With 14 returning swimmers, as well as two divers, who figured prominently in a third-place showing at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships, The College of Wooster's roster appears well-stocked to take another run at a top-three finish in NCAA Div. III's preeminent swim league during 2010-11.

"Our big goal is getting back to top-three in the conference again, and make some best times," confirmed eighth-year coach Rob Harrington, who has guided the Fighting Scots to four such finishes during his career. "As always, we would like to go to nationals. I think we have a better shot at (that)."

Wooster's success last season, which included a 10-1 dual-meet record, was somewhat unexpected due to its youth, and the Scots remain young with sophomores Samira El-Adawy, Caroline Hanson, Kate Hunt, and Clare Walsh and junior triplets Melissa Haug, Priscilla Haug, and Rebecca Haug primed to lead this squad.

Hunt looks to build on a freshman year that saw her advance to NCAC championship heats (top-eight) in three different events, as she captured eighth in the 50 freestyle (24.84), the 100 free (54.47), and the 100 butterfly (58.60), earning a "B" cut towards the NCAA Div. III Championships in the latter. El-Adawy possesses the potential for a breakout season after finishing 10th in the NCAC in the 400 individual medley (4:41.79), 14th in the 200 IM (2:13.11), and 14th in the 200 backstroke (2:11.68). Their versatility could result in them making an impact in other events, such as the middle distance freestyles and El-Adawy in the breaststroke.

Walsh joined El-Adawy and Hunt in forming three-quarters of an all-NCAC 400 medley relay team last season (4:01.47), and she will make an impact individually in the sprint freestyle races and the backstroke. Walsh was part of consolation finals at the conference meet in the 100 free, 100 back, and 50 free, touching 14th (54.94), 15th (1:03.00), and 16th (25.47), respectively.

Hanson is set to anchor Wooster's breaststrokers after a strong debut, which saw her reach championship heats at NCAC's in both the 100 and 200, placing seventh in each with times of 1:08.56 and 2:29.00. Hanson will also likely serve as one of the team's top distance freestylers after coming in 12th overall in the 1650 (18:19.70).

In addition to Hunt and Hanson, Melissa Haug made an NCAC championship final appearance, earning fifth-place and recording an NCAA "B" cut in the 200 butterfly (2:07.71). She also notched a "B" cut in the 100 fly while winning the consolation meet for ninth-place (58.60), and contributed an 11th-place in the 200 IM (2:12.12).

Rebecca Haug will be a top contender in those events as well, as she aims to improve on last year's 10th- in the 200 fly (2:11.68), 14th- in the 100 fly (1:00.09), and 16th-place in the 200 IM (2:15.27), while Priscilla Haug is more of a distance specialist, coming off a 13th in the 400 IM (4:52.20) and a 20th in the 500 free (5:17.40).

Priscilla Haug will also complement El-Adawy in the 200 back, following an 11th-place effort (2:10.41), and the squad's top backstroker could be senior co-captain May Tobar, who took 11th herself in the 100 (1:01.46). Another returning backstroke specialist is classmate Elizabeth Zucco, as is junior Rachel Kassenbrock, however, she's studying abroad the fall semester.

Other proven veterans in the pool include senior co-captain Melanie Gillan, sophomore breaststroke specialist Liv Aspiras and sophomores Caitlyn Murphy and Mary Nappi and junior Sarah Rudawsky, all of whom are distance specialists.

Among the seven-member first-year class, Harrington expects immediate contributions from Mariah McGovern in the distance free and backstroke areas, Kara Markham, who is another distance specialist, and sprint freestyler Adriana Hoak.

In the diving well, senior Alyse Marquinez is looking to climb the NCAC standings after a pair of top-eight performances – seventh on the one-meter (296.65) and eighth on the three-meter (266.45) – last February. Noteworthy, Gabriella Benkovits scored last season as well, but she is recovering from a back injury.