The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s swimming teams will commence their 2018-19 season this weekend with a meet against Green Bay at the ARC Pool.

For the men’s team, three returning seniors in Bob Bretl (Wauwatosa, Wis./Marquette University H.S.), Dylan Kirar (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley), and Mac Sogandares (Reston, Va./South Lakes) will look to lead the charge.

Each has made their respective marks on the program throughout their careers. Last season, Bretl climbed into fifth in Valpo history in the 1000 free (9:59.63) and also ranks fourth in the 1650 free and eighth in the 500 free. Kirar set new program records last year in the 500 (4:37.68) and 1650 (16:07.73) frees, while also moving into second position in the 1000 free (9:44.91). Sogandares moved up last year into third in the 200 free (1:43.76), fifth in the 200 breaststroke (2:10.40), and seventh in the 500 free (4:44.97).

Now upperclassmen members of the team, juniors Brendon Johnson (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) and Dylan Ogle (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) are seeking to pick up where they left off following a pair of strong sophomore campaigns.

Johnson now sits third in program history in the 400 IM after his 4:07.84 time last season, one of three events he moved into the top-10 all-time at Valpo in last season. Ogle is not too far behind Johnson on the 400 IM charts, as he moved into seventh in Valpo history (4:12.30) last year. That event is one of five that Ogle ranks among Valpo’s all-time best in, as he is second in program history in the 200 fly and fourth in the 100 fly, while also appearing on the 200 and 500 free charts as well.

The women’s team will feature one returning senior in Casey Main (Fairview, Ohio/Fairview), but she has a lot of company in terms of upperclassmen, as seven juniors are back this year as well - Victoria Bain (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton), Emily Baumgartner (Fishers, Ind./Fishers), Tara Lawson (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein), Erica Martins (Hartland, Wis./Lake County Lutheran), Danielle Richardson (Valparaiso, Ind./Chesterton), Makenzy Tibbot (Lebanon, Ind./Lebanon), and Paige Wright (Surprise, Ariz./Paradise Honors).

Wright enters her junior year holding Valpo’s school record in the 100 backstroke, and also moved into the program’s top-10 in both the 200 free (seventh, 1:56.05) and 100 free (ninth, 54.05) last season. Lawson cracked Valpo’s top-10 lists in four different events as a sophomore, highlighted by the second-fastest 200 back (2:07.74) in program history. Martins moved into eighth all-time at Valpo in the 100 fly (59.54) last year, while Baumgartner was the team’s fastest breaststroke swimmer and currently ranks 10^th all-time at Valpo in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes.

Saturday’s meet, as mentioned above, will be held in the ARC Pool. Events are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CT.