Season Review: Women’s Swimming & Diving posts solid showing in 2021-22

By Wes Mayberry

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's swimming and diving team had a great season in 2021-22 that culminated in its best finish at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships in six years.

After going 6-4 overall and 4-0 in the OAC during the regular season, the Polar Bears placed second at the conference meet for its best finish at the event since the 2015-16 campaign.

"Our women had an excellent season, I was really thrilled to see them do so well," fourth-year head coach Austin Veltman said. "We went undefeated in our conference dual meets and achieved what we set out to do at the beginning of the season. It was a year with lots of memories."

The Polar Bears closed the year with five conference champions and eight All-OAC honorees overall.

Senior Megan Lubinski (Loveland/Brighton) won a conference title as part of the 400 medley relay team and posted All-Conference finishes in the 100 free, 200 free, 400 free relay and 200 medley relay. Now a three-time conference champion and 13-time All-OAC performer, Lubinski was twice named OAC Women's Swimmer of the Week during the season.

"Megan is a senior and a second-year captain who has been a consistent presence for us in the sprints and relays for four years now," Veltman said. "She's had a lot of big swims for the team, many in pressure-packed situations, and she handles it really well."

In addition to Lubinski, the conference championship-winning 400 medley relay team included senior Lauren Shaw (Port Clinton), junior Shelby Starkey (Bellefontaine) and freshman Mara Brown (Fremont/Ross). The victory by that group broke a string of seven consecutive wins in the event by John Carroll and is ONU's 11th 400 medley relay title since 1997.

"It had been some time since we had won a relay, so to see those girls do that was fantastic, especially with two of them being seniors," Veltman said.

Despite her freshman status, Brown was also a top performer all season long, including at the conference meet. She was a two-time OAC Women's Swimmer of the Week selection and was All-Conference in the 100 breast, 100 fly, 200 I.M., 400 free relay and 200 medley relay in addition to being a part of the championship team in the 400 medley relay.

"Mara is an exceptionally hard worker, coachable and mentally tough," Veltman said. "Once she gets in the water, she's a pretty fierce competitor who always gives her best."

Starkey, a team captain, brought home an OAC title in the 100 back, winning the race by a margin of 0.11 seconds, in addition to the one she earned in the 400 medley relay. She was also All-OAC in the 200 back and 200 medley relay.

"Shelby's win in the 100 back was a nail-biter. The last 5 yards of that race were agonizingly close, just hoping she would get her hand on the wall first," Veltman said. "I was really happy for her because she works so hard on the little things all the time. She deserved it."

Shaw, another team captain, was part of the 200 medley relay team as well as the 400 medley relay group.

"Lauren is also very coachable and has a great work ethic and attitude. She has improved more and more each year and took on that leadership role this season as a captain," Veltman said.

Junior Abby Schauer (Beavercreek) rounded out Northern's group of conference champs, as she won the 400 I.M.

"Abby's strongest strokes are back and breast, but she had one of the best freestyle legs in the entire field. She brought it home so well," Veltman said. "She's had her sights on winning that race for a couple years, and this year it all came together. I was so happy for her."

Sophomore Katie Bend (Carmel, Ind.) was All-Conference in both the 500 free and 1650 free, and freshman Hannah Eversole (Cincinnati/ Mt. Notre Dame) was All-OAC in the 400 I.M.

Junior Gabbie Grant (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) was part of the 400 free relay team with Lubinski, Shaw and Brown that earned All-OAC honors.

Outside of the pool, the Polar Bears were recognized for their efforts in the classroom, as Shaw, Grant, senior Karli Katterle (Rocky River) and freshman Hayley Solomon (Cincinnati/Sycamore) earned Academic All-OAC honors.

"Being a student-athlete is a challenge in all sports, and swimming and diving is no exception," Veltman said. "The season can be a grind, and successfully balancing that grind with the rigor of a full course load is physically and mentally difficult. Our team does an excellent job of rising to that challenge."

While this year's seniors will be missed, Veltman envisions a promising future for his team based on the talent and experience returning for the 2022-23 season.

"We're graduating some key contributors like lots of teams are, but we're excited about what the incoming freshman class can contribute as well," Veltman said. "The goal is to improve every year as a team, and we can definitely do that next season."