LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's swimming team will make its Division I debut Saturday at Ball State.

Due to the pandemic, the season has been drastically reduced. The Knights will compete in three regular-season meets before the CCSA Swimming & Diving Championships.

In Bellarmine's final season in Division II, the Knights earned four All-America awards. Two came in the 200 medley and 400 medley relays, where three of the four members in senior Sophia Noren and juniors Rachel Walker and Maya Sorensen are back. Noren achieved All-America status in the 100 breaststroke, as did Walker in the 500 freestyle.

Noren, Walker and Sorensen were all recently named to the Bellarmine All-Decade Team, while Walker edged Noren in an online vote for Swimmer of the Decade. Walker is the program record holder in six individual events, Noren tops four and Sorensen is the standard-bearer in two.

Noren has amassed a program-record six All-America accolades. She and Walker are responsible for the team's three All-Great Lakes Valley Conference individual honors — Noren in the 100 breaststroke and Walker in the 1650 freestyle and 100 butterfly — and both were recognized as CSCAA first-team Academic All-Americans last season.

Junior Elizabeth Schrenger scored in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke last season at the GLVC Championships, as did junior Avery Witcher and sophomore Anna Holt in the 200 butterfly, of which Witcher is the program record holder. Sophomore Olivia Hopper set a new program record in the 200 backstroke at the conference meet.

Also returning this season for Bellarmine are senior Haley Todd (freestyle/backstroke) along with juniors Meghann McLaughlin (distance freestyle, member of 800 freestyle relay record holder) and Jalea Millon (sprint freestyle) and sophomores Caraline Baker (freestyle), Kayla Effinger (backstroke/freestyle), Kerry Effinger (freestyle), Emily House (freestyle/backstroke), Rebekah Lipski (backstroke/freestyle) and Lauren Rowe (freestyle/backstroke).

Bellarmine's freshman class includes Morgan Bender, Mackenzie Conger, Emily Kuprion, Grace Lough, Megan McEwen, Caroline McMillin, Ashley Owen and Elizabeth Stevenson.

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