A Year Ago  

2024 Record: 4-4 Dual Meet Record 

Result: Claimed 6th in the PSAC Championship Meet 

This Season  

Student-Athletes Departing: 10 

Incoming Freshmen: 8 

Key Returning Student-Athletes: Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) (SR, free/IM), Emily Hedges (Peachtree Corners, Ga./St Pius X Catholic) (JR, fly/IM), Hannah Jacobs (Johannesburg, South Africa) (SR, fly/IM), Juliana Romero (Bogotá, Columbia/Colegio pureza de Maria) (SO, back/IM) 

Season Opener: Friday, October 17th vs. Clarion – 5:00 pm (Erie, Pa. / Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool) 

Home Opener: Friday, October 17th vs. Clarion – 5:00 pm (Erie, Pa. / Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool) 

PSAC Championships: 2/18-2/21 - York, PA / Graham Aquatic Center 

What To Expect  

In his first season as Gannon head coach, Milan Medo guided the Golden Knights to a sixth-place finish at PSAC Championships, with several strong performances in the pool throughout the week. The season was full of several high notes, including a first-place finish at the Malone Invitational. This year, with multiple returning key performers, along with a talented incoming freshman class, the Golden Knights are poised to take a leap forward in 2025-26. 

1: Key Returners – Of the returning student-athletes for the Golden Knights this season, Emily Hedges (Peachtree Corners, Ga./St Pius X Catholic) (JR, fly/IM) may be set to break another school record this year. In fact, she's already broke the record in the same meet twice, setting the 200 yard butterfly mark at PSAC Championships in 2023-24, and breaking it again (2:05.52) last season. Hannah Jacobs (Johannesburg, South Africa) (SR, fly/IM) and Juliana Romero (Bogotá, Columbia/Colegio pureza de Maria) (SO, back/IM) each tallied impressive performances throughout last season as well and will help bolster a new look lineup this season. 

Medo: "We had a lot of imporvements from our upper classmen last year. We believe they can be an intergral part of ensuring the team is at their best throughout the season."

2: New Faces – Eight new freshman will be a part of the Gannon roster this year, a class Medo is excited about heading into the home opener. The Golden Knights relay teams are likely to feature a few of the new student-athletes throughout the season. 

Medo: "While we will miss our graduating class from a year ago, we are very excited for both the freshmen and transfer class this year. We are confident in our recruiting process and believe they can be major contributors throughout the season."

3: Valcheva Seeking a Big Year – In addition to the incoming freshman class, Gannon welcomes transfer Maria Valcheva (Sofia, AE/Sports School Vasil Levski) to the squad. A transfer from Youngstown State, the sophomore put up an impressive freshman campaign in DI, competing in multiple "A" finals. She is slated to swim the breaststroke and IM for the Golden Knights this season.  

4: Busy Fall – October 17th is just the start of what will be a fast-paced month and a half before Thanksgiving. Gannon will have four meets prior to the winter break, including PSAC tilts against Clarion and IUP in back-to-back weeks. GU will then travel to Case Western Reserve on November 8th, before taking part in the three-day Malone Invitational on Nov. 20-22nd. Gannon had a quick start to the 2024-25 campaign, winning two of three dual meets and then taking first of 16 teams at the Malone Invitational. They'll look to replicate that success this year.  

Medo: "I am excited to get the season rolling at home. We have such great competition coming into our building on opening night. We have a tremendous amount of respects for Clarion's program and think this will be a great test for us to begin the year."

5: Home Slate – We'll see the Golden Knights twice inside the Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool in 2025-26. Gannon will host Clarion in the season opener on October 17th, and then again on January 17th at 1:00 pm. That will be a tri-meet featuring Malone and Oberlin.  

Full 2025-26 Schedule 

10/17 - vs Clarion (Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool) - 5:00 pm 

10/25 - @ IUP (Indiana, PA) - 1:00 pm 

11/8 - @ Case Western Reserve (Cleveland, OH) – 1:00 pm 

11/20-22 - @ Malone Invitational (Canton, OH) - All Day 

1/17 - vs Oberlin & Malone (Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool) - 1:00 pm 

1/23 - @ Edinboro (Edinboro, PA) - 6:00 pm 

1/31 - @ Penn State Behrend (Erie, PA) - 1:00 pm 

2/18-2/21 - PSAC Championships (York, PA / Graham Aquatic Center) - All Day 

3/10-3/14 - NCAA DII National Championships (Evansville, IN) - All Day