Burgess, an assistant coach for the Jayhawks the past three seasons, was named head coach after Gary Kempf stepped down to take the positions of director of student-athlete life and director of coaches professional development at KU.

“I’m familiar with the program, so I’m excited about it,” Burgess said of her first head coaching job. “I feel I’m lucky because I knew the team before I took over. Gary put me in a good situation to take over because we have such a good team, a good group of ladies.”

Even with the coaching change, the team, which finished fourth in the Big 12 championship and stunned No. 16-ranked Nebraska in late January dual, will have a similar look to last season.

All but six players five graduated seniors and Lyndsay DeVaney, who is transferring from last year’s squad will return.

“Well miss her,” Burgess said of DeVaney, “but it’s the best situation for her. It will be impossible or hard to replace the seniors, obviously. With those graduating, some new leaders need to step up.”

Those looked upon to step up will include seniors Caroline Grevers and Jenny Fuller, a junior captain last season, and junior diver Rebecca McFall.

“Two swimmers and a diver, so it covers everything,” Burgess said. “I’m excited about those three.”

Grevers compted in the 100 breaststroke at last year’s NCAA Championships and is the school record holder in the event.

Two of the team’s other top returners will be sophomores Gwen Haley and Beth Schryer.

Haley won two or more events in a single meet four times last year and finished with a team-high 11 wins, and Schryer won six events last season.

Those two sophomores, along with Grevers and Carrie Kirkham, took part in the Olympic Trials over the summer.

“That shows our versatility,” Burgess said. “Making the meet is the highest level of swimming other than making the Olympic team and two in each event is not many.

“It’s a big step and I think it gets them excited for next year.”

Burgess herself is excited about the team’s chances this season and in the next few years.

“We’re solid all around and young,” she said. “We have only three seniors. It’s a young team with a good future. We’ve got good solid classes that will be here for one, two or three more years.”

Burgess isn’t the only coaching change this season. Eric Eikenbary has been hired as an assitant to the team. He was the head coach at Division II University of Findlay in Ohio.

“I’m thrilled,” Burgess said of Eikenbary. “I think that’s going to be part of the excitement too, to meet someone new because they’ve known me for three years so the change was scary, but they knew it and it wasn’t that hard to adjust.”