New challenge faces GCU women in MW

This weekend is the first of five consecutive weeks of meets for the Grand Canyon women's swimming and diving team.

But at the outset of the program's Mountain West era, the competitive start is just a harbinger of the wall turns ahead.

Steve Schaffer

GCU enters a loaded MW with the NCAA Championships-qualifier depth of San Diego State, Fresno State, UC San Diego and Washington State, but the Lopes' transition to a higher level of competition starts with competitors for conference titles.

An NCAA rule change opens the door for conference individual champions to qualify for the NCAA Championships if the swimmer also meets the NCAAs cut, which was reduced to one from the previous "A" and "B" cuts.

That's a tall order in the MW, but GCU breaststrokers Taylor Stasny and Beth Young have that chance.

Stasny, a 6-foot-3 Indiana native who transferred from Liberty, already met the cut time for NCAAs in her high school career and stood out in GCU training by winning an intrasquad decathlon event.

Young, a sophomore from England, also has met the cut. She won the WAC Championships title by setting a meet record in the 100-yard breaststroke and took third in the 200 breaststroke. A Fresno State duo will be favored.

"They're not out of range for these girls," GCU 18-year head coach Steve Schaffer said. "We're going to have to get under a minute, and we're going have to have a really good race in the finals. But both of those girls have a real knack for racing under pressure. So I think that it will be hard, but it's doable."

Stansy also is stellar 200 individual medley swimmer and could threaten Olympian Maria Brunlehner's GCU record in the event.

"With the way Taylor swims, I don't think it's impossible," Schaffer said.

Lopes senior Paula Martinez Moreno, who is from Spain, also won a WAC Championships title last year with a NCAA "B" cut in the 200 butterfly. The team leader will have a shot at the MW crown in that event this year.

"Paula's going to do really well," Schaffer said.

GCU senior Marta Guasp, also from Spain, could be a challenger in the backstroke after placing third in the WAC for the 200 breaststroke last year. She has company with Luna Ayala of Mexico, whose underwater skills make her a butterfly candidate as well.

"We're training Marta more with the distance group this year to give her some background to be able to finish that stronger and go out stronger," Schaffer said. "And she's really training hard, so I think she's going to have a good year."

New sprint freestylers might be one of GCU's secret threats at the MW Championships, which will be in Houston in February.

Freshman Sara Mose, who is 6-1, could become the program's next Kenyan Olympian, following GCU great Emily Muteti.

"She definitely can make a run at the 100," Schaffer said. "Same thing in the 50."

Katelyn Huffman has been a freshman surprise for GCU. The walk-on from Scottsdale Desert Mountain High School has entered the Lopes' top four for freestyler swimmers.

"She got lightning fast over the summer," Schaffer said. "Without a doubt, she'll be on her 4x100 free and 4x50 free relays. She's just gotten really quick."

Juniors Vivi Criscione and Summer Dean return as the top distance freestylers.

"We've changed their training up a little bit," Schaffer said. "I think we're giving them a little bit more that can help them be a little bit more successful."

Diving scoring has been hurt with returnee Lacey Neighbor, a junior, undergoing offseason surgery. Freshman Kiley Thrush of Minnesota brings strong springboard ability.

With a smaller roster of 23 swimmers and divers, the Lopes will need contributions across the board.

"It's going to be a really good opportunity for the women to embrace the competition and race," Schaffer said. "The goal is to see how high in the conference we can finish this year and then we have more help coming in next year. We think, within the next two years, we should be making runs at the conference championship. We're going to start building it this year."

The season starts Friday in Tucson with a quad meet against the other three in-state Division I programs – host Arizona, Arizona State and Northern Arizona.

"They like the idea of racing fast people," Schaffer said. "None of them really get intimidated. They'll just go down there and race and do their best. It'll be fun and a good way to start the season."

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Players Mentioned

Luna Ayala

Maria Brunlehner

Vivi Criscione

Summer Dean

Marta Guasp

Katelyn Huffman

Paula Martinez Moreno

Sara Mose

Lacey Neighbor

Taylor Stasny

Kiley Thrush

Beth Young

Grand Canyon University Athletics