Houston Swimming Announces Three Signees

HOUSTON, Texas, June 20. UNIVERSITY of Houston swimming and diving head coach Mark Taylor announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.

Andrea Kells, Brittany Copeland and Paige Bissett will join the Cougar program as freshmen for the 2007-08 season.

With the swimming signings, the Cougar team will add five new student-athletes to the roster. The swimming group joins freshmen divers Courtney Forcucci (Fort Mill, S.C.-Fort Mill High) and Lacey Truelove (London, Ontario, Canada-HB Beal High).

Bissett joins the Cougar program after an award-winning career at Rumson Fair-Haven High in Rumson, N.J. She was a four-time All-Shore First-Team honoree and finished her career as the Monmouth County and Shore Conference record holder and champion in the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay.

She also earned All-America honors in both the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard medley relay and was named team captain for two seasons. A versatile student-athlete, Bissett also was a four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs tennis team.

Copeland will compete in the freestyle and backstroke events for the Cougars during her first collegiate season. As a swimmer at Wakefield High for head coach Kathy Jobe, Copeland was an All-Conference performer and captured the conference championship in the 50-yard freestyle.

Besides being named a team captain, Copeland also was a member of the National Honor Society and National Achievers Society.

Kells is expected to be a contributor in the butterfly events in 2007-08. As a member of the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club for head coach Sam Montgomery, she was a Provincial Senior Championship medalist in 2006-07 and qualified for the finals at the Western Canadian Championship during each of the last two seasons.

She also was a four-year member of the Honor Roll and competed for the volleyball and basketball teams at Hunting Hills High.

Special thanks to Houston for contributing this report.

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