Courtesy: Washington State Athletics
COUGARS OPEN 2020-21 SEASON AT IDAHO
Washington State women’s swimming is set to open their 2020-21 season with a quick trip over to Moscow, Idaho for a pair of non-conference meets against the University of Idaho Friday and Saturday. Both meets will be streamed on the Idaho Vandals Facebook page, GoVandals.com/VandalAthletics.
SERIES HISTORY
WSU owns a 21-7 all-time record against Idaho including the last four matchups after a 173-89 victory in Pullman last season. The Cougars are 10-4 all-time in Moscow with Idaho’s last win in the series coming in 2011.
FOUR COUGS NOTCH OLYMPIC TRIAL TIMES
Mackenzie Duarte ended last winter’s 2019 U.S. Open earning an Olympic Trial Cut time in the 200 breast to send her to Omaha. Duarte joined Cougar teammates Taylor McCoy (200 back) and Lauren Burckel (200 breast, 100 breast) who also recorded Olympic Trial cut times during the 2019 summer. The 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trails have been rescheduled for the 2021 summer in Omaha, Neb. Mia Zahab recorded Olympic Trial times for Team Canada in seven events.
COUGARS CAPPED SEASON AT CSCAA NATIONAL INVITATIONALS
Washington State closed the season traveling to Cleveland for the CSCAA National Invitational. Emily Barrier, Payton Bokowy, Lauren Burckel, Mackenzie Duarte, Keiana Fountaine, Kate Laderoute, Chloe Larson, Taylor McCoy Sierra Ortiz, and Mia Zahab. The meet was limited to just one day due to COVID-19, the final two days were canceled. The Cougars ended the opening day with five swims in the A Finals, with three of the five women finishing in the top five of their individual events.
COUGARS SET FOUR SCHOOL RECORDS AT PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Washington State traveled to Federal Way, Wash. to take part in the Pac-12 Championships. WSU scored a total of 396 points topping their total from last season by 111.5 points. They ended the week with 17 WSU Top 10 times and broke four records, two by Keiana Fountaine, one by Lauren Burckel and one by the relay team of Keiana Fountaine, Chloe Larson, Payton Bokowy, and Chloe Larson.
WSU EARNS CSCAA SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Four Cougars received CSCAA Scholar All-American accolades, the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) last season. Seniors Mackenzie Duarte, Chloe Larson and Taylor McCoy along with junior Lauren Burckel each received CSCAA Scholar All-America Honorable Mention. The award recognizes student-athletes who achieved a grade-point-average of 3.5 of higher and were invited to compete at a postseason National Championship event. All four qualified and competed at the CSCAA National Invitational. In his two seasons at Washington State, head coach Matt Leach has seen seven swimmers earn CSCAA Scholar All-American honors after three did so last year. As a team, WSU earned CSCAA Scholar All-America Team Honors after posting a 3.54 GPA in the Spring 2020 semester. The Cougars earned the honor for the eighth straight semester including all four under head coach Matt Leach.
KATE MOORE NAMED ASSISTANT COACH
Kate Moore was announced as the Cougars’ assistant coach Aug. 21. Moore joins WSU as spending the previous 10 seasons as a member of the East Carolina University Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving coach staff following a decorated four-year career as a student-athlete at ECU. Moore worked the past three seasons as ECU’s associate head coach, the previous two seasons as the head assistant coach and prior five seasons as an assistant coach. During Moore’s time on the staff, the Pirates won four American Athletic Conference titles, sent nine athletes to the NCAA Championships and helped ECU claim 41 individual conference titles and 21 relay championships. A native of Pottstown, Pa., Moore was a four-time all-conference performer, championship finalist and U.S. Open qualifier.
COUGARS INK FIVE TO NLI
Washington State signed five to National Letters of Intent earlier this week, head coach Matt Leach announced Nov. 13. The Cougars added Noelle Harvey, Sophie Macy, Noelle Marsh, Ilaria Moro and Taylor Schababerle each signed NLI’s to join the Cougars next fall. Noelle Harvey is a native of Carlsbad, Calif. and swims the freestyle and backstroke for La Costa Canyon High School and North Coast Aquatics. Harvey helped LCCHS to a CIF State Championship with wins in the 100 free and 100 back as a sophomore, placed second in the 200 back and third in the 100 back at the 2019 Speed Champions Series last December, and finished fourth in the 200 back at the 2020 Carlsbad Sectionals. In the classroom, Harvey was a Scholastic All-American as a sophomore. Sophie Macy is a native of Chanhassen, Minn. and is expected to swim the backstroke. Macy was a four-time All-State selection, set the school record in the 100 breast, was a five-time Club State Champion and was a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. Macy, who swims for the WEST Express Swim Team, was a Winter Juniors qualifier in the 200 breast and 400 IM, opened 2020 with state championship wins in the 200 IM and 400 IM, and a third-place finish in the 200 breast. Out of the pool, Macy is a two-time Scholastic All-American and is interested in studying chemical engineering at Washington State. Noelle Marsh is a native of Magnolia, Texas and swims sprint freestyle for the Magnolia Aquatic Club. Marsh is a four-time 5A State Championship finalist for Magnolia High School, finishing fifth in the 50 free and 100 free while also helping the 200 medley relay team to a third-place finish as a junior. Marsh was also a two-time qualifier in the 2016-17 NCSA Championships and will be a MHS team captain for the 2020-21 season. Out of the pool, Marsh served as the USA Gulf Swimming Treasurer last year and will serve on the USA Gulf Swimming Finance Committee this season. Ilaria Moro is out of Gigliano, Italy and swims the butterfly for Sinsport Rane Rosee club team. As a junior at the 2018 Italian Championships, Moro earned a medal in the 100 butterfly and was a part of the 4×100 free relay team that set an Italian junior record. As a senior at the 2019 Italian Championships, Moro earned a medal in the 200 fly and two medals in the 100 freestyle relay and 200 free relay. Taylor Schababerle is out of Katy, Texas and swims the freestyle for James Taylor High School and Katy Aquatics. As a junior, Schababerle finished ninth in the 200 free at the 2020 Texas UIL 6A State Championships and later won the 1000 free, placed third in the 500 free and 200 free at the 2020 Gulf Short Course Championships. Schababerle is a two-time Academic All-District selection and was a member of the All-America 400 freestyle relay team. Out of the pool, Schababerle was a member of the National Honor Society and the Peer Assistance Leadership program.