Virginia Announces Women’s Signees

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, December 6. VIRGINIA head swimming coach Mark Bernardino has announced the signing of seven future Cavaliers who will swim for the women's program in 2012-13.

Whitney Allen (Frisco, Texas), Courtney Bartholomew (Holland, Mich.), Hanne Borgersen (Frederick, Md.), Haley Durmer (Decatur, Ga.), Samantha James (Kenilworth, Ill.), Rachel Moore (Andover, Mass.) and Kristin VanDeventer (Columbus, Ind.) will join the Cavaliers as the class of 2016.

"This is a good-sized recruiting class in terms of numbers but it's also a special recruiting class," Bernardino said. "These young women are going to bring positive energy, enthusiasm and excitement to our pool on a daily basis. They are all hard workers and high achievers. Each and every one of them has either achieved an Olympic Trial qualifying standard, a senior national qualifying standard or has scored at the junior national championships. They are fearless and ready to make their mark as a class. In many ways they remind me of our UVa women's class of 2011 in the energy and mental toughness categories. We feel very blessed to have the opportunity to work with them for the next four years."

The Virginia women have claimed nine Atlantic Coast Conference titles, including the last four. The Cavaliers finished 13th at the 2011 NCAA Championships to mark their fifth consecutive top-20 appearance at the national meet.

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Whitney Allen
Frisco, Texas
Metroplex Aquatics (Brent Mitchell)
Breast/Free/IM

SCY
200 IM: 2:02.31
400 IM: 4:19.63
100 Breast: 1:04.42
200 Breast: 2:16.85
500 Free: 4:52.58

LCM
400 IM: 4:52.53
200 Breast: 2:35.63

Of Note
• Olympic Trials qualifier
• High School All-American

Bernardino on Allen: "Simply put, Whitney is a high-energy, super positive outstanding team leader and team player. We are so excited to have Whitney. Her dad taught briefly at The Darden School of Business so she has some familiarity with the University of Virginia and Charlottesville. Most importantly, we believe Whitney is one of the top up-and-coming IM and breaststroke swimmers in this class. We are excited for her future. We believe Whitney is going to make major contributions to our team in two critical areas of need."

Courtney Bartholomew
Holland, Mich.
Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics (Don Kimble)
Back/IM

SCY
100 Back: 51.99
200 Back: 1:53.16
200 IM: 2:00.06

LCM
100 Back: 1:02.67
200 Back: 2:13.91
200 IM: 2:21.99

Of Note
• 2010 Winter Junior national champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke
• Member of the National Junior Team
• Olympic Trials qualifier
• High School All-American

Bernardino on Bartholomew: "We feel we really hit a home run with Courtney Bartholomew and we couldn't be more excited to have an athlete join our program. Coach Don Kimble at MLA spoke most eloquently to Courtney's qualities as a leader, student and team player. Courtney made an early commitment to UVa and we feel that was instrumental in signing some of the other women in this class. She is one of a very select few high school swimmers in United States history to swim a sub-52 second 100-yard backstroke. Without question she is one of the top-10 high school recruits in the nation this year. She is a superb backstroker and has come on very strong this year as a 200 individual medley swimmer. If you need another leg on a freestyle relay, Courtney is more than capable. She is her team captain and in the mold of these other women, which is what makes this class so very special."

Hanne Borgersen
Frederick, Md.
Monocacy Aquatic Club (Andy Lehner)
Free

SCY
200 Free: 1:48.59
500 Free: 4:45.47
1000 Free: 9:44.13
1650 Free: 16:28.61

Of Note
• Finalist at 2011 Short Course Junior Nationals
• Senior National qualifier

Bernardino on Borgersen: "We first noticed Hanne this year at spring junior nationals and were immediately impressed with her potential. She swims for Andy Lehner, who has done a wonderful job producing athletes with outstanding work ethics, high levels of motivation and a strong mental capacity to achieve, and Hanne is no exception. We look for her to become a very integral part of our team immediately. She should be an impact player in the middle distance and distance freestyle crew and as a potential member on our 800 freestyle relay. She is very strong and focused. Hanne is ready for the next step in her swimming career and we think that along with multiple members of this class, she has the potential to be an NCAA qualifier and score down the road."

