Kean Women’s Swimming Wins First Two Meets in Season Opener

By Dorian Alerte | Published by October 29, 2021

UNION – The Kean University women’s swimming team kicked off the season opener by winning their first two meets, in front of crowded bleachers.

In this tri-meet event, Kean competed against both Baruch College and NJAC division rival Ramapo. Kean defeated Baruch College with a score of 164-38 points. Head Coach Chris Swenson was very excited about the team winning their first two meets of the season and defeating Ramapo for the first time in 40 years with a score of 135-91 points.

“I am very excited about this win,” Swenson said. “This is a meet we have had circled for two years and to beat Ramapo for the first time in 40 years is a great accomplishment. This is step one in a long season, but it’s a really great first step.”

While parents, friends, and family were there to support the Kean swimmers, also in attendance was the Athletics Director, Kelly Williams, as well as members of the women’s lacrosse team and the entire women’s volleyball team, including head coach Don Perkins in support of their teammates Katie Pileggi and Sian Seeger. 

Pileggi is a senior midfielder for the women’s lacrosse team and Seeger is a junior defensive specialist for the women’s volleyball team. Seeing her teammates and coach at her meet meant a lot to Seeger, who is still competing in the middle of her volleyball season.

“It means a lot that they actually care,” Seeger said. “It was great to see them come in, especially watching my coach come in all the time. The team genuinely wants to come and watch me play and vice-versa with the swim team, they watch my games all the time for volleyball.”

Brianna Shaw, the sophomore captain for the swimming team, also saw the crowd turn out as a positive takeaway.

“It means everything,” Shaw said. “Swimming is not a big sport that gets a lot of viewers, so to have lacrosse players and volleyball players there, it meant everything. I felt incredibly respected, I felt that they truly care and the energy was insane. I did not believe that there was going to be standing room only.”

Twenty-six total events were called in this meet, however, Kean only participated in 13 of them. As Kean does not have a men’s swimming team, Ramapo and Baruch competed against each other in those races.

The Cougars dominated their competition from start to finish. Individually, Shaw placed first in three of her events- the 500 Yard freestyle, posting a time of 5:24.05, the 100 Yard Butterfly with a time of 1:02.40, and the 100 Yard Individual Medley with a finishing time of 1:06.15. She also placed first in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, posting a time of 1:49.35, with teammates Amanda Davis, Krisztina Balogh, and Sian Seeger.

“It was amazing,” Shaw said. “I wasn’t really looking for any times, I was really trying to get first for my team because I knew we had to win some events. I’m glad that if I didn’t get first, that my teammates were right behind me at two and three. I love that we were able to do that, it was electric.”

Seeger also had a successful night, placing first in the 50 Yard Freestyle, with a time of 26.39, and the 50 Yard Backstroke, posting a time of 30.72. Seeger will also be competing in the women’s volleyball tri-match on Saturday, October 23. 

As she is still in season for volleyball, Seeger has only been able to practice with the swim team several times, but that did not stop her from competing at a high level.

“[Coach said] just to swim my heart out,” Seeger said. “It was going in, see what I could do in my first races, but I mentally thought ‘I can’t lose.’”

The Cougars will look forward to their next matchup against another NJAC Rival, Rowan, on October 29.

“I expect that we’re just going to go as hard as we possibly can,” Shaw said. “They have a lot of great girls, but I know that we are going to bring so much energy and it’s going to be a great experience.”

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