University of Richmond Athletics
UR Welcomes Five New Swimmers To 2015-16 Squad
07/12/2015 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Richmond swimming and diving has added five new swimmers to the 2015-16 squad, the team announced today. Head coach Matt Barany is welcoming the additions of Hannah Matheson (Skillman, New Jersey), Nicole Piercy (Newport News, Virginia / Hampton Roads Academy), Brynn Robertson (Omaha, Nebraska), Morgan Soulia (Wexford, Pennsylvania) and Lauren Wallace (Charlotte, North Carolina) to the squad this fall.
Eschewing the normal listing of accolades, the swimming and diving program wanted to take this opportunity for the ladies to introduce themselves, so we present a question-and-answer section where we find out a little more about these new Spiders as they make their way into the Richmond community.
Why UR?
Matheson: I chose Richmond because of the strong academics it offers and because the swim team was exactly what I was looking for when I decided I wanted to transfer. I liked that the team was on the smaller side and that the coaches spend time working with their athletes in the pool and also get to know them outside of the pool. It had the family feel that I wanted in a team. Also Richmond is a beautiful school!
Piercy: I fell in love with the campus and the whole team. Their whole dynamic was exactly what I was looking for and I couldn't be more excited!
Robertson: When I first visited the campus, I just knew that it was the school where I wanted to be. The size of the school and the academics are a perfect fit for me.
Soulia: I chose UR because I felt most at home with the team there and I believe that Richmond will give me all opportunities I need to help me achieve what I want.
Wallace: UR meets my needs academically and athletically. From the first visit, UR felt like home. The coaching staff and the team feel like family to me already.
Matheson is joining the Spiders for her final two years of eligibility after swimming for Penn State for the past two seasons. She swam for her father at the Eastern Express club team during her years at Montgomery High School and coach Claire Scarpa. In addition to Hampton Road Academy coaches Jeff Scott and Heidi Speece, Piercy also swam for the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins for coaches Jack Bierie and Steve Hennessey. Robertson swam for coach Pat DiBiase at Marian High School, but swam her club seasons with Greater Omaha Aquatics and coach Tom Beck. Soulia swam for coach Patrick Wenzel at North Allegheny High School and her club team, the Allegheny North Swim Club. Wallace attended Ardrey Kell and swam for SwimMAC Carolina and coach Alan Pfau. This is the same club that rising sophomore Lauren McRae swam for in her prep career.
It was no surprise when we asked the incoming freshman who was most influential in their swim careers, these folks were on the list.
Who has been influential in your life and/or swimming career thus far? (Who would you say 'thank you' to?)
Matheson: My dad has definitely been the most influential person in my life and in my swimming career.
Piercy: I would say thank you to my dad for always driving carpool to practice and to my twin brother, Evan, for giving me encouragement when I needed it most. An especially big 'thank you' to my mother who took time to be a working mom and a swim mom and amazingly almost never missing a meet. She has and always will be my biggest fan and I couldn't be more thankful for her constant support. A huge 'thank you' to my coach, Jack, who has taught me more about the sport than anyone else.
Robertson: My sister, Afton. She was also a collegiate swimmer and she has helped me so much throughout the years. She has helped me set goals that are realistic, yet challenging.
Soulia: My mom, my first high school swim coach, my teammates.
Wallace: Thank you to my family, especially my mom and dad for supporting me on this journey. I also want to thank my club program and coaches at SwimMAC for the foundation to pursue swimming at the collegiate level.
What are you looking forward to about your college swimming experience?
Matheson: My favorite part about my college swimming experience so far is the friends I've made. I am looking forward to making my next two years with the Spiders my best!
Piercy: I am most looking forward to being a part of a team that is bigger than myself. I love swimming for a larger goal than just personal best times. The girls on the team are amazing and I cannot wait to call them teammates.
Robertson: I'm so excited to be a part of the Richmond team. The team seems so close and like a family. I'm very excited for all the new experiences this first year will bring!
Soulia: Meeting new people, having a new swim coach, starting a new practice routine and starting over.
Wallace: I am looking forward to joining this amazing team and swimming for my University. I am also looking forward to being a part of the legacy that is University of Richmond Swimming and Diving.
Finally, list a fun fact about yourself…
Matheson: I love animals and have had a pet snake for 12 years.
Piercy: I have an irrational fear of mayonnaise!!
Robertson: I have 5 dogs.
Soulia: My favorite movie is the “The Sound of Music.”
Wallace: Matt Barany was my very first swim coach at the Dominion Club in Virginia.
Richmond won its fifth-straight Atlantic 10 Championship in February the 13th for the program in the past 14 seasons. The team has also been honored for seven straight years as a College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Team for their outstanding work in the classroom. The squad turned in a 3.41 team grade point average for the spring semester of 2015.
Players Mentioned
