HAYWARD, Calif. – Cal State East Bay swimming will officially open its season on Friday, Oct. 10, when it hosts Mills College at Pioneer Pool. Fifth year Head Coach Ben Loorz is focused on the upcoming season rather than admiring the program's meteoric rise to a 15th place finish at the 2014 NCAA National Championships.

"It's important to look back and go over what you have done, but it's important to set goals for the season ahead. It should be 10 percent looking at the past, 10 percent looking into the future, and 80 percent about what's going on right here, right now," said Loorz when asked if he has reflected on the program's accomplishments since his arrival in 2010.

Eleven members from last year's squad return in 2014-15 for the Pioneers led by the lone senior Alyssa Tenney. Last year she was a member of two All-American freestyle relays and was an individual qualifier in two events at the NCAA National Championships.

"(Alyssa) has been here four years and is our team captain. She has gotten faster every year and has continued to improve in a variety of events," praised Loorz of his senior leader. "She is so versatile. It's really fun to see what she is going to do for her senior year as a coronation."

Last year's freshmen group was led by Madison Hauanio who finished 12th in the 100-yard freestyle at nationals to earn individual All-America Honorable Mention honors. She is one of four sophomores expected to play a major role on this year's squad.

"Our sophomore class has done an awesome job over the past six months. We have a great group with Hauanio (a returning All-American) and Mariam Lowe (team record holder in the 200 backstroke). Sierra MacIntyre has a breakout summer, and Noelle Farrar who had a breakout March," said Loorz. "I'm really excited for this class. There is a lot of potential with this group."

Cal State East Bay will enter the year with 12 juniors on the team. Courtney Schwiesow (100 and 200 breaststroke) and Rachel Shimizu (1,000 free) came up just shy of a qualifying spot to last year's national meet and are strong hopefuls to go this season. Their respective school record times would have placed them just outside of the top-16 at the NCAA National Championships.

It's a healthy mix of familiar and fresh faces as the Pioneers welcome in 10 new faces to the team this year. Six junior transfers join the team this season in Arolyn Basham, Kristin Boston, Vivianne Mai, Hannah Voegtly, Jacqueline Whitehead, and Tana Wilson. Freshmen Claire Beaty, Shaylyn Brownell, Kali Kearns, and Madison Munger round out the group.

"We have a lot of depth this season. I think this will help us when we get to Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference (PCSC) Championships in trying to compete for the title," added Loorz.

Cal State East Bay will welcome back recent East Bay graduate and 4-year member of the Pioneer swim team Rachel Knowles on Friday in both teams' official season opener. Knowles has joined forces with Mills College as an assistant coach for the Cyclones swim program.

Pioneer Pool will host only three meets this season including Friday's opener. Cal State East Bay will make a pair of out-of-state road trips to Fairbanks, Alaska (Nov. 14-15) and Reno, Nev. (Jan. 2-3) during its regular season schedule.

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