NCAA Women: Division III Swimming and Diving Recruiting Roundup

By Brian Savard

LAKE PLACID, New York, May 31. LAST week, Swimming World Magazine took a look at the recruiting happenings among some Division III men's programs. This week's installment looks at the Division III women's recruiting picture.

Due to NCAA compliance concerns, many of the coaches contacted declined to participate in this article.

Amherst

When it's all said and done at the end of the season, Amherst's women may have one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.

Kendra Stern (Albuquerque, N.M.) unites with her sister, sophomore Meaghan, with her commitment to the Lord Jeffs' swim team. Stern is one of the top Division III recruits in the nation with times that would have put her in the top five at the 2007 NCAA Championships in the 200 freestyle (1:51.5) and the 100 freestyle (51.2).

Andrea Jensen (Burnsville, Minn.) should be an NCAA qualifier in both her 200 IM (2:09) and her 400 IM (4:36). Jensen also swims breaststroke as well.

Erin Kennedy (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) is a sprint specialist who will likely battle for a spot on the Amherst 400 freestyle relay. She swam a 59 low 100 butterfly and split a 53 low in her 100 freestyle.

Meggie Meisinger (St. Louis, Mo.) stands as the only incoming freshman diver coming to Amherst. Head coach Nick Nichols said that Meisinger has been getting more tower experience that will help her on her three-meter dives.

Brooke Bennett (Acadia, Calif.) adds depth to the butterfly corps with a sub-minute 100 butterfly. Bennett also swims the 50 freestyle (25).

Morgan Toy (Cerritos, Calif.) deepens the sprint talent pool. Toy has clocked a 25 in her 50 freestyle and a 55 in her 100 freestyle.

Louisa Zuo (Palo Alta, Calif.) looks to contribute next year as both a butterflier and a backstroker.

DePauw

DePauw brings in a hefty class of 12 swimmers looking to dethrone defending Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference champion Trinity.

Callie Boehme (Memphis, Tenn.) joins the team with immense breaststroke talent. Boehme has gone a 1:08.91 100 breaststroke and a 2:29.99 200 breaststroke.

Sally Tabler (Sandy Hook, Conn.) brings distance stroke experience to the Tigers. Tabler swims the 100 butterfly (1:01.62), the 200 butterfly (2:13.62) and the 400 IM (4:46.70).

Ellie Scruggs (Indianapolis, Ind.) will be a dual meet threat in the 200 freestyle. Scruggs clocked a 2:08.56 at the 2007 Indiana Swimming and Diving Sectional Meet.

Elizabeth Medlock (Guilford, Ind.) will be useful on both the 200 and 400 freestyle relays because of her above-average sprinting ability. Medlock swam a 25.66 50 freestyle and a 1:05.08 100 butterfly at the 2007 Indiana Swimming and Diving Sectional Meet.

Emily Brown (Logansport, Ind.) and Maria Badillo (Lebanon, Ind.) both come in as diving recruits. Brown placed ninth in her section in diving with a 248.15 score.

Katie Massey (New Palestine, Ind.) joins Medlock among recruits who will battle for a spot on the "A" freestyle relays. Massey swam a 25.69 50 freestyle and a 57.40 100 freestyle at the 2007 Indiana Swimming and Diving Sectional Meet.

Molly Harbison (Carmel, Ind.) comes into college prepared after having swum a wide array of events through her swimming at Carmel Swim Club. Harbison has swum the 50 freestyle (27.80), the 100 freestyle (59.98), the 200 freestyle (2:08.87), the 500 freestyle (5:41.94), the 100 backstroke (1:10.08), the 100 breaststroke (1:11.52), the 200 breaststroke (2:32.07), the 100 butterfly (1:06.17), the 200 IM (2:22.58) and the 400 IM (4:59.69).

Jessica Au (Honolulu, Hawaii) will look to contribute in the 50 freestyle. Au has swum a time of 29.63 in the event.

Also swimming for DePauw are Kat Donahower (San Mateo, Calif.) and Alexandra Walker (Fairlawn, Ohio)

King's

King's in recent years has suffered from having to field a small number of women against teams of 15 or more. This year's class of eight will double the size of last year's team.

Maggie Nealer (Camillus, N.Y.) comes into King's as a distance swimmer and should make a run at the team record in the 500 freestyle. Her 500 time is a 5:55.00.

Amy Straguzzi (Mullica Hill, N.J.) also brings school record-breaking potential. Straguzzi's fastest 100 breaststroke time is a 1:17.92.

Marissa Berardocco (Drexel Hill, Pa.) joins the Monarchs with times of 1:15.31 in her 100 backstroke and a 2:28.02 in her 200 freestyle. Both of those times were her 2006-07 season-best times going into the Philadelphia Catholic League Championships.

