Indiana Adds Two More Women

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, December 11. HIGH school seniors Mariana Prutton (Pleasant Hill, Calif./Carondelet) and Amanda Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hills) have signed National Letters of Intent to compete for Indiana's women's swimming team for the 2007-08 season, head coach Ray Looze announced Dec. 8.

Prutton is an 11-time All-American for Carondelet High, having earned the distinction in the 200-yard medley relay and the 100-yard backstroke in 2005 and 2006, the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2004 and 2005, the 100-yard butterfly in 2004 and the 400-yard freestyle relay in 2006. She also earned consideration in the 100 fly in 2005 and 2006 and the 100 back in 2004.

"Mariana Prutton is from (current IU freshman) Presley Bard's club team in the San Francisco Bay area, the Terrapins, which is one of the top club teams in the country," Looze said. "Mariana is very good in underwater kickouts. She will help us in the 100 backstroke, as well as the 100 butterfly and the 200 butterfly. She's a fine student, a very hard worker, and will certainly add to the work ethic that our women's swimming team has established over the years as one of the top Big Ten teams that always vies for the title. She's just going to add to that because she comes from a winning club tradition."

Prutton has helped Carondelet to California North Coast Section championships in each of the past two seasons. She was part of a 200 medley relay team that turned in the second-best time in the nation in 2005. Prutton was a bonus finalist in the 200-meter butterfly at the Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif., in August, and has posted U.S. Open cuts in the 100 back and 100 fly.

"I want to join Coach Looze and (Assistant) Coach (Pam) Swander in returning Indiana swimming to the glory days of when Indiana was the hotbed of college swimming," Prutton said. "I love the college, I love the town, the members of the swim team and the new recruits. Indiana will provide me with the opportunity to get a great education, to swim fast and to be around a great group of people. I can't wait to be a Hoosier!"

Smith has attained All-America status five times for Indian Hills High School, doing so in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle in 2005 and 2006 and the 200 free relay in 2005. A two-year team captain, Smith has led Indian Hills to state runner-up finishes in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Smith comes to Indiana with deep Hoosier family ties, as her father, Franklin Smith Jr., lettered for the swim team in 1970 and 1971, and her grandfather, Franklin Smith Sr., lettered in football for the Hoosiers in 1938, 1939 and 1940.

"Amanda Smith has a pretty strong history here at IU," Looze said. "Her dad swam for (former Hoosier coach James) `Doc' Counsilman and she really wanted to be a Hooiser. Amanda's a fine middle distance/distance freestyler, as well as middle distance butterflyer and IMer. She's very versatile and has a tremendous competitive drive. We're thrilled to have her join the Hooisers and help fortify our middle distance freestyle.

Smith was the state champion in the 500 free and the runner-up in the 200 free as a junior in 2006. She was the state runner-up in both events as a sophomore and finished second in the 200 free and third in the 500 free in the state as a freshman. Smith is a two-time Cincinnati Hills League Swimmer of the Year. In addition, she is a six-time Junior National qualifier and a two-time Senior National qualifier.

"I love the campus, first of all," Smith said about her choice to attend Indiana. "Second, the team environment and atmosphere were exactly what I was looking for. And it doesn't hurt to be about three hours from home."

Prutton and Smith join swimmers Kelsey Atchison (Silver Lake, Ohio/Cuyahoga Falls), Amy Harriman (Hamilton, Ontario/Westmount Secondary) and Jessica Hill (Knoxville, Tenn./Farragut) and diver Heidi Mahnken (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo) in the Hoosiers' 2007-08 recruiting class.

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