Women's Swimming | 2/10/2026 12:17:00 PM
INTERVIEW OVERVIEW:
As the Saint Francis Red Flash Swimming team prepares for the NEC Championships, February 16–20 at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, senior swimmer Abbey Kutchel sat down with Head Coach Phil Hurley and Assistant Coach Carrie Robinson to discuss the team's preparation and excitement heading into the championship meet.
MONTHS OF PREPARATION LEAD TO CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON:
Coach Phil Hurley emphasized the extensive preparation the team has completed since the start of the season, noting the consistent training that has built the foundation for championship performances.
"We started training all the way back in August," Hurley said. "It's been five and a half months to get to this point with swimming seven times a week, lifting, and doing dry land three times a week. We had a training trip where we swam twice a day, and we've had 12 days of meets. All of that has gotten us ready to be at this point."
While acknowledging that there is still work to be done, Hurley expressed confidence in the team's progress, adding, "I think the team is really strong. We've got more work to do, but we are ready for today."
FINE-TUNING FOR THE BIGGEST RACES OF THE YEAR:
As championships approach, the focus of training has shifted toward sharpening race execution and attention to detail.
"The first several months have been about building aerobic capacity, getting stronger, faster, and working on technique," Hurley explained. "Now it's time to polish the stone, so to speak, paying attention to the small things, doing race strategy, and race pacing so that we are ready for the biggest races of the year."
TEAM CULTURE AND DEDICATION STAND OUT:
Assistant Coach Carrie Robinson, in her first season with the program, highlighted the Red Flash athletes' dedication and attitude as a defining strength.
"I'm proud of how hard everyone has been working in and out of the pool and their attitudes," Robinson said. "They really want it going into this last year in the NEC and want to go out with a bang."
EXCITEMENT BUILDS FOR CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION:
Both coaches expressed optimism heading into the meet, pointing to strong seed times and individual performance goals across the roster.
"We've got a lot of fast swimming coming up," Hurley said. "All the swimmers have set goals, and I think we've got a real good chance of hitting a lot of those. We've got some really good seeds going into the meet, and I think we're going to be right in the mix in every single race."
Fans are encouraged to come out and support the Red Flash in Geneva. Tickets for the NEC Championships are available here:
https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/northeastconference/L2VtYmVkL2FsbD92ZW51ZXM9NA%3D%3D
