KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown women's swimming looks to build on last season's sixth-place finish at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships while navigating a rebuilding year in 2026-27.
The Golden Bears lost a large senior class and three juniors who graduated early, creating new challenges for the team's depth. However, Kutztown returns several experienced swimmers and PSAC scorers, led by senior
Sarah Zeminski (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East), as the team looks to remain competitive and continue developing throughout the season.
Zeminski headlines the returning group after a standout performance at the 2026 PSAC Championships. She finished as the runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly with a school-record time of 56.32 seconds and placed eighth in the 1,000-yard freestyle, earning a spot in the A final in both events. Zeminski returns looking to build on those accomplishments and remain one of the Golden Bears' top performers.
Julia Kopcho (Pemberton, N.J./Camden Catholic) also returns after reaching the A finals in the 1,000-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle at the 2026 PSAC Championships. She also recorded several appearances on Kutztown's all-time top 10 lists, demonstrating her impact in distance events. Kopcho will look to build on her conference performances and continue contributing to the Golden Bears' lineup.
Phoebe Armes (Somerset, UK/Millfield School) and
Birta Smaradottir (Mosfellsbær, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland) provide additional experience for the returning roster. Armes scored at the PSAC Championships in the 200-yard individual medley, while Smaradottir contributed in the 400-yard individual medley. Both swimmers will look to build on their conference experience and take on important roles as Kutztown works to strengthen its lineup.
Head coach
Tim Flannery expects the Golden Bears to improve as the season progresses, emphasizing the importance of challenging competition in preparing the team for the conference championships.
"I see them getting stronger each meet," Flannery said. "They'll be pushed very hard every meet we have, so that's going to make a big difference in how they perform at the end of the season at PSACs."
Kutztown travels to East Stroudsburg on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tri-meet against the Warriors and Montclair State, providing an early opportunity to measure its progress.
