Indiana Signs 10 Recruits

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, November 19. INDIANA University head swimming coach Ray Looze and head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber announced today that a total of eight swimmers and two divers have signed national letters of intent to continue their careers at IU, beginning in the fall of 2011.

Joining the men's swimming program is Matt Gerth (Carmel, Ind.), Mike Hurley (Fergus Falls, Minn.), Kevin Owens (Santa Clara, Calif.), and Steve Schmuhl (Broomfield, Colo). On the women's side, Allie Day (Mooresville, Ind.), Lauren Jordan (Carmel, Ind.), Cynthia Pammett (Peterborough, Ontario) and Justine Ress (Hebron, Conn.) will swim for Indiana in 2011.

Huber welcomes Danton Rogers (Bloomington, Ind.) and Kathryn Connolly (San Antonio, Texas) into the diving program.

Gerth is a freestyler and backstroker from Carmel (HS) Indiana. He was the 2010 Indiana High School State Champion in the 200 freestyle and took third in the 100 freestyle. While leading Carmel to the IHSAA state championship he earned all-state honors in the 200 free, 100 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Outside of the pool, Gerth is a 12th-year member of the Indianapolis Children's Choir and Indianapolis Youth Chorale.

"Matt is a very good 100 and 200 freestyler who will also look to swim the 50," Looze said.

Hurley is a versatile swimmer out of Fergus Falls (Minn.) High school, competing in the 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke and 200 freestyle. He is a seven-time Minnesota State High School Class A champion, winning three titles in the 200 IM and one each in the 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, medley relay and 400 free relay. A holder of 31 school records, Hurley was 10th at the junior long course nationals in the 100-meter breaststroke and 18th in the 200 IM. In 2009 he was named the Minnesota Swimmer of the Year.

"Mike is a guy loaded with potential," Looze said. "I think he will be able to help us in a lot of events, including freestyle relays."

Owens is a freestyle specialist from The Kings Academy in Santa Clara, Calif. He is a 2010 All-American in the 500 freestyle and with the Santa Clara Swim Club set age-group national records in the 800-meter freestyle relay (16U) and finished in the top eight at both the U.S. Long Course Senior Nationals and junior nationals in the 800 free relay. Owens holds school records in both the 200 free (1:41.9) and 500 free (4:24.29).

"I think Kevin has a world of potential," Looze said. "The progress he has made from his freshman to junior year is almost shocking. He has lofty goals and has the talent, heart and desire to reach them."

Schmuhl swims both freestyle (100, 200, 500) and backstroke at Legacy High School in Broomfield, Colo. He is an eight-time All-American and four-time Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) state champion. The CHSAA state record holder in the 100 and 200 freestyle, Schmuhl was named the Denver Post CHSAA Swimmer of the Year. In 2009 he was the 18 and under National Champion in the 500 freestyle at junior nationals in December. Schmuhl represented the U.S. at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, finishing fifth in the 400 free relay and 12th in the 100 backstroke.

"He is a versatile swimmer," Looze said. "He should be able to help us in a number of different areas."

Day is a backstroker and butterflier from Center Grove High School in Mooresville, Ind. She was the state runner-up in the 100 backstroke and was part of a national 200 medley relay record-setting team.

"Allie has a great opportunity to help is continue our tradition of top backstrokers here at Indiana," Looze said.

Jordan joins Gerth out of Carmel (Ind.) High School where she was the 2009 Indiana state champion in the 500 freestyle. She took ninth in the mile at the 2010 Long Course Junior Nationals and was 10th in the 200 backstroke at the same meet. An All-American in the 200 free and 500 free, Jordan holds the Carmel High School record in the 500 free and Carmel Swim Club records in the mile, 800 free, 500 free and 200 backstroke. Carmel has won 24 straight Indiana high school state titles.

"Lauren is one of the top freestylers in the state of Indiana," Looze said. "We think she has a tremendous amount of potential. She has tremendous heart and is very team oriented."

Pammett continues a strong pipeline of Canadian talent to Indiana, hailing from St. Peter's Secondary School in Peterborough, Ontario. A backstroke and freestyle specialist, Pammett holds club and regional records in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke, sprint freestyle, 200 individual medley and butterfly. She was a Canadian Olympic Trials qualifier at age 14 and a medalist at the Paul Bergen Junior International representing Team Swim Ontario.

"She has a lot of speed," Looze said. "Just a tremendous natural turnover."

Out of Hebron, Conn., Ress is a familiar name to Hoosier swimming fans as she is the daughter of former Indiana standout Colin Ress and the sister of current sophomore and All-American backstroker Eric Ress. Justine also swims backstroke, along with freestyle, finishing first at the 2010 YMCA Nationals in the 200-meter backstroke and second in the 100-meter backstroke. She also competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2008.

"Justine is another young lady with tremendous potential," Looze said. "She is primarily a backstroker but I think she is going to be good in the freestyle as well."

For the second year in a row Huber has nabbed a diver from his own backyard, with Rogers hailing from Bloomington South High School. Rogers was an All-American in 2010, finishing second at the state meet in 2010 behind teammate Darian Schmidt who is a freshman at IU. Rogers was fifth at the state meet as a sophomore in 2009 and finished fourth at the USA Diving spring nationals on the 1-meter springboard in 2010. Former Indiana diver Will Bohonyi coaches him at Bloomington South.

"It made my day when he decided to come to IU," Huber said. "He is someone we have really looked at and watched develop over the last couple of years. I think his best diving is ahead of him."

Connolly joins the diving program out of Ronald Regan High School in San Antonio, Texas. She is a three-time All-American and was a member of the 2010 Junior World Team. Connolly is a 4-time senior nationals finalist and a two-time AAU national champion on the 3-meter springboard. The three-time All-American holds numerous pool, district and regional records.

"In my evaluation, I think she is the number one recruit in the country," Huber said. "She is a very talented athlete and we are very fortunate she is coming to IU."

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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