Missouri Military Academy hasn’t offered swimming and diving for very long.

The program hopes to have a third straight winning season and will attempt to do so as part of an 80-team group in Class 1 District 1. The Colonels have improved every year and thinks the school could take that next step this year at state.

Head coach Matthias McManus said the swim team has 10 upperclassmen and five underclassmen swimmers and five upperclassmen and two underclassmen divers. Leading the pack in the blocks is senior and swim captain Anthony Melick, who just missed out on state last season.

“What I ask from our swimmers is to concentrate on swimming for a personal best time,” McManus said. “When that happens the rest falls into place.”

Other swimming key returners include sophomore Miles Matthews and senior Benjamin Huynh.

A couple new cadets McManus is excited about are both from Brazil. Junior Paulo Pereira de Abreu and sophomore Tiago Ruas Deluca are both “phenomenal swimmers” who can make an instant impact this year, McManus said.

“Last year, we definitely showed improvement from our first season,” McManus said. “But I would like to emphasize that each year, we have had swimmers that have strived to get their best times and have not disappointed me as a coach with their efforts.”

Entering her second year coaching the MMA divers is Tori Webber.

“This is an excellent addition to helping our team win competitions with diving points combined with swim points,” McManus said. “We are excited that once again MMA has decided to continue with a swim and dive program.”

MMA starts its season Sept. 7 at Smith-Cotton in Sedalia before hosting a tri meet at 4 p.m. Sept. 13.