Kate Cronic doesn't sugarcoat the realities of a new season. Illinois Tech's swim and dive program entered the fall with more questions than usual—practice disruptions, a late pool opening, and a team itching to shake off the preseason rust. "We've had a bit of a rocky start to the season just in terms of practices and pool openings," she said. "People are a little anxious about the start of the season and not feeling as well prepared as we have been in previous years."

Even so, Cronic sees strength in the team's returning core and the collective mindset they've built. "Returning athletes look good," she said. "People seem to be pretty cohesive right now in terms of what our overall team plan is." With the season opener in Wisconsin this Saturday and three more weekends of racing on deck—alumni meet, University of Chicago, and Augustana—the team is embracing the first competition as a baseline. "There are no expectations,It's an opportunity to brush off cobwebs, get up and race, and really find out where we are."

Finding Rhythm After a Disrupted Preseason

The preseason wasn't ideal. Without consistent pool access on campus, the team had to improvise, and Cronic credits the athletes for handling the uncertainty with maturity. The team captains did a couple of open water swims at the beach on Fridays before the season. Once the official start date arrived, Illinois Tech secured water time at the University of Chicago. "The big part of everybody's anxiousness was just getting everybody back into the pool in a practice and a structured schedule," Cronic said.

Despite the logistical hurdles, she's encouraged by the team's attitude. "We're trying to take a more lighthearted approach right now," she said. "Finally we're back to a regular schedule, so let's just take it and move forward and not look back."

An International Roster Shaping a New Identity

One of the defining traits of Illinois Tech swimming and diving is its diversity. "14 different countries represented," Cronic said. "I'm busily hanging flags as we speak." The international presence has become a competitive advantage—and a learning opportunity for everyone. "Our athletes get to know each other pretty intently and what their backstory is," she said. "That brings to the table a wealth of information and also the recognition for our domestic athletes that there are other ways in which training can be done and you can still be fast."

The mix of training backgrounds has made the team more adaptable. "Most all of them have trained long course meters versus short course yards," Cronic said. "The challenge has been to acclimate athletes to a much shorter pool—more turns, more underwaters, more kicking." She's seen the impact already. "Athletes who are returning from last year are different athletes now," she said. "They've had exposure they didn't have before, and I think that has enhanced their experience and made them smarter athletes."

Building Depth and Discovering New Contributors

Cronic is careful not to single out too many names this early, but several athletes have already caught her eye. "We picked up a walk-on from Russia, Maksim Stupakov," she said. "He's a sprinter, and I think we're going to see some big movement from him." The staff has encouraged him to expand his range. "He's a little more versatile than he thought he was," Cronic said. "We've already started work on that."

On the women's diving side, there's been significant growth as they picked up two new divers this season both originally from Mexico. The women's diving group now has four athletes. "I think that will enhance our program as well," she said.

There are emerging names on both sides of the roster. "Giorgio Turchetti looks to be in pretty good shape," Cronic said. "Aiden Chance looks to be in really good shape." Two first-years —Jack Jones and  Oleksandr Gladunin—are also off to strong starts. "I think on the men's side for swimming, we should be pretty deep" she said. 

On the women's side, Cronic highlighted Lien Tzu Wo Ching,  "She replaces a couple of our distance folks in terms of distance freestyle and 4 IM," she said. The message for everyone, though, is simple. "We have no expectations this weekend other than to get up and race," Cronic said. "If they'll let go of being worried about not being ready and just race, I think it'll be a very productive meet for us."

A New Conference and a Bigger Platform

Illinois Tech's move to the American Rivers Conference represents a turning point for the program. "That was a huge move for us," Cronic said. "I was very excited to be a part of it, and I think it's a good move for us." The all-Division III membership creates consistency the program lacked in its previous league. "It's a huge step up for our men's team to not have to be racing NAIA schools," she said.

The conference also offers something less tangible but equally important: visibility. "It provides us a more nationally recognized platform," Cronic said. "They do lots of athlete stories, team stories throughout the season on their conference website, which is something we've not had available to us ever." For Cronic, that exposure matters. "In terms of brand recognition, school recognition, team recognition, it gets us on the national platform where we haven't been before," she said."