Women's Swim & Dive opens 2015-16 season at home Friday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's swimming and diving team opens the 2015-16 season on Friday night when they host Boston College in the Chace Athletic Center Pool. The meet is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.

The Bulldogs are coming off another strong year in 2014-15, finishing third at the Northeast Conference Championships. Led by a strong group of leaders and an experienced group of swimmers, the Black and Gold are in search of a top-three finish once again this year.

Bryant welcomes back a seven-member senior class this season, a class that has the ability to lead the Bulldogs to new heights. Leading the way will be Lauren Doerrman (Oley, Pa.), Jamie Schaefer (Durham, N.C.), Elisabeth Schauer (Pelham, N.Y.) and Julia Messina (Canandaigua, N.Y.).

Doerrman earned a silver medal and set a school record in the 400 IM last year at the NECs and is a three-time medalist in the event. Schaefer is a two-time medalist after setting a school record and finishing second in the 200 fly last spring, Schauer is a four-time medalist in the back events and Messina capped a breakout junior campaign with a silver medal in the 100 breast.

Kristie Chan (San Francisco, Calif.), Kelley Murphy (Salisbury, Md.) and Dana Yu (Bridgewater, N.J.) wrap up the senior class and all are in search of an outstanding senior season. Chan has posted faster times and finaled all three years at the championships, Murphy is poised for her best season in the Black and Gold and Yu is coming off a sixth-place finish in the 100 fly last spring.

The Black and Gold will also look to the experience of Erin Daly (Reading, Mass.), Sara Osinski (Naples, Fla.), Taylor Poliseno (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.), Elizabeth Rose (Somerset, Mass.), Samantha Torrez (Whittier, Calif.) and Valeria Watson (Mexico City, Mexico). Daly is a two-time All-NEC performer in the distance events, Poliseno competed at the AT&T U.S. Winter Nationals last season, Rose finaled twice at the NECs in a breakout sophomore season, Torrez two seventh-place finishes last year and Watson was one of the top freshmen in the conference. She helped the 800 free relay win a medal and also finished fifth in the 200 back. Nicole Salzano (Elmwood Park, N.J.) also enjoyed a strong rookie year, winning 10 events on the year.

Like the men's team, the women will also feature a strong group of divers this season. The Bulldogs will have four freshmen divers on the roster, the most in program history. Kelci Abernethy (Chandler, Ariz.) finished eighth in the state, Ann Burdick (Glenmont, N.Y.) was a four-time sectional qualifier, Stephanie Jennings (Elmont, N.Y.) was a four-time all-state selection in gymnastics and Carissa Stemen (Naples, Fla.) won a conference and district title.