The Newburgh Free Academy girls’ swimming and diving team lost three of their best swimmers from last year’s team.

They also have a new coach, as boys’ swimming coach Zach Williams takes over coaching the girls’ team after former coach Patrick Kavanagh was promoted to an assistant principal position at NFA Main.

The Goldbacks finished 6-4 last season and placed sixth at the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 meet and then eighth at the Section 9 championships.

The Goldbacks enter the season losing seniors Megan Cameron, Kamryn Betcher and Jenna Bunch. Cameron finished fifth at the Section 9 championships in the 200-yard individual medley and sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke. She also was on a pair of fifth-place relay teams, the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relays, with Betcher, Elle Gerbes and Jordyn Bryant.

The Goldbacks will return Gerbes, who was sixth in Section 9 in the 50-yard freestyle, and Bryant, who was 12th in the 200-yard freestyle and 14th in the 100-yard freestyle. Bryant is a junior and Gerbes is a sophomore.

Williams said he is looking to get more swimmers into the Section 9 championship meet in November at Valley Central High School.

“We have a very young and exciting team,” Williams said. “We have good workers who are ready to grow and continue the strong tradition of Newburgh swimming.”