Paths begin with same peak in mind

Friday, September 30

Grand Junction, Colo.

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Intermountain Shootout

9/29/2022 10:30:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving, Paul Coro

GCU women seek next WAC step while men aim to recapture 2019 form

By: Paul Coro

Before the Grand Canyon swimming and diving teams can get to what is possible, they needed to start with what is necessary.

The Lopes have grand goals for what they can do in nearly five months at the WAC Championships, but the work began simply this month. Before opening their season this weekend in Colorado, the GCU men and women were creating culture, learning leadership and fine-tuning fundamentals.

Moving ahead to championship levels meant taking a step back to solidify the base on both sides, continuing the women's step-by-step ascension and restoring the men's 2019 championship level.

"We have a big influx of people who really just want to swim," GCU 15-year swimming and diving head coach Steve Schaffer said. "They want to go. We're off to the best start. We're seeing everybody being more enthusiastic. We walk on deck, and we're a little more excited about coaching."

The Lopes women' title chase is closing the gap on a WAC dynasty. Northern Arizona won its ninth consecutive women's conference championship last season, but runner-up GCU made it the closest margin of victory that it has posted

After three consecutive top-three team finishes, Olympian Emily Muteti of Kenya and senior Kaitlyn Carr of Crosby, Texas, enter their final seasons leading the motivation to capture the program's first women's title.

"We think we can make a run at it," Schaffer said. "We are more balanced than we ever have ever been."

Most of the swimmers from four WAC championship relays returns for the Lopes, featuring sophomore Maria Brunlehner of Kenya with Muteti and Carr.

GCU better covers all events with freshmen such as Krisalyn Henderson and Lindsay Stevens of Georgia, who are strong in middle-distance freestyle with Henderson adding long-distance specialty and Stevens being a strong backstroker. Paula Martinez Moreno of Spain, another freshman, bolsters the butterfly and backstroke while being a strong enough sprinter to be a relay candidate.

The Lopes will need the swimming depth and balance with only two divers, sophomore Shiori Bak of Australia and senior Abigail Erickson of Colorado, who each qualified for NCAA zone competition in platform last season.

"The overriding theme with the women is they want to beat NAU," Shaffer said. "They can taste it and they all want it."

The GCU men have the same goal but face a bigger jump to catch conference stalwarts UNLV and Air Force after slipping to fifth at WAC Championships last year.

That roster has been flipped with 10 newcomers and the return of junior Harper Houk, a former high school individual medley state champion in Tennessee.

Senior Omar Elsayd returns as the team's top sprinter, but senior Griffin McKean of Oregon has become the best overall swimmer. That is an impressive feat from where he was two years ago, but he recorded more NCAA "B" cuts (four) than any GCU swimmer last season.

"He has improved by leaps and bounds every year," Schaffer said. "He's a good character guy. He can be an impact swimmer wherever he goes. He has made a jump in the fly that was the most impressive improvement. He just trains really hard."
Graduate Adrian Cubelo enters his final season in better health to make another run at his potential to reach the NCAA Championships in the 200-yard butterfly.

"He has come back like a gang-buster and should be very good for us," Schaffer said.

After closing last season with illness, sophomore Sam Jennings of Houston returns as the team's top backstroker.

The program bump will come with the help of the program's potential next star, sophomore newcomer Vitaly Kotsin of Russia. He has been taking GCU online courses with his arrival in Phoenix being delayed for two years by COVID-19 and the closure of the U.S. embassy in Russia.

Kotsin projected to be a middle-distance freestyle standout but won the short-distance pentathlon that GCU held of time trials. He had the top time in three of the events and will continue in butterfly and freestyle events.

"He came in with a mindset that he wants to be on the 400 freestyle relay and he wants to be the best 100 freestyler we have, and he is," Schaffer said. "He just flat is.

"He is a hard worker and he is talented. He has a good feel of the water, so it's exciting to see what he can do."

Another difference-maker is having his arrival possibly delayed until January. Mohammed Mohamady of Egypt, a 200 backstroke participant at World Championships, is navigating increased federal background scrutiny to be able to move from Cairo to Phoenix.

With Israeli swimmers Jonathan Rom and Eli Cohen, GCU has more student-athletes with the highest international status than at any time in program history.

The men's diving side has experience with junior Isaac Poole of Washington adding consistency to his high-end ability, junior Nicholas Gunn of Washington delivering steady dives through limiting back issues and junior Reece Robles of California making annual improvement.

The Lopes open the season with the Intermountain Shootout, held Friday and Saturday in Grand Junction, Colorado. BYU, Air Force and Northern Colorado will be among the participants with GCU starting competing a week earlier than the past.

"We've told both teams, 'You have a shot at winning the WAC, so you have to decide if you are on board or not,' " Schaffer said. "We're off to a better start."