WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Carroll University women's swimming and diving team is scheduled to compete in the prestigious, ever-challenging seven-team College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin Championships at the RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. from Feb. 17-19.
Carroll, which has shown significant, steady improvement and performed with confidence throughout the season under head coach Guy Gniotczynski, plans to showcase its talent, depth and experience while building on the squad's last official in-person appearance at the traditional annual competition, a fifth-place team finish in 2020.
The Pioneers are coming off an impressive, statement-making second-place finish at the Wisconsin Private College Championships at Carthage College's Koenitzer Aquatic Center on Jan. 29.
In last year's CCIW Cup Series event (where no team scores were kept but individual results were recognized), graduated standout Lindsey Coons captured an individual title in the 100-yard backstroke and Carroll placed four relay teams in the top five - highlighted by a strong, second-place finish in the 800 freestyle.
Ingrid Hay also earned individual CCIW all-conference honors last year, finishing third in the 200 individual medley in a school-record time of 2:10.94 (shattering the former mark established by Jordan Barclay in 2009) and placing fourth in the 100 backstroke.
Hay, a senior standout from Schaumburg, Ill., will help lead the Pioneers and is currently seeded fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:00.09), tied for fourth in the 50 backstroke (28.23), seventh in the 200 individual medley (2:14.75), tied for seventh in the 50 freestyle (25.33) and ninth in the 200 backstroke (2:15.29)
Hay is a key member of the third-seeded 200 freestyle relay (1:40.53), fourth-seeded 400 freestyle relay (3:40.21), fifth-seeded 400 medley relay (4:08.33) and sixth-seeded 200 medley relay.
Emily Wong, who earned all-conference honors in the 200 butterfly in 2020, collected two top-five finishes in the CCIW Cup Series last year finishing fourth in both the 100 fly (1:00.18) and 200 fly (2:13.75).
Wong, a senior from Gurnee, Ill., is seeded second in the 200 fly (2:13.85), 11th in 200 freestyle (2:01.88), tied for 11th in 200 individual medley (2:16.60) and a member of four top-six relays for the Pioneers.
Josie Peterson, a freshman standout from Jefferson, Wis. who is in the midst of a memorable breakout season, is currently No.-1 ranked in the CCIW in the 50 freestyle (24.44), second-seeded in the 100 freestyle (53.50), 20th in the 200 freestyle (2:03.39) and slated to compete on four top-six relays.
Other individuals ranked in the top-20 for Carroll include: Kailee Sitter, eighth in 200 fly (2:21.76) and 16th in 400 individual medley (5:01.32); Alyssa Szczepaniak, 10th in the 100 backstroke (1:01.89), 13th in 50 backstroke (29.01) and 17th in 200 backstroke (2:19.43).
"This is looking to be one of the best years in recent history," said Gniotczynski, of the exciting, pressure-packed league competition. "Both the men's and women's teams are strong with high motivation to succeed and multiple athletes seeded within the top eight. As a coach and alum, I am incredibly excited to see what these Pios accomplish after a long season of training."    

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: Carroll University women's swimming and diving team
Head Coach: Guy Gniotczynski
Team Members: Seniors - Grace Fanshaw, Ingrid Hay, Madeline Nelson, Emily Wong; Juniors - Olivia Buganjny, Elena Faia, Anina Lee, Kara Loy, Brooke Wills; Sophomores - Jaina Bowen, Ella Johnson, Nicole Johnson, Fiona Lukes, Madeline McVey, Cami Nate, Kayelyn Schulze, Elizabeth Sperlakis; Freshmen - Chopper Ceshker, Kayla James, Kaiya Kolberg, Anna Claire Miller, Joselyn Peterson, Alyssa Szczepaniak, Sydney Shotton, Kailee Sitter, Elizabeth Stratman
Event: College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin Championships
When: February 17-19
Where: The RecPlex, Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Carroll Individual/Relay Seedings
(Athletes in top 50 in CCIW)

