Xavier Nation Magazine Feature: All in the Family

If Xavier's women's swim team seems to have more of a family atmosphere than usual this year, it's because the team includes four pairs of sisters.
How'd that happen?

"I wouldn't say [recruiting siblings] was intentional," says Brent MacDonald, who has been coach of Xavier's men's and women's swimming programs since 2009. "But it certainly has worked out well."

The sisters are Annie and Maureen Cummins of Westerville, Ohio; Paxtyn and Riece Drew of Connersville, Indiana; Caroline and Lorelei Gaertner of Mendota Heights, Minnesota; and Emma and Maggie Kauffeld of Wilton, Connecticut.

Swimming tends to be a family sport, MacDonald says, and it makes sense that younger siblings would be attracted to the same program as an older brother or sister. They come from the same upbringing and from a family with the same philosophy about education. "If our program fits well for one, it should fit well for the other," he says.

What are the advantages of a team having multiple pairs of siblings? "It allows us to get [younger siblings] moving forward mentally a bit quicker if they're already familiar with our program and they have this additional support system," MacDonald says. "You eliminate a bit of that stress and anxiety for the younger sibling, especially early on."

And the challenges? "Making sure it's a positive experience for both, and one is not concerned about the other getting more of the limelight," MacDonald says, adding that's not a big problem at Xavier. At times, siblings can be competitive. They can bring with them that mentality of "fighting for the bathroom in the morning before school," he says.

And they'll motivate each other. "In practice, if I'm not doing something right, [older sister] Annie will be the first to tell me," says Maureen Cummins.

But overall the team has a positive environment fostered by MacDonald and his coaching staff that is attractive to recruits. "Just the way Coach MacDonald runs everything, it draws people," says Caroline Gaertner, who will be joined by sister Lorelei at Xavier this year.

Sophomore Riece Drew agrees. "When I looked at other schools, I would think 'I hope I'm successful there. I hope that I'll have fun.' And I knew that [older sister] Paxtyn was on a team that was successful and everyone was having fun. Why not go there? We joke that Xavier has a family atmosphere because it really is family."

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Xavier Nation Magazine Feature: All in the Family

Players Mentioned

Maureen Cummins

Riece Drew

Caroline Gaertner

Lorelei Gaertner

Maggie Kauffeld

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