Marshall Announces Five Additions to Swimming and Diving Team

HUNTINGTON, West Virginia, August 20. MARSHALL women's swimming and diving head coach Leonard Kraus announced five the arrival of five new student-athletes who will join his squad for the 2007-08 campaign. These newcomers, in addition to the Herd's eight member signing class from the spring, will begin training with the team this week.

West Virginia native, Kelsie Cannon (Logan, W.Va./Logan H. S.) has not swam in almost two years, but Kraus feel that she can make and immediate impact on Marshall's sprint group.

"Kelsie is starting a new with the sport; she was an outstanding swimmer through her sophomore year before she moved to Logan," Kraus said. "There is not a USA or YMCA team near there so she has been out of the water for two years."

Dylan Spake, (Lexington, N.C. /West Davison H. S.), was a three-time state champion swimmer in high school and a multi-sport athlete who also competed in track and cross country.

"Dylan is really a jack of all traits," Kraus said. "She is versatile and that will lead to a lot of possibilities for her here at Marshall."

Taylor Brown (Bel Air, MD/Fallston H.S.) becomes Kraus' first athlete from the state of Maryland.

"Taylor is a cheerful outgoing girl that will play a big role in our mid-distance, distance and 200 back events," Kraus said. "I think she will work herself into the line up early this season and have a steady improvement throughout the year."

Katlin (Katie) Chmielewski (Ypsilanti, MI/Lincoln H. S.) is a three-time team MVP from Lincoln High School where she set personal-best times of 25.62 in the 50-yard freestyle and 59.47 in the 100-yard backstroke

"Katie has made steady improvements every year during high school, and I look for her to do the same in her four years here at Marshall," Kraus said. "She is hard working and, I believe in this new environment Katie will blossom into a very good sprinter."

Kristi Schroeder (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee H. S.) is a diverse swimmer, who won a total of three regional championships in the 200-yard IM, 100-yard backstroke and 400-yard IM relay.

"Kristi comes from a great club team with a great coach that has winning tradition," Kraus said. "She is a solid and consistent backstroke and butterfly competitor and, I look for her to push for a top three position in all for of those events this year."

Before landing the newcomers, Kraus had already managed to haul in one of the largest recruiting classes of his career.

Meghan Robinson (Sugarland, Texas/Stephen F. Austin), a sprinter, becomes the first student-athlete in program history from the state of Texas. "Meghan is a capable sprinter with a good upside," Kraus said. "She is a wonderful girl who will bring a lot to the team."

Breaststroker Kelli Novak (Nashville, Tenn./Heritage Christian Academy) is the fourth Tennessee product to join Kraus' program. "Kelli comes in with a top-eight time in the 100-yard breaststroke," Kraus said. "She has a great upside and could be a multiple finalist as a freshman."

Jenaé Moreno (Rio Vista, Calif./Charis Christian School) is the first California native for Kraus, as she joins the program in the sprint and middle distance events. During her senior season, Moreno was named to the All-Scholastic, North All-Section and All-Conference teams. She placed first in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle at the North Section Conference Championship meet. "Jenaé is a talented 100- to 500-yard swimmer," Kraus said. "She will be a big help in those events as well as helping in our free relays.

"I look for her to make the same impact her freshman season that (team captain) Renee Lambert did. If she does, we will be a much better team." For the second consecutive season, Kraus reeled in a South Carolina product. Lauren

Fairbanks (Greer, S.C./Southside Christian School) will be added to the Herd lineup in sprints, middle distance and the butterfly. "Lauren is a good talent from the 100- to the 500," Kraus said. "She will make us a stronger dual meet team and help out with both the free and medley relays. I believe she has good upside."

Kraus didn't limit his recruiting to the one part of the Carolinas, as he inked the program's first North Carolinian in Susan Velte (Mooresville, N.C./Mooresville). Velte will be added in the backstroke and butterfly disciplines.

"Susan could push for the number one spot in both the backstroke and butterfly events," Kraus said. "She has a passion to improve." College transfer Jenny Johnsson (Osby, Sweden/Ashland University) is the only non-freshman addition for the Herd in 2007-08. Johnsson, who participates in the IM, backstroke and freestyle distance, competed for Ashland University as a freshman last season.

"Jenny is a tremendously versatile swimmer," Kraus said. "By the end of the year, she should push for the top spot in no less than nine events.

"She is the most versatile swimmer we've had since Milla (Kuurto) graduated."

Two divers, Jordan Weber (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast) and Haley Holmquist (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades), complete Kraus' recruiting class. Weber is the Northeast High School record holder in the one-meter event. She placed fifth at the Florida State High School Class 2A Championships.

"I am really excited that Jordan is coming to Marshall," Marshall diving coach Lori Meierbachtol said. "She has a great deal of potential. Her solid fundamentals and great attitude are going to take her far."

Holmquist placed first in the district and regional meet in both her junior and senior years. She was also a four-time state qualifier.

"Haley is really going to be a great asset to our diving team," Meierbachtol said. "She has a great work ethic and will be coming in with a very competitive list of dives on both the one- and three-meter.

"She already has a lot of experience, but I really think she has her best diving ahead of her."

Special thanks to Marshall for contributing this report.

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