East Michigan News

Eastern Michigan University's swimming and diving team is set to commence its Mid-American Conference (MAC) competition against the Buffalo Bulls on Saturday, October 26, at Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool in Buffalo, New York. The meet begins at 11 a.m.

The Eagles have a strong historical record against Buffalo, leading the all-time series with an 18-3 advantage. They have been particularly successful when competing in Buffalo, holding an 8-1 record. However, in their last encounter during the 2022 season, Buffalo emerged victorious with a score of 165.5-92.5.

Rebekah Knapp from Mesa, Arizona, recently achieved an NCAA Zone Diving Championships cut in the 3m dive with a personal-best score of 317.25 points against Cleveland State on October 18. Her performance earned her the title of MAC Diver of the Week on October 23. This recognition marks her second career award and is notable as it is the first under Head Diving Coach Tom Gimm's leadership.

The Eagles opened their season with a decisive victory over Cleveland State on October 18, winning by a margin of 82 points—the largest under Head Coach Derek Perkins' tenure. Six athletes won multiple events as Eastern claimed victory in nine out of twelve individual swimming events.

Under Perkins' guidance, EMU teams have maintained a strong record in MAC openers with four wins out of five matches. Their only loss came last year against Miami.

Abby Szadorski delivered standout performances in the season-opening meet by winning both the 100y and 200y breaststroke events and contributing to a relay victory.

As they enter their sixth year under Perkins' leadership, Eastern Michigan's program boasts achievements such as numerous Academic All-MAC selections and several Scholar All-America team recognitions.

The upcoming season includes nine regular-season meets culminating in the MAC Championships from February 26 to March 1. The team will compete across several states including Michigan, Ohio, New York, Florida, and Washington.

Tom Gimm was appointed as Head Diving Coach on June 20. He brings extensive experience from previous roles including his time at Ohio University and Moss Farms Diving.

This year's roster includes returning athletes like Kiersten Russell and Nina Larosa who hold some of the fastest times in program history for their respective events.

In preparation for future competitions, Eastern Michigan's team will take a break next week before hosting Indiana State on November 9 at Jones Natatorium in Ypsilanti.

For updates on EMU swimming & diving activities and results from this weekend's meet against Buffalo, fans can visit EMUEagles.com or follow along on social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook.