NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox swim team has a lot to look forward to.

2024-25 was a year of growth for the George Fox swim team. Jesse Urback set a program record in the 400 individual medley, while Micah Hugo set one in the 1650 free. In addition, senior Abbey Nardella set the American para swim records in the 50-yard and 200-yard butterfly, competing at the 2024 U.S. Paralympics National Championships. For Bruin head coach Natalie Turner, the experience is key.

"There are certainly positives to last season," Turner said, "But most importantly, I'm excited to see all of our swimmers, especially our sophomores and juniors, gain another year of experience in collegiate swimming."

The Fox women are buoyed by five seniors — Kaylee Dicey, Claire Harmon, Laurel Knox, Riley Parker, and Abby Roche. Dicey was an All-NWC swimmer her junior season, while Knox raced to a Second Team All-NWC honor in the 1650 in 2024-25.

Dicey, Knox, Parker and Harmon have been consistent point scorers in the conference across their events are Turner is very positive to see what they can do in their senior season. 

On the men's side, the Bruins have just two senior swimmers in Cameron Alexander and Owen Tonseth. Alexander was named Second Team All-NWC in 2024-25 and holds two program records, while Tonseth has been a solid presence for Fox over the past three seasons.

"Cameron and Owen have both been steady people for us on the pool deck," Turner said, "They've each been essential parts of the team throughout the years, and I think this year will really show that."

While the seniors have experience and pedigree, the incoming freshman class is something that excites Turner.

On the women's side, five-time WIAA State Champion Gabrielle Patti looks to bring speed to the Bruin sprint group and stroke events — four of Patti's state championships came in the 50 free. Patti is joined by Clara Green, Addie Gustin, Leah Meeuwsen, Donna Talmadge, and Kyah Weeber, all athletes who have adapted quickly to collegiate swimming.

"Our freshman are a really entertaining group," Turner said, "I think they will help us, especially in relays, and provide depth across our stroke and sprint events."

That same sentiment applies to the men's side. Whether it's Texas-born breaststroker Jack Orset, WIAA Swim State runner-up Mark Seledekov, local product Brennan Krober, or newcomer Parker Kiniry, the Bruins have plenty of new talent that can make a push in the pool.

The remaining sophomores and juniors also bring their own skills and talent. Alongside three athletes that each finished seventh in their respective NWC events (Claire Kuiper, Ellie Hoover, and Heidi Gray) and sophomore Belinda Stoye, junior Jesse Urback is the one other All-NWC swimmer that the Bruins have on the roster, earning a First Team honor in the 1650 and Second Team in the 500 free. Though Urback has shown skill in distance, she's also eager to try new experiences. 

"Jesse has been a rock in the distance group," Turner said, "But she's also been interested in trying out other events in the pool. We could even see her building off her success in the 400 IM last year."

On the men's side, Micah Hugo is hoping to build off of a year where he set a program record in the 1650, racing to a time of 17:10.13. He is joined by fellow sophomores Micah Strock and the speedy Aiden Buchanan.

The junior class for the men is the biggest of any of the groups, with six athletes —Jared Gray, Wyatt Greene, Tobin Jansen, Christopher McLellan, Cody Moreland, and Strom Nordeng — comprising it. Luke Hugo, Greene has a program record of his own: a 10:26.80 in the 1000 free set in November 23.

"Micah Hugo comes off of a very good freshman season and seems to have come back stronger," Turner said, "We're excited to see what he can do in the distance. Our junior class, meanwhile, showed us a lot last season."

The schedule will be a bit unique for the Bruins — alongside their usual Bruin Invite tournament a week before Thanksgiving, Fox will also have a tri-meet against Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound, a dual against College of Idaho, and a regular season-ending quad meet at Lewis & Clark.

With the dual against COI and a quad meet that features Southwestern Oregon CC, Fox will have opportunities to get in the pool against unfamiliar faces. Thanks to long distances between their nearest nonconference swimming programs, the Bruins are so often confined to just facing off against just their NWC foes; in the case of COI and SWOCC, Turner hopes that the Bruins have a chance to let loose.

"We won't see these teams at the end of the season," she said, "It's fun. It's new. It's exciting. It's hopefully something our athletes don't have to worry about and can just swim without worries about conference contenders."

Meanwhile, their season-opening Tri-Meet against the Tacoma schools should be all-around fun. The three teams have decided to do a "mystery meet": inspired by several other trends by Division I schools, each athlete will step up to the starting block with no knowledge of what their event will be. Only after the meet is selected out of a hat by the PA announcer will they know what they will be swimming.

"The Mystery Meet is going to be fun," Turner said, "It's a cool way to start the season, and hopefully brings a lot of energy to the crowd and the swimmers. It should be a great way to kick off the new season."

The year ends with the NWC Championships at the beginning of February. There, Turner and the Bruins will look to build off of the year prior, take advantage of several talented freshmen, budding sophomores and juniors, and send off the seniors in the right way.

But unlike their first meet in 2025, it's no mystery:

Fox is ready to surprise this season.