Looking ahead: CSU swim and dive readies for 2025-26 schedule

Preseason practices are officially over, and NCAA-sanctioned 20-hour practice schedules are back on. Colorado State swim and dive is gearing up for its new season and recently released its upcoming 2025-26 meet schedule.

Led by head coach Christopher Woodard, who is entering his 15th season with the swim and dive program, the Rams welcomed back associate head coach Lisa Ginder and hired a new head dive coach: Seth O’Dea.

The team welcomed back 15 returners and added eight new swimmers and four divers, capping its biggest recruiting class yet and adding more depth to the team.

Some key performers who will be returning to make their mark are captain Erin Dawson, who holds three Mountain West titles; junior Tess Whineray, the team’s top 100- and 200-yard backstroker; and senior Lexie Trietley, a standout sprint freestyler who posted 15 wins in those events during the 2024-25 season. Also returning are two divers who both scored on all three boards at last season’s conference: Maggie Di Scipio and Riley Lee.

After the Rams’ No. 7 finish in the MW Tournament last season, the team will be given another chance to prove they can be a powerhouse in the MW before moving to the Pac-12 next season.

The schedule is as follows:

Oct. 3-4 at Denver, Air Force

The team will take the deck for their first meet of the season against Denver during the Front Range Invitational. This year, the Rams will only compete against DU and Air Force after five teams participated last season. The Rams placed fourth, scoring 711 points.

With the meet just including DU and AF this season, the Rams will look to make that first-place push without Wyoming grabbing points in each event.

Oct. 24 vs. Colorado Mesa, Denver

A tri-meet between Colorado Mesa and DU will take place during the Rams’ first home meet at the Edora Pool Ice Center.

While the teams swam against each other in dual meets last season, this year they are opting to compete in a single competition. Previously when the Rams competed against DU, they fell short 161-139. Yet they beat CMU, which is a powerhouse at the NCAA Division II level and placed third at nationals last season.

Oct. 31 at Wyoming

After being at home, the Rams will hit the road for six consecutive away meets.

Last year, the Rams fell short of just a couple points, trailing behind the Cowboys 159.5-140.5. UW outperformed some of CSU’s swims in the freestyle and breaststroke events, taking the top spots in each of those events.

Nov. 7 at Washington State, Nov. 8 at Idaho

While CSU has competed against Washington State for the past couple of seasons — losing at home last year 141.5-120.5 — the Rams are familiar with the Cougars and will hopefully be able to look at mistakes made last season and tighten up the scoring roster for this meet.

The next day, CSU will compete against Idaho, a new member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation following a huge relocation from seven Western Athletic Conference teams into the MPSF, after rumors of swim and dive being eliminated from the conference began circulating.

Nov. 19-21 Phill Hansel Invite at Houston

A midseason change was made for the 2025-26 season after the Rams swam in the Hawkeye Invitational, which had many appearances from Big 10 schools. CSU will not be making its way back to Iowa this year, instead competing in the Phill Hansel Invite. Some notable teams will participate, including Rice and Florida Gulf Coast, which were strong leaders at last year’s invitational.

Jan. 5 at Northern Arizona

After midseason, the Rams will head into their last few meets of the regular season, with one last final out-of-conference meet against Northern Arizona, a leading team in the WAC after winning 12 consecutive titles.

Jan. 10 at Air Force, New Mexico

The Rams will head back up to the AF for their final tri-meet of the year.

Previously in a quad-meet format, where CSU swept all three teams, the Rams will try to have a repeat. They will compete against two teams within their conference.

Jan. 24 vs. Northern Colorado

The first official home meet at Moby Pool will be hosted against Northern Colorado for Senior Day. Last season, the Rams took on UNC, beating them 161-139.

Jan. 29-31 Air Force Diving Invitational

The divers’ last invitational at AF will help the Rams clean up their entries and practice competition strategies.

Feb. 6-7 at Denver

Finishing out the regular season, the swimmers will have one last chance at qualifying times and testing out race strategies before heading off to the MW conference at the end of February.

Feb. 18-21 Mountain West Championships

The MW conference recently added Grand Canyon, allowing for early participation in the 2025-26 season after the move was scheduled for the 2026 season. GCU will be a competitive force within the conference after originally coming from the WAC, placing third and falling just a few points behind NAU and New Mexico State.

The Rams will have to push harder this year to secure a top spot against some hard competition in their conference, and securing spots in every event will be vital to the Rams’ success.

Reach Abigail Woods at sports@collegian.com or on X @RMCollegianSpts.

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