Seminole Swimming & Diving Adds Six Signees For Next Season

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., JUne 24. FLORIDA State head swimming and diving coach Neil Harper announced the signing of six athletes to join the Seminoles for the 2003-04 season.

Harper, who will be heading into his fifth season as head coach, has now signed 11 athletes to scholarships for next year, and is expecting this crop of recruits to be one of his best ever.

The three women signees include divers Brittany Lerew (Orlando, Fla.) and Camille Akridge (Edgewater, Fla.) and swimmer Majanke Miller (West Linn, Ore.). The men’s three swimming signees are Stephan Connor (Burr Ridge, Ill.), Justin Lawrance (Bryanston, South Africa) and Steve Roof (Canton, Ohio).

“I’m really excited about this class of recruits,” stated Harper. “It’s a big class with great quality. They all have the potential to contribute right away. The boys will help out big time and help close the gap between us and the top of the conference. The three women will score important points in dual meets and at conference and help move us up a place or two in the ACC.”

Lerew comes to FSU with high marks on both the one- and three-meter boards. She won the state high school championship twice at Lake Highland Prep. Akridge is another highly touted diver from Florida, who specializes on both springboards and the 10-meter platform. Prior to moving to Florida, Akridge won a state high school title on the one-meter springboard at Colquitt County High School in Georgia.

Lerew and Akridge will join fellow incoming freshman Taryn Ignacio, who signed in the fall, as the Class of 2007 for head diving coach Patrick Jeffrey.

“I feel like we signed the strongest women’s class in the nation this year,” remarked Jeffrey. “Our women’s team is going to be tough.”

Miller arrives to Tallahassee specializing in the freestyle events. She was an accomplished swimmer in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyles at West Linn High School. Some of Miller’s top times include 23.80 in the 50-free, 51.40 in the 100-free, 1:51.40 in the 200-free and 5:00.10 in the 500-free.

Connor will join the men’s team as a sophomore after competing last season at the University of Toledo. As a freshman at UT, Connor finished second at the Mid-American Conference Championships in the 500-free with a personal-best time of 4:31.19. He was also a member of the conference champion 800-free relay team. Connor will contribute in all freestyle event as well as the 100-fly. As a prep, he was an Illinois state champion out of Hinsdale Central high school.

Lawrance will also transfer out of Toledo to join the Seminoles for his senior year. The South African native won the 2003 MAC title in the 200-back and added a fourth-place finish in the 100-back. His top backstroke marks include 1:47.00 in the 200 and 50.50 in the 100. Lawrance can also compete in the middle-distance freestyle events.

Roof comes to FSU after winning the Ohio state high school title in the 500-free at Canton Central Catholic high school. He will add strong depth to the Seminole squad in the distance and middle distance freestyle events. Roof’s personal best times include 15:39.00 in the 1650, 9:15.58 in the 1000, 4:28.10 in the 500 and 1:40.14 in the 200.

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