Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, October 3
Fort Collins, CO
11:00 AM
Colorado State
vs
Front Range Invitational
Rams Close out Opening Weekend
10/3/2026 4:33:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Kayda Geyer, Whineray post victories as team takes third
FORT COLLINS -- Â There are so many aspects which can make a freshman feel awkward, maybe even uncertain.
Â
There's the obvious of being away from home for the first time, and with the crew of six Christopher Woodard added to his Colorado State women's swimming and diving roster, none of them hail from the Centennial State. Connecting with a team and even each other can smooth over a lot.
Â
It has, and according to them, it took no time at all.
Â
"I love my class so much. My roommate Avery (Lonergan), we've literally became best friends," Kayda Geyer said. "It's crazy to think we've only known each other for seven weeks and to think we're at, we're so close. And the rest of my class is just so close. We eat lunch together, dinner together. It's just so nice."
Â
The last stage – and the most fluid over four to five years – will be the swimming. Where they're at, tracking progression and weathering the peaks and valleys they know so well, then how they slot into the Rams lineup. The Front Range Invitational – which the team hosted at EPIC – gave them all, as well as Woodard, a first look.
Â
Colorado State finished third in the team race with 645 points as Air Force won the women's side with 949, with Wyoming (765) between them. During Saturday's closing session, the Rams won a pair of individual titles, with Geyer winning the 400-yard individual medley (4:30.43) for her first collegiate victory and Tess Whineray taking the 100 backstroke (55.24).
Â
While Geyer came in the most celebrated of the crew – she was a top-20 recruit nationally – the rest of the group aren't wallflowers. Not in personality. Not in performance.
Â
Every member of the group of six stepped to the table and scored points, with Geyer and Alaina Biebl each placing in two Saturday. No matter how acclaimed one was, they all shared a similar approach to the two days.
Â
"I kind of was just more focused on having fun and feeling out the college environment. I was really glad because my (200) back went really well so that was just exciting and it got me excited for the rest of the meet," Biebl said. "I'm just kind of excited to see where like this season takes me with new training and everything.
Â
"I feel like my races and everything went relatively well, and so it just makes me excited for the rest of the season and see what I can do at midseason when we're all suited and everything."
Â
Biebl scored in both the 400 IM and the 100 back, and Geyer placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke, then contributed to the opening 200 medley relay which placed second.
Â
After a busy summer where she won a junior national long-course championship in the 200 breast, then placed at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships. She also developed a sore knee, took some time off and then settled into her new life. Yes, she's been on big stages, but she had never competed in college. Or trained in Colorado.
Â
"This meet was definitely just to see what it was like to race and obviously try my best. But if things don't go my way, I'm not going to stress out about it," Kayda said. "I was out for a little bit with my knee, taking a break after my meets in the summer. I didn't swim for two weeks, so it was just to see what would happen.
Â
Being at elevation is so different, but I feel like I've gotten -- I'm not going to say used to it now. There are definitely still some times where I'm like, 'oh my God, I'm so out of breath.' But I'm doing better than I thought I would be with elevation."
Â
Woodard has watched them all closely, and he's happy with the way the group has approached it all. They've taken to coaching well, and after the invitational, he and his staff have target areas for all of them.
Â
That goes for the returners to a degree, too. Whineray delivered what he would expect. So did Mia Axelman, captains with all-conference pedigree who deliver points in their individual events and add punch to the relays. At the same time, sophomores Evie Munz and Gabby Hall took big steps forward in their performances, with Munz second in the 100 butterfly, Hall second to Whineray in the backstroke. Quinn Whorley's effort in the 1,650 free proved something to Woodard as well.
Â
It's not just their confidence being bolstered.
Â
"Not only for their sake. I'm really, really happy for both of them, because I think both of them felt like they were contributors, but they wanted to be contributors in a more impactful and meaningful way this year, but also it's the signal that it sends to the rest of the team, right? 'Oh, hey, what did Evie and Gabby do right that I can maybe follow? Is it more confidence? Is it more technique? Is it just more intention in the practice?'
Â
"Quinn, I think coming off the end of last season, which was a disappointment for her, and obviously the shoulder injury and having to rehab from that and still in a decent amount of pain this weekend, I think it was encouraging to her to see those results."
Â
Both of Colorado State's relays placed in the top three, and the team as a whole produced 11 top-eight finishes, one at Air Force as Juliana Dodd was sixth on platform. . Woodard said it was important for the new kids to get in the water, if only just to see. The strong results were a bonus.
Â
It was just as important for the Rams as a whole, as they now have a handle on the next step. It should be in their head that it is in their hands.
Â
"I think we closed well in the last 12.5 yards. I think it's incumbent upon us, one, we've got to get out faster, and two, we've got to start that closing earlier," he said. "There were some athletes who ran out of room and kind of got touched out, so it's having the confidence to start that earlier as well as get out in their first 15.
