UPDATE: The season-opening meet at Wheaton has been postponed for a date TBD.

WALTHAM, Mass. – For the first time in nearly 30 years, there's a new face at the helm of the Bentley women's swimming & diving program. But the expectations remain as high as ever. Bentley head coach Kevin Walsh enters his first year with the Falcons. He inherits a program that has finished second in the Northeast 10 Championships for four consecutive years.

Walsh succeeds the legendary Mary Kay Samko, who led the Bentley swimming & diving program for 29 years. She announced her retirement following the 2024-25 season. Samko was inducted into the Bentley Athletics Hall of Fame this past September.

Skyla Lang is already highly accomplished as she enters her junior season. Last year, Lang won Northeast 10 gold medals in the 200-IM and 200-breaststroke, and she took silver in the 400-IM. Lang was also on three NE10 silver medalist relay teams.

Two years ago, Lang was named the NE10 Women's Swimming Rookie of the Year. She won four NE10 medals during her first-ever conference championship, including individual medals in the 200-breaststroke and 100-breaststroke.  

"Skyla put in a huge amount of work over the summer," said Walsh. "She has set some big goals, all of them within reach based on how she's been training."

Senior Taylor White will be counted on for her veteran leadership, and for her prowess in the freestyle. Lang took NE10 bronze in the 1,000-freestyle during last year's conference championship. She also claimed silver in three different relays. Fellow senior Grace Motisi will also be counted on for her experience and leadership.

Junior Isabella Montanari was a two-time NE10 silver medalist last year. She was on the accomplished 400-medley and 200-medley relay teams.

Among Bentley's nine freshman, Walsh had particularly high expectations for Fenya Anastasiadou. "Fenya is a strong newcomer who has looked solid in practice and is ready to make an impact in meets.

Bentley's 2025-26 season begins with a dual at Wheaton Friday, Oct. 17. The Falcons' first home meet is a dual against Assumption, Nov. 2. The NE10 Championships are scheduled for Feb. 12-15 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.