JJ
Jessica James
  • early childhood education
  • Class of 2019
  • Jackson, TN

Oswego Native James Named to 2015-16 UW-Whitewater Women's Swimming and Diving Roster

2015 Oct 22

Jessica James, a native of Oswego, IL, and graduate of Oswego East High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's swimming and diving program in 2015-16.

James, a freshman at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in special education.

See below for a season preview on the 2015-16 UW-Whitewater women's swimming and diving team.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's swimming and diving team enters the 2015-16 season coming off one of its best seasons in school history.

The 2014-15 Warhawks placed second in at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, the program's highest-ever finish at the meet, and racked up 10 individual and relay titles. UW-Whitewater finished 21st at the NCAA Division III Championships, posting four All-America honors en route.

Head coach Joel Rollings, who enters his 10th season at the helm of the men's and women's programs, was tabbed WIAC Women's Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. He also garnered men's coach of the year accolades, doing so for the third time in his career.

The Warhawks open the season this Saturday at the All-Wisconsin Invitational at Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer. The team opens its home slate one week later with a dual meet against Luther (Iowa) at the Williams Center.

UW-Whitewater begins its WIAC schedule on Nov. 13 at home against UW-Oshkosh. The five-team WIAC Championships are scheduled for Feb. 18-20 at Schroeder Aquatic Center, and the NCAA Division III Championships are set for March 16-19 in Greensboro, N.C.

Senior Sierra Becker, sophomores Stephanie Haebig and Michaela Matthys return as All-Americans to lead the Warhawks.

Becker is a three-time All-American in the 1-meter dive, placing a career best sixth at the NCAA Championships in 2015. She is also a three-time conference champion on the 1-meter board, holds three of the program's four diving records and is a three-time fourth-place finisher in the 3-meter dive.

Matthys burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2014-15, compiling All-America accolades in the 100-yard butterfly (13th) and 400-yard medley relay (15th), WIAC championships in the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard medley relay, and nine school records (five in individual events). She also placed in the conference in the 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay and 50-yard freestyle.

Haebig was part of the All-America and school record-setting 400-yard medley relay, and placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke and sixth in the 200-yard backstroke.

Juniors Sarah Arteaga, Grace Devine and Margaret Lotzer are also among UW-Whitewater's top returners. Arteaga claimed WIAC titles and set program records in both the 200- and 400-yard individual medleys and was runner-up in the 200-yard backstroke, while Devine and Lotzer were part of the conference winning 800-yard freestyle relay team, which set a school record in the event.

Devine placed fourth in the 200-yard freestyle and fifth in the 200-yard freestyle, and was part of the team's school record-setting 200-yard freestyle relay. Lotzer placed in three individual events, including the 200-, 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events.

Senior Autumn Mulgrew and sophomore Rachel Stuberg were also a part of the school record-setting 200-yard freestyle relay, which placed fourth at the conference meet. Mulgrew also finished seventh in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races.

Senior Stacey Kincade also returns as a WIAC placer from a year ago. She finished third in the 1,650-yard freestyle, sixth in the 200-yard butterfly and eighth in the 500-yard freestyle.

Other returners include senior Dani Baron, juniors McKenzie Asplund, Marta Burwell, Jaime Kohnke, Gabby Swider, sophomores Victoria Halwix, Cassidy Holbrook and Emily Trenn. Asplund, Burwell, Holbrook and Kohnke competed in multiple events, while Halwix took part in freestyle and butterfly events. Swider competed in the butterfly, and Trenn swam freestyle and backstroke.

Sophomore Leah Klingaman joins Becker as a returner in diving.

Freshmen/Newcomers: Megan Bateman, Melanie Carlson, Emily Champa, Danielle Dalbke, Alyssa Haertl, Rebecca Harris, Erin Hawker, Jessica James, Melanie Schaefer, Malory Soper, Vada Williams.