East Lyme

Coach: Rob Bouchey (3rd year)

Key returnees: Jr. Bobby Hahn (individual medley), Sr. Jack Zhang (butterfly).

Top newcomer: Jr. Ryan Huang.

Outlook: The Vikings won their 14th Eastern Connecticut Conference title in the last 15 seasons, finishing 12-2 overall, 10-0 in the conference and capturing the ECC championship meet. The suffered some key graduation losses and expect to be challenged by a veteran Fitch co-op team, but they do return reigning ECC champion Zhang (200 IM) and Hahn, who along with Zhang were half of the ECC's best 400 freestyle relay team. Bouchey welcomes seven freshmen and will rely on his sophomore class to play prominent roles.

Fitch/Ledyard/Norwich Tech/Stonington

Coach: Ken Berg (40th year)

Key returnees: Sr. John Marcolina, Sr. Keegan Reck, Sr. Sam Heilig, Sr. Joe Vignato, Sr. Max Cartier, Jr. Ian Sanok, So. Nathan McKenna, So. Chase Simao, So. AJ Murko, Jr. Gabe Watrous, Sr. Nathanael Padgett, Jr. Micah McKenzie, Sr. Christian Esposito.

Top newcomers: Ben Chidley, Matt Larney, Adam Desman, Charlie Cartier, Luke Forst, Matt Nowak, Sam Yute.

Outlook: After finishing second to East Lyme last season, the Falcons are primed to make a run at the Vikings this season with the return of a veteran cast led by Marcolina, The Day's All-Area Swimmer of the Year last season who won ECC titles in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle and was part of two ECC championship relay teams. Murko is the reigning ECC 100 backstroke champion while Keegan Reck and Vignato were All-Area picks on relay teams.

New London

Coach: Gunnar Tonnesen (1st year)

Key returnees: Olivier Guijarro-Sines, Annette Park, Finnella Smith, Brandon Donastorg-Marte.

Top newcomers: Gillian Melville, Yarden Sackegt.

Outlook: Tonnesen takes over a New London program that was winless a year ago, but should be more competitive this season with 13 returning swimmers and a pair of newcomers. "We are going to be able to continue to build on the work put in the last few years and have a strong season," Tonnesen said.

NFA

Coach: Cory Tubbs (3rd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Wyatt Gordan, Sr. Michael McCormack, Sr. Nate Crary.

Outlook: NFA went 6-4 a year ago and must replace a pair of All-Area swimmers in Jay Lin and Jeffrey Ng, but Tubbs said the Wildcats have more depth than past seasons and some talented newcomers to join her seniors and other returning veterans.

Waterford

Coach: Patrick Callan (1st year)

Key returnees: Sr. Hunter McKinsey (diving, freestyle), Jr. Sebastian Zegarra (200, 500 free), Jr. Jason Blain (diving, butterfly), Jr. Kody Dow (diving, breaststroke), Jr. Bryce Dorunda (free, breast), So. Dan Estrin (fly, free, individual medley), So. Theodore Bourez (free, backstroke).

Top newcomers: Fr. Theodore Joseph, Fr. Kevin Kilcommons, Fr. Colin Noyes, Fr. Liam Pescatello, Fr. Liam Pickett, Fr. Danny Torres, Fr. Max Whitlock, So. Caleb Zane, Fr. Rocco Brucoli, Fr. Dylan Goldschneider, Fr. Enzo Guarnieri, Fr. Quinlin Haglund, So. Christian Montoya, Fr. Gabriel Parent, Fr. Dylan Wininger-Sieve.

Outlook: Callan replaces Brett Arnold and has a veteran team, but Callan's particulary excited about a strong group of newcomers that includes a number of freshmen from the Clark Lane Middle School program. "Waterford has had a long heritage of some really good swimmers," said Callan, who will be assisted by Shannon McGuckin, "and we want to continue that excitement and help grow the sport. We are extremely happy that we have so many new swimmers coming out for the team. We are now starting to see the rewards of starting that feeder program (at Clark Lane)."