North Carolina Swimming Welcomes 11 Signees

Photo Courtesy: Peter H.Bick

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CHAPEL HILL – University of North Carolina men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach Rich DeSelm recently signed an outstanding group of 11 recruits during the Fall 2014 National Letter-of-Intent period. UNC has added three men and four women swimmers who will begin their academic and swimming and diving careers at UNC in August 2015. In addition, diving coach Abel Sanchez has signed four women to join the Tar Heels’ diving corps for the 2015-16 school year.

“We are extremely excited to have a great group of men and women commit to North Carolina. Through the recruiting process, each of these fantastic individuals connected with all of the great things about UNC – our school, the team, the opportunities and the support that are all part of the Carolina experience. These future Tar Heels are strong students and tremendous athletes who each bring competitive skills that will help us be better in the years ahead.”

In alphabetical order here are brief bios on each individual signed during the fall period beginning with the men’s signees.

NEWEST TAR HEEL MEN
Patrick Cusick hails from Alpharetta, Ga. Cusick is a backstroker who attends Alpharetta High school, and has competed in club swimming for Dynamo Swim Club coached by Jason Turcotte. Cusick’s top short course yards times are 49.10 in the 100-yard backstroke, 1:46.80 in the 200-yard backstroke and 1:51.36 in the 200-yard individual medley. In long course meters, he has gone 57.8, 2:06.5 and 2:10.02 respectively.
Patrick Cusick on choosing UNC: “I chose UNC because it meets all of my needs – great academics, a close knit and competitive team, a beautiful campus and it is close to home.”

Coach Rich DeSelm on Patrick Cusick: “Dynamo Swim Club produces outstanding prospects and Patrick is a great signee for us. We are graduating some of our top backstrokers after this season and look forward to Patrick’s arrival in Chapel Hill. We think Patrick is on a great improvement track and are counting on him to thrive at UNC.”

Heyward Harrison is a native of Louisville, Ky. and attends St. Xavier High. He competes for the Lakeside Swim Club and is coached by Mike DeBoor. A backstroker and individual medley swimmer, Harrison’s career best short course times are 49.74/1:48.16 in the 100 & 200 yard backstrokes and 1:51.08/3:58.83 in the 200 & 400 yard IMs. His comparable top long course times are 58.4/2:04.02 in the backstrokes and 2:07.35 in the 200 IM.
Heyward Harrison on choosing UNC: “I narrowed it down to UNC and another school and I asked myself ‘where would I rather be if I could no longer swim’, and the answer was UNC.”

Coach Rich DeSelm on Heyward Harrison: “Heyward’s family has strong ties with UNC and we’re thrilled to receive a commitment from him. We believe Heyward has a fantastic future ahead of him as evidenced by some recent best times he swam in early November. It is great to get a commitment from Coach Mike DeBoor’s great Lakeside Swim Club.”

Zuhayr Pigot is a native of Suriname and now resides in Miami, Fla. He attends St. Brendan High School and competes for Miami Swimming, coached by Andy De Angulo. Pigot is primarily a sprint freestyler and butterflyer, with times of 20.41 in the 50-yard free and 48.82 in the 100-yard butterfly. His long course meter times are 23.61 & 51.50 in the sprint freestyles and 54.85 in the butterfly.
Zuhayr Pigot on choosing UNC: “I chose UNC because of its outstanding computer science program and I want to become a programmer. I also simply knew that at UNC I would become faster and stronger, which is exactly what I was looking for.”

Coach Deselm on Pigot- “Zu is a great young man and was ready to commit immediately after his visit this fall. He has tremendous speed and we are looking forward to adding him to our mix of sprint freestylers & fliers next fall.”

NEWEST TAR HEEL WOMEN
Kali Becker has signed to compete for the Tar Heel divers beginning in 2015-16. She is a native of Potomac, Md. She competes for the Montgomery Dive Club where she is coached by Doug Beavers. Becker is a high school All-Met selection, state champion and metro champion. Additionally, she is an eight-time USA Diving Eastern National qualifier, five-time USA Diving Junior National qualifier and a team captain for her high school swimming and diving team.
Diving Coach Abel Sanchez on Kali Becker: “Kali brings multiple dimensions to the team team. She has a willingness to work hard and her personality will bring the team a new dimension.”

Kathryn Boyer lives in Dallas, Texas, attends Highland Park High School and swims with the Dallas Mustangs, coached by Mook Rhodenbaugh. She is primarily a freestyle sprinter with best times of 23.44 in the 50-yard free and 50.85 in the 100-yard free. She has also posted a 1:05.85 in the 100-yard breaststroke. Boyer looks the part of a sprinter, standing six feet tall. She’s won the past two Texas 4A state titles in the 50 and added the 100 last year with a class 4A Texas state record in that event.

Katherine Boyer on choosing UNC: “Being a part of this amazing team will allow me to achieve my goals both in the classroom and in the pool.”

Coach DeSelm on Kathryn Boyer: “Kate visited UNC for our Junior Day and remained in touch with us throughout the recruiting process. We are very excited to have her join us and believe she will be an integral part of our team at Carolina.”

