High School team member faces change annually, but for the first time in six years Newtown High School's girls' swimming and diving lineup has a new one - actually two - at the helm. Becky Osborne takes over as the head coach and Melissa Carroll is the new diving coach, taking over for Zach Gauvin, who stepped away for new career pursuits.

Osborne and Carroll, along with Lisa Irving who is back for her third year as an assistant, are all Newtown High alums.

"I'm extremely excited to be back here and coaching in Newtown where my athletic career started," said Osborne, a 1998 NHS graduate who played soccer and ran track and, for the past 13 years, has been teaching and coaching sports in New York City.

"I really like Newtown so I'm excited to be here," added Carroll, a four-year member of the swim team, who graduated in 2008.

As preseason unfolded this past week, the new coaches were getting to know their team members and figure out where they'll best help the team based on abilities and needs from last year's graduates.

"As a coach you're always looking for your team to do its best," Osborne said. "I'm hoping for the girls to improve and continue doing their best."

Osborne said one of the team goals is to have as many swimmers and divers as possible qualify for the South-West Conference and state championships.

Teams the Nighthawks will have to contend with include perennially tough Pomperaug of Southbury and Weston.

Captains are Anastazia Luci-Bernard, Alex Ferris, and Keeley Baumann. In addition to the captains, top swimmers include versatile Maddie Carter, along with Mary Hufziger, who holds the program's 100 yard freestyle record with a time of 52.82.

A large freshmen class brings plenty of youth to a large roster of nearly 40 team members.

Among the graduates was diver Kari Djonne, who was an All State standout three years in a row.

Divers Sara MacMullen and Kiera Sughrue return and are joined by freshmen Hannah Weatherby and Kylie Giroux.

"I'm looking forward to having a strong team," Carroll said.