SEASON PREVIEW: Swim optimistic for 2021 season

The uOttawa swim team is looking to continue their stretch of impressive recent performances in 2021-22. The men's and women's teams will have extra motivation, as the University of Ottawa is set to host the 2022 RSEQ Swimming Championships at the Montpetit Hall Aquatics Centre.

The Gee-Gees open the season on Friday, Oct. 8 with a Cup event at the Université de Montréal. The team will take part in four cup events from October to January, with the RSEQ Championships taking place from Feb. 4-6.

Despite a long layoff, the Gee-Gees were able to get back in the pool over the summer and have had an encouraging few weeks of practice.

"[Director of Varsity Athletics] Sue Hylland was amazing for us. We were back in the pool July 1," said head coach Dave Heinbuch. "The Gee-Gees that were in town, and a few of the recruits that live in Ottawa, were able to train three or four times a week."

Gee-Gee swimmers combined for eight medals at the 2020 U SPORTS Swimming Championships, including two golds from Davide Casarin. Casarin has since graduated, but several U SPORTS qualifiers are returning for 2021-22.

Will Barrett, Noah Wagner, Nathan Schiffmann and Louis Bertrand are expected to be key contributors for the men's team. New faces include University of Regina transfer Brendan Van Herk, and freshman Hugo Lemesle. A product of Nice, France, Lemesle is being touted as a potential U SPORTS medallist.

"The biggest strength of our men's team is going to be our depth," said Heinbuch. "We had 13 legitimate scorers at RSEQs two years ago. Now we have 18."

"For me, this season we have the best Gee-Gees swim team yet, and this just reinforces my motivation for the RSEQ Championships," said Schiffmann, a 2020 U SPORTS medallist and Academic All-Canadian. "I'm excited to show what I'm capable of, and we'll be taking it one competition at a time."

On the women's side, Abby Simms, Lauren Shearer, Adelle Yamashita-Ball and Talea Claassens are each looking to return to the U SPORTS National Championships, and the group's young talent is slated to turn some heads. 

"Our female recruiting class was just fantastic," raved Heinbuch, who is in his ninth season at the helm of the program. "There's I think six U SPORTS qualifiers in there. We're really excited to see what that class can do this year."

Abigail McKinley, Margaret Quinn, McKenna Spurrell, Amy Meharg and Taylor Elliott have been showing well in practice, and are gearing up for their first taste of RSEQ competition.

"We have a team full of athletes, both returning and many who are new, who are eager to get back into racing," said Simms. "After training for so long with no clear idea of when our next meet may be, it's incredibly exciting to see all these opportunities right around the corner."

In addition to their opening Cup event on Oct. 8, the Gee-Gees will swim at McGill on Oct. 23, at Laval Nov. 7 and at UQTR Jan. 22. Laval is hosting the 2022 U SPORTS Swimming Championships from Feb. 25-27.