The Starting Block

• The dual meet with Valpo marks the start of the 2024-25 season for the Vikings.
• Cleveland State will be under the direction of first-year head coach Trent Richardson.
• The Green and White return 19 on the women's side and 16 on the men's side.
• The Vikings welcomed 13 newcomers on the men's side and 12 on the women's squad.

Men's Series Notes

• Cleveland State is 8-0 all-time and 5-0 in matchups inside Busbey.
• These two teams last met in 2014 with the Green and White winning 181-78.
• This is the third time these two schools have opened with each other, the last occurrence being in 2007.

Women's Series Notes

• The Vikings are 6-2 all-time and 1-0 in matchups in Cleveland.
• These two teams last met in 2014 with the Vikings winning 181-78.
• This is the third time these two schools have opened with each other, the last occurrence being in 2007.

Get to Know Coach Richardson
Richardson was named the head coach in June becoming the fourth head coach to oversee both the men's and women's swimming & diving programs at Cleveland State. He spent last season as an assistant coach for the Vikings, helping the men finish third and the women place fifth at the Horizon League Championships.

Preseason Rankings

• The men were picked to finish third while the women were slated to come in fourth during the annual Horizon League preseason poll.

Nester Looking to go Perfect

• Senior, Jackson Nester will look to win his fourth straight Horizon League Championship in the 400-yard IM. Each year he has topped his previous school record in the event.
• Times: Freshman {3:49.42}, Sophomore {3:48.34}, Junior {3:47.48}

Chelf Going for the Repeat

• Junior, Grace Chelf will look to repeat as the Horizon League Champion in the 50-yard freestyle.
• Last season in finals, she sprinted to the fifth fastest time in school history, 23.17 after putting up the fourth fastest time in prelims, 23.14.

 
Divers Looking to Build Off NCAA Zone Appearance

• Cleveland State sent three divers to Zones this past year, the most in a single season.
• Xander Austin and James Wolf competed in both 1M and 3M.
• Brooke Eichel competed in 1M.
• The three Vikings were all making their first appearances at an NCAA post-season event.

 
Olympic Trials

• Nester competed at the 2024 U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials, swimming in the 200-yard backstroke.
• Nester clocked a time of 2:00.69 in the prelims, finishing 33rd out of 63 swimmers. 
• His 33rd place finish was the highest finish among #HLSD student-athletes.
• Overall, Nester was one of more than 1,000 swimmers who earned a spot at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials and one of six Horizon League student-athletes competing at the event. 
   

#HLSD Sportsmanship Award

• Diver, Brooke Eichel became the first Horizon League Sportsmanship Award winner in 2024.
• Eichel embodied sportsmanship through her actions and words while being supportive of everyone, both on her team and those on the others.

Up Next

• The swimmers return to the pool at Niagara on Friday, Oct. 11 at 4 p.m.
• The divers will be competing at the Clarion Diving Invitational on Thursday, Oct. 11, and Friday, Oct. 12.