), Adam Marawan (Dubai, UAE/GEMS Dubai American Academy), Adam McGlynn (Ebensburg, PA/Central Cambria), Brian Nguyen (Lancaster, PA/-), Allan Samoilvich (Leonia, NJ/-), Christopher Schell (Wyoming, PA/Holy Redeemer), Matteo Sinagoga (Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy), and Jack Zisa (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury).

"Our incoming class this year brings a lot of firepower and depth to the program. Our sprint group adds Matteo, Adam McGlynn, and Adam Dotts, who will all be very valuable on relays at the end of the year and will also be able to get into the individual scoring mix at the conference championships throughout the sprint free and breaststroke events," Brooks explained. "Jack, Chris, and Adam Marawan bring firepower to the mid-distance group, and they have the flexibility to branch into a mix of different stroke events to give us depth during the dual meet season. Brian and Allan are both adaptable swimmers who can swim quality IM events, while being able to compete well through the 200s of the strokes, which has been a weakness of ours in the past. This group will allow us to have multiple successful dual meet lineups and drive us to our highest-ever point total at conferences."

Penn State Altoona men's swimming is scheduled to start its 2022-23 schedule on the road next Saturday, October 15, when the Lions will head west to face non-conference opponent Washington & Jefferson College in a dual meet starting at 1:00 p.m.

Women's Swimming Preview:

Like the men's squad, the Penn State Altoona women's team heads into its 2022-23 season with a strong group of returners, welcoming back six swimmers from last year – each of whom played major parts in the team's successes.

Grace Dangelo (State College, PA/State College) and Avery Heisey (Lancaster, PA/Conestoga Valley) return for their senior seasons with the Lions, following standout careers over their first three years with the program. Dangelo, a two-time and reigning AMCC Women's Swimmer of the Year, took first-team all-conference honors in the 200 and 400 Yard IM, as well as the 200 Yard Butterfly. Heisey took first-team All-AMCC recognition in the 100 Yard Butterfly, as well as second-team honors in the 50 Yard Freestyle and 100 Yard Freestyle.

"Our women's team will be led by captains Grace Dangelo and Avery Heisey," said Brooks. "Grace is coming off of her second women's conference swimmer of the year honor, and Avery has continually performed as one of the top sprinters in the conference since her freshman year."

Also returning are junior Sarah Petry (St. Benedict, PA/Cambria Heights) and sophomore Madison Coleman (Altoona, PA/Tyrone), who joined with Dangelo and Heisey last season to earn first-team All-AMCC status in the 200 and 400 Yard Freestyle Relay events, as well as second-team all-conference recognition in the 800 Yard Freestyle Relay.

Sophomores Grace Frey (Wayne, PA/Conestoga) and McKenna Holl (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) round out Penn State Altoona's group of returners. Frey qualified for 'A' finals in the 100 and 200 Yard Backstroke swims during the AMCC Championships last season, while Holl made the cut for the 100 and 200 Yard Breaststroke 'A' finals during the championships.

"Madison and Sarah really stepped up in the mid-distance free events last season, and they will build off of that success this year with some consistent 'A' final performances," Brooks stated. "Grace and McKenna both made the 'A' finals in two events last year, and they should be able to increase their scoring potential in their primary backstroke and breaststroke events."

The Lions also add seven newcomers to the roster: Rachel Dangelo (State College, PA/State College), Olivia Orlando (Swoyersville, PA/Holy Redeemer), Isabella Rhoades (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone), Teah Sponsler (Halifax, PA/Halifax), Audrey Weaver (Dillsburg, PA/Northern York), Isabella White (Fairfax, VA/Woodson), and Megan Yingling (Gettysburg, PA/Gettysburg).

"Our incoming women's class has looked great in training so far, and we are pumped to see them race. Teah comes out of high school with top-five scoring potential in multiple events, and Audrey will be one of the leaders of our breaststroke and IM groups, and she will be a three-event 'A' finalist at conferences," Brooks detailed. "Izzy White, Bella Rhoades, Megan Yingling, and Olivia Orlando are welcome additions to our sprint free group, and they will give us depth in both free and medley relays at conferences. Rachel Dangelo will join Sarah and Maddy in the distance free realm, and she has already made significant steps forward in the first two weeks of practice."

Penn State Altoona women's swimming starts its 2022-23 campaign at home this Saturday, October 8 at 2:00 p.m., when the Lions will host Division II opponent Lock Haven University for a dual meet in the Adler Natatorium.