50 Freestyle
1. Josie Peterson 24.44
7. (tie) Ingrid Hay 25.33
33. Kara Loy 26.16
34. Anina Lee 26.18
49. Emily Wong 26.87
50. Chopper Ceshker 26.97

100 Freestyle
2. Joselyn Peterson 53.50
24. Emily Wong 56.41
27. (tie) Kara Loy 56.93
34. Anina Lee 57.20

200 Freestyle
11. Emily Wong 2:01.88
20. Joselyn Peterson 2:03.39
30. Ingrid Hay 2:06.06
35. Kara Loy 2:06.66
45. Chopper Ceshker 2:09.20

500 Freestyle
33. Chopper Ceshker 5:43.89
38. Madeline Nelson 5:46.06
41. Kailee Sitter 5:47.94
48. Kayla James 5:55.45
49. Grace Fanshaw 5:55.43

1,000 Freestyle
27. Chopper Ceshker 12:18.10
29. Grace Fanshaw 12:24.25
31. Kaiya Kolberg 12:56.63

1,650 Freestyle
21. Chopper Ceshker 2:08.48
22. Grace Fanshaw 2:10.45
26. Kaiya Kolberg 21:01.57
28. Kayelyn Schulze 24:55.86

50 Backstroke
4. (tie) Ingrid Hay 28.23
13. Alyssa Szczepaniak 29.01
23. Kayla James 30.61
34. Sophia Fanshaw 31.80
40. Kailee Sitter 32.99

100 Backstroke
4. Ingrid Hay 1:00.09
10. Alyssa Szczepaniak 1:01.89
43. Sophia Fanshaw 1:07.73

200 Backstroke
9. Ingrid Hay 2:15.29
17. Alyssa Szczepaniak 2:19.43
24. Kayla James 2:24.10
25. Sophia Fanshaw 2:24.25
38. Nicole Johnson 2:41.70

100 Breaststroke
38. Brooke Wills 1:16.37
41. Elena Faia 1:17.43
46. Alyssa Szczepaniak 1:18.98
47. Elizabeth Stratman 1:19.20

200 Breaststroke
27. Brooke Wills 2:48.55
30. Elena Faia 2:51.60
34. Elizabeth Stratman 2:58.16
35. Madeline McVey 3:02.35
36. Jaina Bowen 3:11.73
37. Ella Johnson 3:30.76

100 Butterfly
23. Kailee Sitter 1:03.86
39. Elizabeth Sperlakis 1:07.85
49. Nicole Johnson 1:13.79

200 Butterfly
2. Emily Wong 2:13.85
8. Kailee Sitter 2:21.76
22. Nicole Johnson 2:46.51
24. Anna Claire Miller 3:07.17

200 Individual Medley
7. Ingrid Hay 2:14.75
11. (tie) Emily Wong 2:16.60
28. Kailee Sitter 2:22.31
38. Grace Fanshaw 2:27.54
47. Elizabeth Sperlakis 2:34.20
48. Brooke Wills 2:35.21

400 Individual Medley
16. Kailee Sitter 5:01.32
21. Grace Fanshaw 5:10.36
31. Nicole Johnson 5:38.98
32. Elizabeth Sperlakis 5:45.42
33. Anna Claire Miller 6:12.79

200 Freestyle Relay
3. Carroll (Ingrid Hay, Kara Loy, Anina Lee, Joselyn Peterson) 1:40.53

400 Freestyle Relay
4. Carroll (Emily Wong, Anina Lee, Ingrid Hay, Joselyn Peterson) 3:40.21

800 Freestyle Relay
4. Carroll (Emily Wong, Kara Loy, Kailee Sitter, Chopper Ceshker) 8:20.27

200 Medley Relay
6. Carroll (Ingrid Hay, Brooke Wills, Emily Wong, Joselyn Peterson) 1:53.63

400 Medley Relay
5. Carroll (Ingrid Hay, Brooke Wills, Emily Wong, Joselyn Peterson) 4:08.33