Indiana Adds Three Women Signees

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, December 6. INDIANA's women's swimming team has signed three student-athletes for the 2007-08 season, head coach Ray Looze announced Dec. 5.

Kelsey Atchison (Silver Lake, Ohio/Cuyahoga Falls), Amy Harriman (Hamilton, Ontario/Westmount Secondary) and Jessica Hill (Knoxville, Tenn./Farragut) will all swim for the Hoosiers next season.

Atchison is a three-year letterwinner in swimming and golf for Cuyahoga Falls, and has served as captain for both teams. An All-American in the 100-yard breaststroke for Cuyahoga in 2004, Atchison also earned consideration in the 100-yard freestyle, 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley relay and 100 breast in 2005 and in the 200 medley relay in 2006. She was the Western Reserve Conference Swimmer of the Year as a freshman in 2004 and earned a pair of sectional championships in both the 100 breast and 100 free. She was also the district champion in the 100 breast in 2004. Atchison has earned all-state honors in each of her three seasons thus far.

"We have great hopes that Kelsey will contribute in both the 50- and the 100-yard freestyle for us next year," Looze said. "She's a great athlete, and has done several other sports beyond swimming, but has been primarily just a high school only swimmer. We feel that when she gets in our program and gets to be exposed to our level of swimming and our strength and conditioning that she's really going to blossom into an excellent 50- and 100-freestyler."

Atchison is in the top 10 percent of her class, and was an academic all-state selection. She is a Rotary Scholar, was named a Who's Who Among American High School Students, is the treasurer of DECA, an association of marketing students, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

"In searching for colleges, I wanted to find the best combination of academics and athletics," Atchison said. "I chose Indiana for its rich tradition and history of both. The university grounds, the buildings and facilities were all beautiful and excellent. I liked the camaraderie of the swim team and I liked the high moral values and standards of the coaching staff. I liked the honesty, commitment and hard work of both the swimmers and the coaches. Indiana felt like home. This is why I chose to become a Hoosier."

Harriman won the 100-meter backstroke at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Championships in 2006. A member of the Youth & Junior Team Canada, Harriman is ranked in the top 15 in the 50-, 100- and 200-meter backstrokes in the Canadian Power Rankings.

"Amy is an interesting swimmer," Looze said. "She's from Canada. She's one of their top backstrokers in the 100 and the 200, and we feel she's got just tremendous upside. She's extremely flexible, has a great kick and is a very good competitor. We feel she's going to help us maintain our very high level of backstroke excellence on the women's side of the coin."

Harriman participated in the International Children's Games in Patras, Greece, and in Melbourne, Australia with that Canadian Youth Team, giving her plenty of international experience prior to her arrival at Indiana.

"The school is so pretty and the athletics and academics are amazing," Harriman said. "I know I am going to do very well there."

Hill is a three-year letterwinner for Farragut High School, having earned All-America status in the 100 breast and 200-yard individual medley in 2005 and the 200 medley relay and the 100 breast in 2006. She also earned consideration in the 200 medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay in 2005 and the 200 IM in 2006.

"Jessica is an extremely versatile swimmer from the Knoxville, Tenn., area," Looze said. "She swims breaststroke and IM and really had a great summer this past season, in which she broke out and made some strong improvements in her backstroke, which previously was her weak stroke. We think Jessica's going to definitely help us in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, as well as both the 200- and 400-yard IM."

Hill has helped Farragut to three top-10 finishes in the state in as many seasons, and was the 100 breast state champion in 2006. She has been the state scoring champion each year since 2003, and was an Olympic Trials qualifier. An honor roll student, Hill is active in S.A.D.D.

"I believe Indiana will heighten my swimming success, as well as my academic achievement," Hill said. "I loved the campus and the school and believe that I am an excellent fit at Indiana University."

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