Â
"Don't let the race be dictated to you. Dictate the race."
Â
Â
There's the obvious of being away from home for the first time, and with the crew of six Christopher Woodard added to his Colorado State women's swimming and diving roster, none of them hail from the Centennial State. Connecting with a team and even each other can smooth over a lot.
Â
It has, and according to them, it took no time at all.
Â
"I love my class so much. My roommate Avery (Lonergan), we've literally became best friends," Kayda Geyer said. "It's crazy to think we've only known each other for seven weeks and to think we're at, we're so close. And the rest of my class is just so close. We eat lunch together, dinner together. It's just so nice."
Â
The last stage – and the most fluid over four to five years – will be the swimming. Where they're at, tracking progression and weathering the peaks and valleys they know so well, then how they slot into the Rams lineup. The Front Range Invitational – which the team hosted at EPIC – gave them all, as well as Woodard, a first look.
Â
Colorado State finished third in the team race with 645 points as Air Force won the women's side with 949, with Wyoming (765) between them. During Saturday's closing session, the Rams won a pair of individual titles, with Geyer winning the 400-yard individual medley (4:30.43) for her first collegiate victory and Tess Whineray taking the 100 backstroke (55.24).
Â
While Geyer came in the most celebrated of the crew – she was a top-20 recruit nationally – the rest of the group aren't wallflowers. Not in personality. Not in performance.
Â
Every member of the group of six stepped to the table and scored points, with Geyer and Alaina Biebl each placing in two Saturday. No matter how acclaimed one was, they all shared a similar approach to the two days.
Â
"I kind of was just more focused on having fun and feeling out the college environment. I was really glad because my (200) back went really well so that was just exciting and it got me excited for the rest of the meet," Biebl said. "I'm just kind of excited to see where like this season takes me with new training and everything.
Â
"I feel like my races and everything went relatively well, and so it just makes me excited for the rest of the season and see what I can do at midseason when we're all suited and everything."
Â
Biebl scored in both the 400 IM and the 100 back, and Geyer placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke, then contributed to the opening 200 medley relay which placed second.
Â
After a busy summer where she won a junior national long-course championship in the 200 breast, then placed at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships. She also developed a sore knee, took some time off and then settled into her new life. Yes, she's been on big stages, but she had never competed in college. Or trained in Colorado.
Â
"This meet was definitely just to see what it was like to race and obviously try my best. But if things don't go my way, I'm not going to stress out about it," Kayda said. "I was out for a little bit with my knee, taking a break after my meets in the summer. I didn't swim for two weeks, so it was just to see what would happen.
Â
Being at elevation is so different, but I feel like I've gotten -- I'm not going to say used to it now. There are definitely still some times where I'm like, 'oh my God, I'm so out of breath.' But I'm doing better than I thought I would be with elevation."
Â
Woodard has watched them all closely, and he's happy with the way the group has approached it all. They've taken to coaching well, and after the invitational, he and his staff have target areas for all of them.
Â
That goes for the returners to a degree, too. Whineray delivered what he would expect. So did Mia Axelman, captains with all-conference pedigree who deliver points in their individual events and add punch to the relays. At the same time, sophomores Evie Munz and Gabby Hall took big steps forward in their performances, with Munz second in the 100 butterfly, Hall second to Whineray in the backstroke. Quinn Whorley's effort in the 1,650 free proved something to Woodard as well.
Â
It's not just their confidence being bolstered.
Â
"Not only for their sake. I'm really, really happy for both of them, because I think both of them felt like they were contributors, but they wanted to be contributors in a more impactful and meaningful way this year, but also it's the signal that it sends to the rest of the team, right? 'Oh, hey, what did Evie and Gabby do right that I can maybe follow? Is it more confidence? Is it more technique? Is it just more intention in the practice?'
Â
"Quinn, I think coming off the end of last season, which was a disappointment for her, and obviously the shoulder injury and having to rehab from that and still in a decent amount of pain this weekend, I think it was encouraging to her to see those results."
Â
Both of Colorado State's relays placed in the top three, and the team as a whole produced 11 top-eight finishes, one at Air Force as Juliana Dodd was sixth on platform. . Woodard said it was important for the new kids to get in the water, if only just to see. The strong results were a bonus.
Â
It was just as important for the Rams as a whole, as they now have a handle on the next step. It should be in their head that it is in their hands.
Â
"I think we closed well in the last 12.5 yards. I think it's incumbent upon us, one, we've got to get out faster, and two, we've got to start that closing earlier," he said. "There were some athletes who ran out of room and kind of got touched out, so it's having the confidence to start that earlier as well as get out in their first 15.
Â
"Don't let the race be dictated to you. Dictate the race."
Â
Players Mentioned
FR, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diver
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BR, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK, FL, FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR, FLY
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR
/ Women's Swimming & DivingMonday, September 28
Wednesday, March 18
Monday, September 29
Monday, August 16