Robyn Dryer hails from Springfield, Va., attends West Springfield High School and swims for Coach Pete Morgan at Nations Capital Swim Club. She swims distance and middle-distance freestyle with best times of 1:49.12, 4:50.41, 9:56.19 and 16:43.81 in the 200, 500, 100 & 1650 freestyles, respectively. Dryer is a former National Age Group record-holder in the 800 free relay, a mark she set along with club teammates Janet Hu, Megan Byrnes and Katie Ledecky. That 15-18 mark has since been broken, but Dryer put up the leadoff leg of 1:49.54 to help break the record.

Robyn Dryer on choosing UNC: “”The University North Carolina was the right choice for me because I loved the team and coaches and knew it was the perfect balance between academics and swimming for me. I am so excited I can be a part of such a prestigious school and program.”

Coach DeSelm on Robyn Dryer: “Robyn was the first in this class to commit to UNC the third week of September, closely followed a day later by Kate Boyer. She and her family visited UNC a number of times over the past few years and we are thrilled this was her destination school. We know Robyn will thrive in the classroom and pool at UNC.”

Maria Lohman joins the Carolina diving program from her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. She competes for the Pitt Aquatic Club where she is coached by Dorothy Krug and Julian Krug. An honor roll student at Chartiers Valley High School, Lohman has won three state titles and four sectional titles during her prep career. She won Eastern Nationals on the one-meter board in club diving and made finals at Senior Nationals this past summer as well as placing second at Senior Zones on the three-meter board. Since 2010, she has participated in the USA Diving Junior Elite Performance Squad Program.

Diving Coach Abel Sanchez on Maria Lohman: “Maria ranks as one of the top divers in the country and I think she brings a national visibility to the team. Maria is already an accomplished diver and I think she will do amazing things for UNC and at the national level.”

Andi Mack is from Ashburn, Va., attends Stone Bridge High School and also swims for Nations Capital Swim Club under Robbie Robins, John Flanagan and conditioning with Coco Buck. She is a butterfly/freestyle specialist with best times of 55.00/1:02.41 & 2:00.22/2:17.94 in the 100/200 yard/meter butterfly events and 51.84/1:49.86 in the 100/200 yard freestyles. She will graduate among the top members of her class and has been invited to attend the Loudoun County Academic Excellence banquet.

Andi Mack on choosing UNC: “I decided to swim for UNC because the school’s swim program is outstanding and I really got along with the coaches and swimmers. I believe that the coaches there will help me reach my potential at the college level. More importantly, though, the academics are exceptional and a UNC degree will help me a lot in the future. Having visited quite a few universities over the past few months, I felt UNC was the right fit in terms of both academics and athletics. I would like to give all the credit to my coaches and mentors for helping me achieve my dream to swim for a Division I school.”

Coach DeSelm on Andi Mack: “Andi is a great young lady who will join a long line of terrific butterfliers at UNC. We expect her to help us in the freestyle, as well. After visiting, Andi told us UNC was her first choice and we are excited it worked out. She is a great student and will fit in superbly with our team.”

Sara Maleski is a top-flight diving recruit from Charlotte, N.C. Maleski has been named a 2014 NISCA Speedo high school All-America and was a member of the 2014 NCHSAA 3A state champion team. Maleski earned a 2013 NCHSAA 3A state silver medal and was a 2012 NCHSAA 3A state champion. Maleski was a 2012 AAU Platform Champion and a 2011 USA Diving age group platform champion.

Diving Coach Abel Sanchez on Sara Maleski: “I think Sara is so undervalued. I also think she’s one of the top recruits in the country based on her talent and what I think she’ll be able to do in the pool. She will also bring much attention to UNC on the national level.”

Kelsey Vetalice hails from Spring, Texas, The John Cooper School and The Woodlands Swim Team where she is coached by Tim Bauer. She will be counted on to swim a range of freestyle events from the 100 to the mile. In addition to her short course times of 1:47.83, 4:48.30 & 9:56.12 in the 200, 500 & 1000 yard freestyles, Vetalice is a USA Swimming Summer Nationals qualifier in long course in the 200 free (2:02.41), 400 free (4:16.22), and 800 free (8:48.92). She attends the John Cooper school, one of the top girls’ private school teams in the state, and was the 2014 SPC Champion and record-breaker in both the 200 and 500 yard freestyles.

Kelsey Vetalice on choosing UNC: “I chose UNC because I felt at home the first time I stepped on campus. I am excited to spend the next four years at a great academic school, train under a fantastic coaching staff, and swim with such a dedicated and close team.”

Coach DeSelm on Kelsey Vetalice: “Kelsey visited UNC on her own in August this fall and was sold on us after her official visit later in September. We are excited by Kelsey’s range of events and how she is rapidly improving. She will have an immediate role and make a positive impact right away.”

Qian Yi Pang is the fourth diver in the Tar Heel recruiting class. She hails from Cupertino, Calif. Qian Yi Pang was born and raised in Northern California and attends Monta Vista High School. As an All-America diver and three-time MVP for Monta Vista, she currently holds their 11-dive school one-meter record with 469.5 points and placed third at the Central Coast Section Championships her junior year. Qian Yi currently trains at Santa Clara Diving Club under Todd Spohn. In her three years there, she has finaled in two Age Group nationals, most recently placing fourth on one-meter at Tennessee this past season.”

Diving Coach Abel Sanchez on Qian Yi Pang: “Qian Yi (prounced Chen Yi) will be a great addition to the team. She’s a seasoned diver ready to explode onto the national level. I expect great things from Qian Yi in the conference and at the national level.”

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

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