LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates swimming and diving program made history last March and the Bobcats are ready to jump back in the water for another exciting season in 2025-26. It all begins this Saturday at 1 p.m. when they host Wheaton (Mass.) for a dual meet at Tarbell Pool. 

Men's Preview

Senior captains Max Cory (Dublin, Calif.) and Marrich Somridhivej (South Windsor, Conn.) have the No. 21 nationally ranked Bobcats thinking big this season.

"They have their team thinking an NCAA champion relay is a possibility, and if all four guys are their best - at the exact time together - they aren't wrong - whoever those four are," head coach Peter Casares said. "I wouldn't put it past them." 

Last year, Cory won the first national championship in program history when he captured the title in the 100-yard freestyle in 42.88 seconds, a new NCAA Division III record. The Bobcats also won their first two NESCAC relay titles in program history, capturing first place in both the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Nate Oppenheim (Easton, Conn.), junior John Weigel (Iowa City, Iowa), and junior Tim Johnson (Brewster, Mass.) join Cory and Somridhivej as returnees who captured conference titles last year. Junior Liam Friedlander (Pittsburgh, Pa.) also emerged as an All-NESCAC swimmer last year, setting the Bates record in the 200-yard butterfly along the way.

"We want to defend our NESCAC relay titles and hopefully win a medley relay or two as well," Casares said. "There's a chance to finish top three at NESCACs for the first time - and also top 10 nationally, another achievement that would be a program-first. These are not easy goals but we believe they are doable with this group considering how much talent is returning." 

The current group of Bates men's swimmers can claim 14 school records, 12 of which were set last season. 

"We still have to work hard and accomplish our goals day in and day out," Casares said. "I am impressed with the senior leadership we have right now."

Women's Preview

Senior captains Lily Barisonek (New Vernon, N.J.) and Lianna Rosman (Bethesda, Md.) lead a women's swimming and diving team that has more depth this year than they've had the past few seasons.

"Lianna was abroad for a semester and she was a force to be reckoned with freshman and sophomore year - and turned out to be an "A" relay swimmer even with a short season last year," Casares said. "I think with a good season of training under her belt, people are going to turn their heads and take notice. Lily has been such a bright spot freshman, sophomore year but ran into multiple injuries last year. So staying healthy for her and getting back to her top 16 or better NESCAC scoring ability will be huge. We've got some very talented women on the team. We currently are overcoming some illnesses and some injuries, and so we have some work to do to see that talent make an impact at NESCACs."

Junior Sarah Palmer (Brunswick, Maine) owns Bates records in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke, earning All-America honors in both events last season. She is the most decorated of the returnees, with 10 first-years giving Casares hope that more All-Americans are in the making.

"I'm seeing some things in practice from a couple of them that make me go, 'this reminds me of Sarah coming in here and developing into an NCAA level athlete,'" Casares said. "So it looks like a good class and the class gets along really well and they have great chemistry. So I'm excited."

Casares singles out swimmers such as sophomore Isabelle Chou (East Greenwich, R.I.), junior Soph Clausman (Edina, Minn.), and sophomore Kendall Keshen (Santa Barbara, Calif.) as returnees who once fully healthy should give the team a big boost. He's also excited to see what seniors Emma Burke (New Hartford, N.Y.) and McKayla Kendall (Bangor, Maine) can do in the fly event.

"McKayla returned to the team last spring following a year and a half away from swimming," Casares said. "She qualified for NCAAs as part of the 400-yard medley relay when she was a first-year and Burke made huge strides in the 200 fly last year and just posted a very quick 100 fly time in practice last week!" 

But early on, expect a lot of new names to pop up on the results sheets. 

"With more than half our junior class abroad until January, I'm interested to see how our first-years do in these fall meets, considering they nearly out-number our upperclassmen at the moment," Casares said. "We've got to find the tone and energy, and talk about what the Bates way is at a swimming and diving meet - and how we handle ourselves - both great swims and ones that leave us wanting more."