Ohio Wesleyan women's swimming & diving head coach Richard Hawes looks to a strong junior class to lead the way as the Battling Bishops hope to improve upon their sixth-place finish in the 2023 North Coast Athletic Conference championship - perhaps the toughest swimming conference in NCAA Division III.

"We're in a building phase, and our largest group are the freshmen and sophomores," Hawes said.  "We're young, and if we can continue to bring in good recruits, we'll build depth over the next couple of years."

Senior Siarra Hoover (Frazeysburg/Newark Licking Valley) won "B" finals in the 200 breaststroke and 400 IM and added a top-20 finish in the 200 IM at the 2023 NCAC championship.

Hawes sees the junior class as "a very strong group which will contribute quite a bit."

Junior Josephine Stark (Castalia/Margaretta) qualified for the "A" final in the 200 breaststroke and added a 15th-place finish in the 400 IM and a 16th in the 200 IM at the 2023 NCAC championship.  Junior Lily Davis (Dayton/Chaminade Julienne) posted top-20 finishes in the 100 and 200 butterfly (16th and 12th respectively) and the 100 backstroke.  Junior A.J. Johnson (Sutton, Neb.) placed eighth in the 1-meter diving competition at the 2021-22 NCAC championship.

The sophomore class includes Maddie Hoyt (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial), who had a top-20 finish in the 200 breaststroke and a top-25 showing in the 200 freestyle at last season's conference meet; Elisabeth Madore (Lexington), who posted top-25 finishes in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle; Anna Haines (Reynoldsburg), who recorded top-25 finishes in the 100 and 200 freestyle; and Frannie Rhine (Lyndhurst/Brush), who had top-25 finishes in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

Freshman August Lemert (Granville) should make an immediate impact after winning All-Ohio honors in high school, freshman Maria Thibodeaux (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) also looks to contribute right away, and freshman Sarah Rieseberg (Hanover, N.H./Eagle Hill (Mass.)) is in the mix in the freestyle and individual medley events.  Sophomore Allison Bogan (Xenia) and sophomore Ally Gerty (Marysville) also are newcomers, joining the team as divers.

Ohio Wesleyan opens its season at the Kenyon Relays on Oct. 14.  The Bishops open their home schedule against Case Reserve on Oct. 21, host the annual Corbiere/Merion Invitational on Nov. 18-19, and the NCAC championship meet is scheduled for Feb. 14-17, 2024, in Granville.