GCU Women Embrace Mountain West Challenge in Swimming and Diving

Grand Canyon University’s women’s swimming and diving team is gearing up for an intense and promising season. With five straight weeks of meets ahead, the Lopes are diving headfirst into their Mountain West era.

This season kicks off a new chapter for the team. They’re facing tough competition and aiming for conference titles and NCAA Championship spots.

Head coach Steve Schaffer, now in his 18th year, feels optimistic about the team’s potential. Standout swimmers like Taylor Stasny and Beth Young are leading the charge.

Entering the Mountain West Era

GCU’s women’s swimming and diving team is starting their first season in the Mountain West (MW) conference. They’re up against some of the toughest squads in college swimming.

The MW includes powerhouse teams like San Diego State, Fresno State, UC San Diego, and Washington State. All of them are known for their depth and strength in the pool.

Moving to this higher level of competition is a big step for GCU. At the same time, it opens up new opportunities for the team to show off their talent and resilience.

This season, the NCAA made a rule change: conference individual champions can qualify for the NCAA Championships if they hit the cut time. Now, instead of “A” and “B” cuts, there’s just one cut, making it a bit more accessible for top swimmers.

For GCU, this means their best swimmers, especially in breaststroke, have a real shot at the NCAA Championships.

Key Swimmers to Watch

Leading GCU are breaststrokers Taylor Stasny and Beth Young. Stasny, a 6-foot-3 Indiana native who transferred from Liberty, already hit the NCAA cut time in high school.

She’s kept impressing in GCU training, even winning an intrasquad decathlon event. Young, a sophomore from England, has an impressive resume too. She won the WAC Championships title in the 100-yard breaststroke with a meet record and took third in the 200 breaststroke.

Both swimmers have shown they can perform under pressure. Coach Schaffer believes they have a strong chance to shine in the MW.

Stasny also excels in the 200 individual medley (IM). She could even threaten Olympian Maria Brunlehner’s GCU record in the event.

Schaffer thinks Stasny’s swimming style and determination make that a realistic goal. Senior Paula Martinez Moreno from Spain, who won a WAC title last year with an NCAA “B” cut in the 200 butterfly, is expected to contend for the MW crown in that event this year.

Depth and Versatility in the Team

GCU’s roster is packed with versatile swimmers who can step up in different events. Senior Marta Guasp from Spain, who placed third in the WAC for the 200 breaststroke last year, is training more with the distance group this season to boost her endurance.

Luna Ayala of Mexico is another name to watch. She’s known for her underwater skills and could shine in butterfly events.

Newcomers are making their mark too. Freshman Sara Mose, at 6-1, looks like a future Olympian for Kenya, following in the footsteps of GCU greats like Emily Muteti and Maria Brunlehner.

Mose is expected to be a strong contender in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Another freshman, Katelyn Huffman, has been a pleasant surprise. The walk-on from Scottsdale Desert Mountain High School quickly became one of GCU’s top freestyle swimmers and earned her spot on the 4×100 and 4×50 free relays.

Challenges and Opportunities

The team has a lot of potential, but there are some challenges. Junior diver Lacey Neighbor is recovering from offseason surgery, which affects the team’s diving scores.

Freshman Kiley Thrush from Minnesota brings strong springboard skills and could help fill the gap while Neighbor recovers.