STATESBORO - As the Georgia Southern swimming and diving team enters its second season under head coach Morgan McCafferty, it looks to build on a season marked by revitalization and rising results. The Eagles' Swim and Dive program is poised for further growth as they enter the 2025-26 season. 

In her first season at the helm, McCafferty's arrival marked the beginning of a new era for the program. With a background of success in both high-level competition and developmental coaching, she has brought structure and technical precision to Georgia Southern. Her prior success in producing top-10 finishes and school records at the University of Idaho translated into an immediate shift in standards at Georgia Southern. The team adopted a more disciplined and process-driven training model, emphasizing technical development, consistency and long-term growth. The Eagles responded with improved individual performances, greater accountability and a renewed sense of purpose across practices and meets. The overall program culture has grown more focused and unified, signaling the start of a sustainable foundation. 

As the Eagles aim to build off last season's momentum, they will benefit from an unprecedented opportunity to bring in several new transfer student-athletes to the team. With the recent NCAA v. House settlement that has made many student-athletes in search of a new home, Georgia Southern has been able to recruit top-level swimmers, some of which coming in from Power Five programs.

Four Division I transfers are headed to Statesboro this fall, bringing experience and ambition with them.

• Calissa Kissinger joins the program from Liberty University, bringing a strong foundation in 100 and 200 backstroke events.

• Jayla Thompson, a transfer from West Virginia, bolsters the sprint corps with her specialty in butterfly and competitive edge in 100 and 200 events.

• Sterling Burd arrives from South Carolina with valuable SEC experience and is poised to make an instant impact in the distance freestyle lineup. 

• Victoria Santino, another West Virginia transfer, brings versatility across all four strokes, including individual medley events and distance as well.

These additions reflect the program's growing appeal and competitive trajectory under McCaffery's direction. With an increasingly deep and diverse roster, Georgia Southern Swim and Dive shows the ambition to head into the coming season fiercely and will look to position themselves to be more competitive as they join the ASUN Conference. 

As preparation begins for the 2025-26 season, there is a renewed sense of purpose across the pool deck in Statesboro.