LANCASTER, Pa. - Following a third-place finish at last year's Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, the Franklin & Marshall women's swimming team enters 2025-26 with interim head coach Ben Delia returning for his 12th season at the helm of the Diplomats. F&M opens the 2025-26 campaign by hosting Dickinson, No. 16 Swarthmore, and Ursinus in a quad meet on Saturday, October 25. 

2024-25 Recap 

The Diplomats were 5-5 overall in duals and 5-2 against Centennial Conference opponents. F&M defeated Centennial foes Dickinson, Ursinus, Washington, Bryn Mawr and McDaniel. The Diplomats were 0-3 to non-conference opponents including Mary Washington, Millersville, and Johns Hopkins. At the F&M Invitational, the Diplomats finished seventh out of 13 teams.

The Diplomats claimed third place and six bronze medals at the 2025 Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, marking a one-spot improvement from 2024 while setting four new program records and leveling one.  Across the weekend, the Diplomats logged 12 new entries into the program's Top Ten times. 

Swimmers to Watch

Free/Back/Fly/IM - Caitlin Barr - Jr.
Free/Back - Madi Bickford - So.
Free - Matti Harvey - Jr.
Free - Ava Tseng - So. 

Barr was a part of the 400 freestyle relay team that set a new program record at last year's Franklin & Marshall Invitational, while she established the program's best 50 butterfly split and top ten times in program history in three individual events including the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 100 butterfly. At last season's Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, she helped claim third place in the 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay while claiming an A Final spot in the 100 butterfly and B Final places in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle.

Bickford impressed in her first collegiate campaign, contributing towards two program records in relays and setting two of the best individual freestyle times in program history. She was a part of the 400 freestyle relay team that established a new program record twice last season, while she was also on the 200 freestyle relay team that tied the program record. Individually, she set the program's second best times in a 50 freestyle split and the third best time in the 100 freestyle. At the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, she helped win bronze in the 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, and 200 medley relay, while she was a B Finalist in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. 

Harvey played a part in establishing three program records in relays for the Diplomats in 2025-26 while establishing strong individual event times. She was a part of the 400 freestyle relay team that set new program records twice last season, while she also helped establish the program's best 400 medley relay and tie the 200 freestyle relay record. Individually, she set the third-best time in the 50 freestyle and the sixth-quickest 100 IM time. At the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship, she helped earn third place in the 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, and 400 medley relay, while she was an A Finalist in the 50 freestyle and B Finalist in the 100 freestyle. 

Tseng was effective in distance events in her first season swimming collegiately, as she was a three-time individual event finalist at the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship. She was an A Finalist in the 1650 freestyle and B Finalist in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. She also helped contribute towards a fourth-place showing in the 800 freestyle relay.

The Road Ahead

The Diplomats open the campaign by hosting Dickinson, No. 16 Swarthmore, and Ursinus in a quad meet on Saturday, October 25. One week later, they travel to No. 22 Gettysburg on Friday, October 31 ahead of hosting Mary Washington on Saturday, November 1. The Diplomats wrap up the 2025 portion of the calendar by hosting the annual Franklin & Marshall Invitational from Friday, November 21, through Sunday, November 23. 

2026 begins with trips to Washington College on Friday, January 16 and No. 24 Salisbury on Saturday, January 17. The Franklin & Marshall Spring Invitational on Saturday, February 7, is the final competition ahead of the 2026 Centennial Conference Swimming Championship.

The Kunkel Aquatic Center will yet again play host to the Centennial Conference Swimming Championship from Thursday, February 19, through Sunday, February 22. 

The 2026 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championship will be hosted on the campus of Indiana University Indianapolis from Thursday, March 18, through Sunday, March 21. 

In the Polls

With 43 points, F&M was selected to finish fourth in the Centennial Conference Coaches Preseason Poll, behind defending Centennial Conference Champions No. 16 Swarthmore, newcomers No. 18 Johns Hopkins, and No. 22 Gettysburg. Swarthmore received 62 points and six first-place votes, while Johns Hopkins earned 58 points and three first-place picks ahead of their first season in the conference. The Blue Jays, a familiar Centennial opponent, competed as an independent swimming program since 2016-17. Gettysburg had 51 points. Behind the Diplomats, Dickinson (35), Ursinus (29), Washington College (23), Bryn Mawr (14), and McDaniel (9) complete the rankings. You can view the complete Centennial Conference Coaches Preseason Poll here.