Cassandra Manganelli (Hazelton, Pa.), Sara Schmader (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.), Caitlin Selitto (Morristown, N.J.), Rebecca Smith (Wharton, N.J.) and Jessica Thomas (Swoyersville, Pa.) all look to swim for the team as well.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Amy Jacobi (Hightstown, N.J.) will star next year as the MIT women's team's most prized recruit. Jacobi will easily contribute at the highest levels of competition with a 24.06 50 freestyle, a 52.06 100 freestyle, a 58.93 100 butterfly and a 1:56.47 200 freestyle.

Misericordia

Misericordia will welcome in a sizeable class of 14 incoming freshman female swimmers in the fall.

Chrissy Condus (Chatham, N.J.) comes in as a distance swimmer who will immediately bolster the distance group at Misericorida. Condus has a 500 freestyle time of 5:27, and she also swims the 100 butterfly (1:02).

Jessie Williamson (Media, Pa.) joins Amanda McHugh as the top breaststroke talents on the team. Williamson swam a 1:11.50 100 breaststroke and a 26.0 50 freestyle.

Two Pennsylvania High School Championship qualifiers will be joining the team as well, bringing big-meet experience that should help come conference meet time. Amanda Boyle (Hanover Township, Pa.) qualified for the state championship meet with a 2:17.68 time in her 200 IM at the District Two meet. Boyle also swims the 100 backstroke (1:02). Erin Shneck (Pottsville, Pa.) will add talent to the 50 and 100 freestyle events, with times of 26.04 and 56.81, respectively.

Alicia Bryk (Pittston, Pa.) brings raw talent to the Cougars. Bryk placed 13th overall in the Pennsylvania High School Championships in diving, and she also owns a 25.7 50 freestyle.

Danni Basile (East Hanover, N.J.) is a valuable middle-distance recruit. Basile has times of 57.3 in the 100 freestyle and a 2:04 in the 200 freestyle.

Katlyn Nelson (Bradford, Pa.) will add to the breaststroke depth with a 1:12 personal-best time in the 100 breaststroke.

Other Misericordia swimmers joining the 2007-2008 squad are Nicole Digiovanni (Southampton, Pa.), Nicole Iaconelli (Wharton, N.J.), Katie Lawler (Hillsdale, N.J.), Haley Novack (Shamokin, Pa.), Aubree Petrone (Belle Vernon, Pa.), Meaghan Rivet (New Bedford, Mass.) and Michelle Zaptocki (Hellertown, Pa.).

Rowan

Sammi Edwards (Woodstown, N.J.) headlines a class of 11 incoming freshmen. Edwards will put the Rowan women on the map at the NCAA championship meet with a 5:00 500 freestyle and a 1:54 200 freestyle.

Stacey Rahter (Linwood, N.J.) will double as a breaststroker and an IMer. Rahter owns times of 1:08 in the 100 breaststroke and 2:10 in the 200 IM.

Kate Winters (Princeton Junction, N.J.) is on the cusp of bringing NCAA talent in the 200 backstroke with a 2:08 time. Winters also swims the 200 freestyle (1:59).

Andre Castiglione (Turnersville, N.J.) has a background in backstroke and sprint freestyle. Castiglione has recorded times of 1:02 in the 100 backstroke and 25.48 in the 50 freestyle.

Anne O'Gorman of St. Elizabeth (N.J.) rounds out the cream of the crop with a 2:12 200 butterfly and a 5:01 400 IM.

Westminster

Westminster's 2007-08 team welcomes a total six women, five of whom are from the state of Pennsylvania.

Amy Buxton (North Huntingdon, Pa.) specializes in sprint freestyle events with times of 26.9 in the 50 freestyle and 58.32 in the 100 freestyle. She also swims the 100 butterfly (1:06.00).

Lisa Seiffert (Boothwyn, Pa.) comes to Westminster as a middle-distance swimmer, but she also can swim stroke events as well. Seiffert swims the 50 freestyle (26.74), the 100 freestyle (57.97), the 200 freestyle (2:03.68), the 500 freestyle (5:39.61), the 100 backstroke (1:06.01), the 200 backstroke (2:18.29), the 200 IM (2:27.42) and the 400 IM (5:12.60).

Courtney Herdt (Beaver Falls, Pa.) will look to replace two 50 freestyle swimmers that Westminster lost to graduation and should add depth to the breaststrokers. Herdt clocked a 26.72 in her 50 freestyle and a 1:14.52 in her 100 breaststroke.

Kellie Clemens (Grove City, Pa.) of local Grove City High School brings local flavor to the squad. Clemens swims the 50 freestyle (27.00), the 100 freestyle (59.7), the 200 freestyle (2:10.00) and the 100 backstroke (1:05.03).

