Artistic Swimming | 9/11/2023 9:33:00 AM

DENTON, Texas (Sept. 11 , 2023) - The young Texas Woman's university artistic swimming team welcomes three incoming freshmen this season as they continue to build a talented roster. 

These three student-athletes bring national and international experience to TWU. They have successfully competed with the sport's new scoring system in their clubs, which will be crucial to the growth of the program. 

"Maya, Liberty, and Maria all come from very strong technical clubs that have given each of them great skills to start off their freshman seasons," TWU Artistic Swimming Head Coach Barb Nesbitt Ng said. "I am thrilled to have them join our veteran Pioneer Team and cannot wait to see what they are able to accomplish in the next four years." 

Maya Schwickert has been swimming for 14 years, two of those in Austin, Texas with the Austin Angelfish and twelve years in her hometown Scottsdale, Ariz. with Scottsdale Synchro. Schwickert has had a long and successful career in artistic swimming. She won the Senior High Point Individual Award at the US Junior/Senior Nationals for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023. In 2022, Schwickert and her team also claimed the Senior High Point Team Award at the same competition. 

In addition to her decorated artistic swimming career, Schwickert has also shined in the classroom. She has won multiple Arizona Science & Engineering Fair awards where she has been competing since the 7th grade. She will be majoring in Chemistry and Mathematics at TWU. 

The second addition to TWU's roster, Liberty Bowman grew up swimming for the Arizona Desert Dolphins in Mesa, Ariz. and attended Mountain View High School.  Bowman decided to attend Texas Woman's because of the positive environment she felt when visiting the campus and within the athletic department. "I really appreciate how dedicated the school is to creating a space where students can thrive academically, socially, and athletically," Bowman said. 

Bowman will be part of the TWU Honors program and will be majoring in Child Development. She has been swimming for six years, and since 2021, she has placed in the top four in all team events at the US Junior/Senior National Championship. 



Lastly, Maria Fernández-Montenegro, the 17 year old Spaniard from Guadalajara, will add to the international experience within the Pioneers' roster. The incoming freshman grew up swimming for Club Alcarreño and attending ÍES Castilla high school. Fernández-Montenegro has balanced two sports simultaneously for a decade. She dedicated her youth to artistic swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. She participated in both disciplines for 12 and 10 years respectively while successfully competing at the national level in both sports. 

Fernández-Montenegro will be joining Bowman in the TWU Honors program while majoring in Medical Technology. 

Texas Woman's is now home for not one but two Fernández-Montenegro artistic swimmers as siblings Maria and Eva Fernández-Montenegro will now swim for the Pioneers. 

The Pioneer family is thrilled to have new talent making an impactful splash.