Marist Men Welcome Largest Freshman Class in Program History

Photo Courtesy: Marist Athletics

Head Coach Larry VanWagner and Diving Head Coach Melanie Bolstad have announced 14 new student-athletes will join the Marist men’s swimming and diving team for the 2015-16 season. The new Red Foxes include 13 swimmers and one diver. The group represents eight states and one other nation and is the largest freshman class in the program’s history.

“We have graduated the largest and most talented class in our history,” VanWagner said. “Last year’s seniors established eight of the 15 individual records and made up three of four members on each record relay team, so we’re extremely excited to see what potential our freshman class exhibits.”

Miguel Basalo – Free – Belen Jesuit High School/Metro Aquatic Club – Doral, Fla.

Basalo was a six-time state qualifier, competing in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle and 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays for Belen Jesuit High School. His best event was the 500-yard freestyle, in which he was a two-time state finalist and earned Second Team All-County in 2013 and 2014. A team captain in 2014, Basalo was named First Team All-County in the 4×100-yard freestyle relay.

David Cantu – Free/IM – Nova High School/Azura Florida Aquatic – Davie, Fla.

As co-captain of the swim team at Nova High School his senior year, Cantu led the program to its first men’s regional title in more than 25 years. He was a two-time state qualifier and six-time Speedo Southern Sectional qualifier. He is Nova’s freshman record holder in the 200-yard freestyle and a two-time district runner up in the event. Cantu graduated as an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and was in the top 10 percent of his class. During his senior year he was vice president of the environmental club and project coordinator for the National Honor Society.

Manuel Garcia – Fly/Distance – Saint Peter’s College/The American School Foundation/Scarlet Aquatic Club – Mexico City, Mexico

Garcia joins the Red Foxes after two years swimming for MAAC rival St. Peter’s College. While with the Peacocks, he swam in the 100-yard freestyle at the 2014 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships and competed in three events at the 2015 MAAC Championships: the 50-yard freestyle and 100- and 200-yard butterfly. He was a team captain his junior and senior years of high school. At the end of his high school career he held 23 swimming records and 10 city swimming records. He was a finalist for the Mexican National team from 2011-13, ranking fourth in the nation in the butterfly in 2012.

Daniel Knoll – Free – Wissahickon High School/Wissahickon Aquatic Club – Blue Bell, Pa.

Knoll was a three-sport athlete at Wissahickon High School, receiving varsity letters in swimming, water polo and track. He earned an All-American cut in swimming and qualified for the state championships in two individual events and as a member of one relay team. He was captain of the swimming and water polo teams his senior year. Knoll received A’s and B’s in the classroom throughout his senior year while taking a course load that included AP Economics and Honors English.

Ross Lippe – Free/Fly – Poolesville High School/Machine Aquatics – Darnestown, Md.

Lippe led his high school team to a 3A Maryland State Championship as a captain his senior year. He was a Speedo sectionals qualifier and a Potomac Valley Swimming Scholar-Athlete.

Miguel Madeira – Back/Free – Ronald Reagan High School/Metro Aquatic Club – Miami, Fla.

A versatile swimmer, Madeira was a junior national qualifier and medalist in the 4×100-yard freestyle relay. He placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle and ninth in the 100-yard backstroke at the state championships his senior year. In the classroom he maintained an unweighted GPA above 3.0 and a weighted GPA above 4.0 while taking AP and honors courses.

Mark Miller – Free/IM – Downingtown High School/Golden Ram Swim Club – Downingtown, Pa.

Miller was a team captain his senior year at Downingtown High School, breaking his own records in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle. He earned Chestmont First Team, All-District and All-State honors in both events. He was also District I Champion in the 500-yard freestyle. While competing on his club team, Miller made the national cut in the same two events as well as the bonus cut in the 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard butterfly, and 400-yard individual medley. He was a district qualifier in men’s golf. Academically, Miller was a member of the National Honor Society and earned a spot on the High Honor Roll.

Edward Oser – Breast/Free – St. Peter’s Prep/Caldwell Center Cyclones – Verona, N.J.

As a four-year member of the St. Peter’s Prepatory School swim team, Oser owns school records in the 200- and 400-yard medley relays as well as the 400-yard freestyle relay. He was a state qualifier in the 100-yard breaststroke. Oser is the record holder in the 200-yard freestyle for the Caldwell Cyclones and competed at the sectional title meet with the club as a team captain. Academically, he earned a place on the High Honor Roll all four years of high school and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Arkayeh Prange – Free/IM – Henry J. Kaiser High School/Kamehameha Swim Club- Honolulu, Hawaii

Prange led his high school squad to a state championship his senior year as a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay team. His club team also captured a state title. As a member of Kamehameha’s relay teams, he set new Hawaii records in the 400- and 800-meter freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle. He reached the finals in every event in which he competed and won six medals for his club team as a senior. At the 2015 National Speedo Senior Sectionals, Prange qualified for six more events.

Michael Presta – Back/Fly – DePaul Catholic High School/Jersey Flyers Aquatic – Hawthorne, N.J.

Presta’s high school accolades include being a sectional and state qualifier as well as a recipient of First Team All-League and All-County honors. He holds DePaul Catholic records in three individual events and three relay events while also owning the Passaic County record in the 100-yard butterfly. He was a member of the National Language Honor Society.

Riley Stadel – Fly/IM – Hempfield High School/Diplomat Swim Team – Landisville, Pa.

Stadel specializes in the 200-yard individual medley and was a section finalist, district medalist and state qualifier in the event. He won a district medal in the 400-yard medley relay before competing at the state championships in the same event.

Michael Valceanu – Fly/Free – West Potomac High School/Fort Belvoir Swim Club – Alexandria, Va.

Valceanu was team MVP at West Potomac High School for three consecutive seasons. He currently holds the program’s records in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. During his senior year he competed in the 100-yard butterfly and 200- and 400-yard freestyle relay events at the state title meet. Valceanu owns Fort Belvoir’s record in the 200-yard freestyle and was part of several record-setting relay squads at the NASA Junior National Championship Cup. He helps coach his summer league team during its offseason practices.

Gregory Violette – Back/Free – Westbrook High School/Westbrook Seals – Westbrook, Maine

Violette comes to Marist as a State Class A Champion in the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly. He also earned All-State recognition in four events; two individual and two relay. Violette owns his high school’s records in the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke, and 100-yard freestyle and was salutatorian for the Class of 2015.

Nick Woska – Diver – Syosset High School/Long Island Divers – Syosset, N.Y.

Woska has risen through the ranks as a diver at Syosset High School, capturing All-Division and All-County honors before becoming an All-County champion in 2014. He won the coaches’ award as a sophomore and was named Syosset’s MVP as a junior. He has volunteered for charity organizations such as Special Olympics, Wounded Warrior Project and American Red Cross in his spare time.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

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