Washington, D.C. - According to a poll of Atlantic 10 coaches, the Duquesne University swimming & diving team has been picked to finish third in the conference for the 2025-26 season.

The Dukes accumulated 83 points in the poll with one first-place vote. George Washington was the selected as the preseason favorite with seven first-place tallies and 97 total points. Richmond was tabbed second with two first-place votes and 83 points while Duquesne, Davidson (59), and Fordham (57) rounded out the top five.

George Mason was selected to finish sixth with 51 points, followed by La Salle, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island, and Saint Louis rounding out the poll.

Duquesne is led by longtime head coach David Sheets, who will enter his 25th season at the helm in 2025-26. A three-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (2015, 2018, 2019), Sheets has guided the Dukes to sustained success, highlighted by back-to-back A-10 championships in 2018 and 2019, a runner-up finish in 2022, and a third-place showing this past season. Duquesne tallied 525 points en route to its bronze medal performance, the fourth-highest team score in program history. The Dukes have firmly established themselves among the conference's elite, finishing in the top four at the A-10 Championships for 11 consecutive seasons.

Entering the 2025-26 campaign, the Dukes return 16 student-athletes, bolstered by eight incoming freshmen and one transfer. Duquesne showcased its depth at last season's A-10 Championships, amassing 13 medals, setting seven school records, posting five NCAA B-cut times, and celebrating one Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Rookie. That honor went to sophomore Ashley Freel, who became just the third freshman in program history to receive the award. Freel delivered an impressive championship debut, securing three podium finishes, posting a personal best, and helping the Dukes establish a new school record.

The Dukes excelled in the 200-yard backstroke, sweeping the top two spots in a record-breaking performance. Sophomore Sierra Snow earned silver with a personal-best and NCAA B-cut time of 1:55.91. Junior Lexi Sundgren also returns after securing silver in the 200-yard freestyle, clocking 1:49.41, while senior Sydney Severini is back following a standout swim in the 200-yard breaststroke. Severini claimed bronze with a personal-best 2:11.92, a mark that doubled as a school record and NCAA B-cut time..

Duquesne's 2025-26 slate features 12 regular-season events, including two home meets at Towers Pool. The Dukes open the year with a split-squad weekend on Saturday, Oct. 11, as the swimmers head to the Pitt Relays and the divers compete at the Clarion Diving Fall Classic.  FOLLOW THE DUKES
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