A conference champion and national qualifier as a freshman, Courtney McGovern hopes to lower her times further in the 100 and 200 backstrokes and the 100 butterfly.

The College of Wooster women's swimming and diving program has been a regular on the national scene for years, including sending one representative to the NCAA Div. III Championships the last two seasons, and in 2014-15, Wooster has the ability and experience to send a "team" to the NCAA meet, according to head coach Rob Harrington.

Last year, Courtney McGovern capped a standout freshman season by competing in three events – the 100 and 200 backstrokes and 100 butterfly – at nationals, with a high finish of 18th in the 100 back (57.02). She also won an individual championship in Div. III's best swim conference, racing to first in the North Coast Athletic Conference in the 100 fly (56.36).

"Courtney has started the year in terrific form. She looks better than she did last year at this point," said Harrington, who has guided the women's team to 10 top-four NCAC finishes in 11 seasons as coach, including last year's fourth-place. "It was terrific for her to see (nationals) and be part of it, but now the goal is to return and score some points this year."

In addition to McGovern, senior Morgan Hughes is back for a full season, sophomore Anna McGlade returns after a record-setting first year, and a couple of impact newcomers have boosted the optimism. Hughes, the team's top sprinter and part of an All-American rely team previously, missed a semester to study abroad, but is now looking to finish with her best season, while McGlade's initial campaign was highlighted by setting a school record in the 200 freestyle (1:53.21) and taking eighth in the 500 free (5:04.75) at NCAC's.

"A couple relays were real close (to qualifying for nationals) and not having Morgan for the fall hurt. The additions of (freshman) Jillian Saccogna and (transfer) Jamie Hibbs could elevate our relays to national level," Harrington remarked.

The Fighting Scots have a number of others who are significant contributors to the team success. Junior Alexandra Desotelle and senior Kaitlyn Fries form a strong 1-2 combo in the breaststrokes, with Desotelle placing as high as 16th at last year's conference meet in the 100 (1:08.32) and Fries 11th in the 200 (2:28.37).

Top scorers in the individual medleys as well as the 200 fly will likely be senior Colleen Kill and junior Sarah Litt. Kill notched a pair of top-12 NCAC performances a season ago – 11th in the 200 fly (2:11.39) and 12th in 400 IM (4:40.59) – while Litt advanced to a championship heat (top-nine) in the 200 fly (2:10.29) and was one spot back of Kill in the 400 IM (4:40.92).

In the distance freestyle, sophomore Theresa Dunne appears ready to become a top competitor in the conference, as she was 11th in the 1650 (18:23.62) during her debut, junior Molly Laubernds is coming off a pair of top-20 showings in the 200 and 500. Sophomore Margaret Goldsmith and senior Caitlin Shea also are factors in this area.

Others with the potential to be regular scorers in the pool include junior breaststroker Erin Drake, senior backstroke specialist Holly Hickman, and versatile junior Lena Smith, as well as Saccogna and Hibbs, both sprint freestylers, and another newcomer, Sarah Padrutt.

In the diving well, Wooster sophomore Theresa Spadola has the potential to develop into one of the best the NCAC has to offer after already earning eighth on the three-meter (276.45) and 10th on the one-meter as a rookie.