Haley Durmer
Decatur, Ga.
Dynamo Swim Club (Jason Turcotte)
Free/IM

SCY
200 IM: 2:01.52
400 IM: 4:20.52
500 Free: 4:53.49
1000 Free: 10:00.00
1650 Free: 16:42.22

LCM
200 IM: 2:19.78

Of Note
• 2011 Georgia state champion in the 200 IM
• Junior and Senior National qualifier
• High School All-American

Bernardino on Durmer: "Haley's coach Jason Turcotte told me on the phone that Haley is the hardest working female swimmer in his program. That was enough to convince me right then and there she was someone we had to have at the University of Virginia. Haley is intelligent and fun-loving. She is a leader and has an unparalleled work ethic, which means she is a perfect fit for what we do here at UVa. Haley is also very versatile and should lend strong and immediate help to our individual medley corps, as well as our middle distance and distance freestyle groups. She is a team player all the way and we feel as though she is a key addition to this year's class."

Samantha James
Kenilworth, Ill.
New Trier Swim Club (Bob Kizer)
Free/Back

SCY
50 Free: 23.55
100 Free: 49.94
200 Free: 1:49.02
100 Back: 56.02
200 Back: 1:58.72

LCM
50 Free: 26.92
100 Free: 57.87

Of Note
• 2010 Illinois state champion in the 100 freestyle
• High School All-American

Bernardino on James: "Samantha has had a superb autumn season. She swam particularly well at the Illinois high school championships a few weeks ago. Her coach, Bob Kizer, has produced multiple Division I swimming athletes and he feels as do we that Samantha could be one of the surprise catches in this year's class. She really fills a critical sprint freestyle need for our team and she is going to become a major cog on our relays. She too is blessed with high energy and positive character traits and is also a quality leader. Samantha is someone who over the course of these next several years is going to play an instrumental role in our team's performances at NCAAs, especially as a relay swimmer. She will also lend strength to our backstroke group."

Rachel Moore
Andover, Mass.
Crimson Aquatics (Mike Spring)
Free/Fly/Back

SCY
50 Free: 23.35
100 Free: 50.25
200 Free: 1:47.11
100 Fly: 53.32
200 Fly: 1:57.61
100 Back: 54.25

Of Note
• 2010 Winter Junior national champion in the 100 butterfly
• Member of the National Junior Team
• Olympic Trials qualifier

Bernardino on Moore: "Any athlete that comes from Mike Spring is well prepared for the rigors of college swimming. Rachel is probably the single-most versatile athlete in this group. She can swim the sprint freestyles at high levels and certainly has the capabilities of making all three freestyle relays. She is an outstanding butterflier, someone who could come in right away and potentially score points at NCAAs. She is a strong 100 backstroker and will make significant contributions to our team. Rachel is a person with a superb work ethic, a team leader and a strong student. She is very organized and very focused on achieving her goals."

Kristin VanDeventer
Columbus, Ind.
Donner Swim Club (Jim Sheridan)
Free

SCY
100 Free: 52.32
200 Free: 1:50.74
500 Free: 4:53.95

Of Note
• 2011 Indiana state finalist in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle
• Junior National qualifier

Bernardino on VanDeventer: "We feel really fortunate to have added Kristen to this recruiting class. Coach Jim Sheridan made us aware of Kristen and has spoken with us about her potential and within the next year or two she is going to be an athlete who will achieve significant breakthroughs in her swimming. When she visited, Kristen made a tremendous impression upon the coaches and swimmers with her personality, enthusiasm, goals and focus toward team. She captains her high school team and is a great fit. Kristen will make a huge difference in our middle distance corps and will challenge for a relay berth before too long."

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