Cougar swim returns to pool

After going 4-7 last year, WSU looks to improve this season

PAIGE CAMPBELL | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

Then-sophomore individual medley swimmer Taylor McCoy finishes first in the women’s 400 meter individual medley heat against Boise State on Oct. 14 at Gibb Pool. The Cougars open their season this weekend at Gibb Pool in Pullman.

ALLEN LEISTER, Evergreen reporter

The WSU women’s swim team opens its season at home with two separate events this weekend in Gibb Pool.

The Cougars start competition Friday in a relay meet against Nevada, San Diego State and Idaho.

The roster for the swim team will feature a multitude of fresh faces, as freshmen make up almost half the team. Second-year head coach Matt Leach said the freshman are a strong group.

“[Freshman] Mia Zahab out of Canada did a really good job in her butterfly events, so we’re obviously gonna have her continue that and lean on her a little bit to strengthen our butterfly events,” Leach said.

On Saturday, the swim team will face Nevada again. Junior Taylor McCoy said she is excited to get the season underway and see how all the new swimmers on the team will perform.

“I’m just looking forward to getting up and get working on the things we’ve been working on in practice and getting to see those play out in a race as well as see all the new people race,” McCoy said. “It’s gonna be super fun to race as a team for the first time this season.”

The relay meet will kick off at 5 p.m. on Friday with the meet against Nevada at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Gibb Pool in Pullman.