TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's swimming team enters 2018-19 full of excitement and with plenty of experience. That combination could make this a memorable season.  
 
The Tigers roster features 11 seniors. Comprising 35 percent of the roster, seniors Zeynep Balto, Caroline Batista, Tara Goss, Kelsey Jehl, Tasha Reidenbach, Amanda Rosa, Haley Sutton, Emilee Torres, Ryan Ulrich, Emily Wilson and Victoria Zozzaro have displayed plenty of leadership during preseason practices. They will be counted on to help the Tigers enjoy a solid campaign and compete for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title.
 
One of Towson's top returnees is Rosa, who was second in the 200 breaststroke at the CAA Championship meet last year. Rosa also participated in the 2017 USA Swimming Winter National's qualifier event. Rosa along with Sutton and Wilson are team captains this season.
 
In addition to Rosa, junior Jacki Schoening is the defending CAA champion in the 100 breaststroke and is a USA Swimming Winter and Summer National's qualifier. Junior Kalyn Fetter, Rosa, and Schoening combined to score 70 points at last year's CAA Championship meet in the breaststroke.
 
On the diving side, Wilson won gold in 3-meter diving at the CAA Championship meet. She finished first on the 3-meter board after totaling 292.25 points. She participated at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships for the third consecutive year.
 
"The excitement level is through the roof," Towson head women's swimming Coach Jake Shrum said. "Our large group of seniors have been providing excellent leadership and holding all our team member's to high training standards this season. They've also been able to keep morale high while doing so which is no easy feat.
 
"The girls have been training at a very high level. They are definitely ahead in preparations and have been coming on strong for about a year and a half now, so it's all about continuing to keep the momentum going."
 
In helping with keeping the momentum going the Tigers have strong leaders returning for each event that should have a nice impact for the team. Juniors Megan Cowan and Maddi Mangum as well Goss will compete in the butterfly.
 
Sutton, junior Meghan Jones and sophomore Alex Diacumakos will compete in the backstroke. Ulrich and junior Annemarie Schnoor will compete in the sprint free while Jones will also compete in the distance free. Freshmen Suzannah Mills and Gabby Cervone will also compete in freestyle events. Cowan, junior Rachel Hoban and Jones will compete in the individual medley for the Tigers at various meets.
 
Also expected to compete in different events for the Tigers this season are junior Sarah-Margaret Locke along with sophomores Karlee Carminati, Lauren Cavanagh, Kasey Gamache and Fiona McIlmail.
 
In addition to Mills and Cervone, freshmen Brooke Bollinger, Meagan Clark, Christina Coleman, Elise Devlin and Sarah DiGaetano are in a great position to contribute while learning from the veterans.
 
"Sarah DiGaetano has shown that she can compete at the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) level on both boards," said Shrum. "Gabby Cervone has been terrific with the distance group and long individual medley practices. Susie Mills and Meagan Clark will both be immediate factors in the middle distance and freestyle events."
 
The Towson University women's swimming and diving teams officially open the season on Saturday, Oct.13 at home verses Georgetown and James Madison in Burdick Hall with diving at 11 a.m. and swimming at 2:30 p.m. Towson's final home event will be against league component Drexel on Jan. 12. The Tigers will also celebrate Senior Day with the meet starting with diving at 10 a.m. and swimming at 1 p.m.
 
The Tigers also have three local meets that include the Navy Invite on Oct. 19, UMBC on Oct. 25 and Loyola Jan. 23. The CAA Championships will be held on Feb. 20-23 at the Christianburg Aquatic Center in Christianburg, Va. The men's and women's national championship meet will be held at the University of Texas with the women's championships being Mar. 20-23.