Marilyn Magenis (Eighty Four, Pa.) joins the squad as a sophomore breaststroker. Magenis recorded a 1:17.20 in her 100 breaststroke and a 2:43.00 in her 200 breaststroke. She also has a time in the 500 freestyle (5:58.00).

Madalyn Matthew (Wooster, Ohio) rounds out the newcomers as the sole non-Pennsylvania native.

Wheaton (Ill.)

The Thunder, who finished 11th at the NCAA Championships this past season, welcome in four solid freshmen, drawing talent from Florida, Minnesota and also from in state.

Elizabeth Hartman (Jacksonville, Fla.) heads the Class of 2011 as one of the premier Division III breaststroke recruits in the country. Hartman possesses times of 1:06.5 in the 100 breaststroke, 2:10 in the 200 IM and a 52.9 100 freestyle off of a relay start.

Jillian Morris (Stuart, Fla.) will contribute immediately in the 100 backstroke (1:00) and will add talent to the star-powered 200 IM corps (2:15).

Caroline Hannema (Shoreview, Minn.), like Hartman, should help the Thunder immediately in the breaststroke events. Hannema swims both the 100 breaststroke (1:09.4) and the 200 breaststroke (2:35.6).

Emma Higgins (Deerfield, Ill.) is the sole in-state incoming freshman. Higgins swims the 100 freestyle (59).

Widener

Widener fields a class of seven local swimmers who look to help Widener's women's team make a mark on the reformed Middle Atlantic Conference.

Molly Bendzyn (Cherry Hill, N.J.) comes in as a backstroke and distance specialist. Bendzyn's seed time at the New Jersey High School Championships in the 100 backstroke was a 1:02.28. Bendzyn also has times of 11:21.58 in the 1000 freestyle, 4:50.61 in the 400 IM, 2:13.72 in the 200 backstroke and a 2:18.73 in the 200 IM.

Charlotte Deitz (Aston, Pa.) joins the team as a middle-distance freestyle threat. Deitz recorded times of 56.46 in the 100 freestyle and a 2:00.76 in the 200 freestyle.

Bridget Fitzgerald (Philadelphia, Pa.) swims middle-distance freestyle events as well as butterfly. Fitzgerald has swum times of 1:11.12 in the 100 butterfly, 2:14.29 in the 200 freestyle and she split a 1:00.45 in her 100 freestyle off of a relay start.

Danielle George (West Chester, Pa.) will immediately impact the Pride sprint corps with performances of 25.65 in her 50 freestyle and 56.26 in her 100 freestyle.

Other Widener incoming freshmen include Jennifer Hudock (Pitman, N.J.), Kim Brownell (Audubon, Pa.) and Bailey Fusco (Norristown, Pa.)

Williams

The Williams Ephs look to continue its success on the national stage with an incoming class of seven swimmers and one diver. Williams placed sixth overall in the team standings at the 2007 NCAA Division III Championships.

Nancy McInerney (Winnetka, Ill.) and Becca Tyson (Hinsdale, Ill.) join the team with expertise in butterfly. McInerney posted a time of 59.97 in the 100 butterfly at the Evanston (Twp.) Sectional Meet while Tyson posted a 1:00.14 time at last season's Illinois High School Championships.

Olivia Card-Childers (Houston, Texas) comes in as a sprint freestyle swimmer. Card-Childers swam a 2:00.72 in the 200 freestyle at the 2007 Eastern Independent Schools Championships and entered the meet with a seed time of 54.82 in the 100 freestyle. Card-Childers also split a 24.56 in her 50 freestyle in the 200 freestyle relay.

Jillian Hancock (Danville, Pa.) swims both butterfly and sprint freestyle. Hancock has swum times of 24.24 in the 50 freestyle, 53.23 in the 100 freestyle, 59.37 in the 100 butterfly and 2:12.00 in the 200 butterfly.

Taylor Stevens (Atlanta, Ga.) is the only incoming diver in Williams' Class of 2011. Stevens placed seventh at the Metro Atlanta Championships with a score of 344.90.

Ryan McChesney (Atlanta, Ga.) joins Williams as one of the best middle-distance freestylers on the team. McChesney posted a 1:56.99 in the 200 freestyle at the Georgia 1-4A Championships.

Ellen Ramsey (Belmont, Mass.) comes in as an extremely versatile swimmer. Ramsey swims a variety of events, including the 200 freestyle (1:55.11), the 200 backstroke (2:08.52), the 200 breaststroke (2:27.02), the 200 IM (2:10.05) and the 400 IM (4:33.39).

Sara Davidson (Lafayette, Calif.) will come in primarily as a backstroker and a butterflier.

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