STAC GIRLS SWIMMING: WAVERLY'S NUMBERS GOOD ENTERING 2026 PRESEASON DESPITE LOSSES (14 PHOTOS) (August 27, 2026)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportWAVERLY — Despite losing a strong senior class, as well as one big unexpected departure, Waverly assistant girls swim coach Kyle Ackland said numbers are good as preseason begins for what should be another strong season for the Wolverines.
"We have 15 on the team," said assistant coach Kyle Ackland. "That's a strong showing. Of course, we lost several people this year, but overall the numbers are good.
"It's a credit to parents, the kids, coach (Amy) Steck for fostering such a nice environment," he noted. "Amy works in those younger grades and she keeps them coming in; that's where our constant influx is coming from."
Ackland notes the Wolverines are young after losing four seniors to graduation, and junior state qualifier Lauryn Welles to the volleyball team, but they are experienced with a very strong group of sophomores leading the way.
"There are five or six sophomores, and they're very good and experienced. They've been swimming for a long time now," said Ackland.
"This season is very reminiscent of when Mira (Kittle), Liv (Cheresnowsky) and those guys were sophomores, and this group of sophomore were in 7th-grade," noted Ackland. "It's almost the exact same balance.
"Now, we have the sophomore class, two juniors, no seniors, and then we have a whole bedrock of 7th-graders," added Ackland. "We have a really nice 7th-grade class."
Ackland notes the focus of the preseason has varied.
"It depends on the group," he said. "We are pretty good at individualizing.
"For example, while we were weightlifting earlier this week, the younger girls stayed in the pool for half-an-hour and just went over technique. Not that lifting isn't important for them, but obviously they have different needs, so we're focused on some of them."
"The focus for the younger girls is going to be obviously just getting race ready, conditioning will come later as the season goes along.
Whereas, Natalie Stack is actually is going to suit up on Sept. 2 and she's going to try to break the school record — right out of the gate in our very first meet," added. Ackland. "So, totally opposite ends of the spectrum."
Ackland said it was a good summer, with lots of time in the pool, and a specialized camp with swim coach and consultant Andrew Sheaff, the former coach at the University of Virginia.
"I've been working with (Sheaff) for more than a year, but this summer he actually came here and stayed for a week and worked with these girls for the entire week. He evaluated our entire program.
"He gave practical advice — super, super helpful, but not just for the kids," said Ackland. "He was on the deck giving coaching advice.
"We did doubles the entire summer, and when practice would end, we would go into that classroom and evaluate video," noted Ackland. "Every single kid that was here, got their own personalized video from him evaluating the strokes, and things like that. So that's what they've been doing the whole entire summer."
During Sheaff's stay, a sophomore foursome laid the groundworks for an exciting season.
"While (Sheaff) was here, believe it or not, the team of Brynna Twedt, Natalie Steck, Megan Atanasoff and Audrey Kellogg anchoring actually hit a state cut time for the 200-yard medley relay in practice.
They were in tech suits, but there was no special rest or anything," noted Ackland. "It was just a normal week.
"They went 1:52.0, and the state cut is 1:52.35," he added. "And, they're all sophomores."
Waverly opens the season Wednesday at home when it hosts Oneonta, then hosts the Wolverine Invitational Sept. 12.
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PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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