FGCU Women’s Swimming Finalizes Incoming Class With 13 New Eagles

fgcu-incoming-womens-swimming-class
Photo Courtesy: FGCU Athletics

FORT MEYERS, FL–Coming off a season in which it claimed its seventh CCSA Championship, set 12 school records and achieved its highest ranking in program history, interim head coach Amanda Smith announced the FGCU swimming and diving program’s incoming recruiting class for the 2016-17 season Thursday afternoon.

After turning the page from the departure of six-time CCSA Coach of the Year Neal Studd, Smith and diving coach David Boyko were able to keep the 2016-17 class largely intact as the 13 newcomers will look to fill the void left by 13 departures from last season. The 13 newcomers span from all over the United States as seven hail from Florida with one recruit also coming from California, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island.

“This class is full of talent with girls that join us from all over the country,” Smith said. “The caliber of swimmers and divers we are bringing into the program now is a reflection of the success our current swimmers have brought to the program. These ladies can make an immediate impact, and some have their sights on winning conference, setting records and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. They make a great addition to the beginning of the new era of FGCU swimming and diving.”

Below is more information on each signee:

Cassidy Fry
Hometown:
Oakwood, Ohio
High School: Oakwood HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Fly/IM
Bio Blast: Tabbed by CollegeSwimming.com as the 12th-ranked swimmer in Ohio … two-time state qualifier … finished fourth in the 100 fly (55.71) and sixth in the 200 free (1:52.47) at the 2016 Ohio State Championship, earning her All-State honors … her time in the 200 free was good for a personal-best … placed sixth in the 100 fly (57.27) at the 2014 Ohio State Championship … Scholastic All-American honoree … academic honors include: National Honor Society and Honor Roll.

Madison Jean
Hometown: Parrish, Fla.
High School: Lakewood Ranch HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Fly
Bio Blast: Tabbed by CollegeSwimming.com as the 13th-ranked swimmer in Florida and the 236th-ranked swimmer in the country … two-time All-American in the 100 fly … FHSAA state runner-up in the 100 fly on three occasions (2013-15) … clocked a personal record in the 100 fly (54.27) at the 2014 FHSAA State Championship … 2015 FHSAA District 6 Champion in the 100 fly (55.91) … 2014 Bradenton Herald Swimmer of the Year … completed her high school career with four school records.

Morgan Jones
Hometown: Northville, Mich.
High School: Mercy HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Free
Bio Blast: Earned MHSAA All-State Honors in 2012 and 2013 … finished seventh in the 500 free (5:14.50) at the 2013 MHSAA State Championship … swam a personal-best time of 1:56.57 in the 200 free at the 2015 MHSAA State Championship.

Natalie Keffer
Hometown: San Gabriel, Calif.
High School: Gabrielino HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Diving
Bio Blast: Finished 12th at the 2014-15 Division 3 Championships with a 1M score of 284.30 … also competed for the Arrow Dive Club.

Lindsay Manganiello
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
High School: Coral Reef Senior HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Back
Bio Blast: 2015 FHSAA Region 4 Champion in the 100 back (59.50) … 2015 FHSAA District 12 Champion in the 100 back (1:03.50) … clocked a personal-best time of 59.28 seconds in the 100 back at the 2014 FHSAA State Championship … All-Dade Second Team honoree … academic honors include: National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society and Honor Roll.

Stevie Meyerson
Hometown: Suffern, N.Y.
High School: Suffern HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Diving
Bio Blast: Finished fourth with a personal-best score of 461.90 off the 1M board at the 2014 NYSPHSAA Section I Championships … placed sixth at the 2014 New York Federation Championships … All-Section, All-League and All-County honoree … academic honors include: Honor Roll.

Gracie Redding
Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
High School/Previous School: The First Academy/FSU
Year: Sophomore
Event: Free
At FSU: Placed fifth in the 100 fly at the All-Florida Invite (56.67) and seventh in the 200 fly (2:06.98) … helped the 200 medley relay get third and the 200 free relay place fourth at the SMU Classic … made the C final of the 50 free (23.30) and 100 free (50.69) at the Georgia Invite … placed third in the 100 fly against Louisville (56.49).
Bio Blast: Finished fifth in the 50 free (23.43) and seventh in the 100 fly (55.60) at the 2014 FSHAA State Championships … was a Junior and Senior National qualifier in the 50, 100 and 200 free events as well as the 100 and 200 fly races while representing Highlander Aquatics where she was coached by Michael Curley … also a member of the 4×100 free relay that placed in the top eight at Winter Junior Nationals in 2014 … academic honors include: Honor Roll.

Karin Schienvar
Hometown: Holmdel, N.J.
High School: Holmdel HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Free/Breast
Bio Blast: Tabbed by CollegeSwimming.com as the 22nd-ranked swimmer in New Jersey … All-State and All-Conference honoree … multi-year finalist at the YMCA National Championships … swam a personal best of 1:03.95 and finished 16th in the 100 breast at the 2016 Short Course National Championship … academic honors include: Honor Roll and the Judith Wrappe Art Award.

Haley Stevens
Hometown: Clearwater, Fla.
High School: Pinellas Park HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Diving
Bio Blast: 2015 FHSAA State Championship qualifier … set the school record with a score of 346.65 in the 1M dive at the 2015 FHSAA Region 3 Championships … placed third with a score of 318.10 off the 1M board at the 2015 FHSAA District 6 Championships … academic honors include: Dean’s List and graduating in the top-10 percent.

Elizabeth White
Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla.
High School: Riverdale HS
Year: Freshman
Event: Breast
Bio Blast: Two-time FHSAA State Championship Finalist … finished third in the 50, 100 and 200 breast at the 2016 Florida Senior Championships … finished fourth in the 100 breast at the 2015 FHSAA State Championship in a personal-best time of 1:05.51 … 2015 FHSAA Region 3 runner-up in the 100 breast (1:07.27) … 2015 FHSAA District 9 Champion in the 100 breast (1:09.25) … earned All-Area and All-State honors.

Hannah Wittman
Hometown: Jupiter, Fla.
High School/Previous School: Central Bucks East HS (PA)/Pittsburgh
Year: Sophomore
Event: Back/IM
At Pitt: Opened the season as the second-place finisher in the 200 IM (2:07.22) against Duke … finished second in the 200 IM (2:05.63) and third in the 200 breast (2:23.51) against Georgia Tech … placed second in the 200 IM (2:05.75) in the tri-meet with Virginia Tech and Notre Dame … earned two third-place finishes at the Pittsburgh Invitational … won the 200 IM (2:05.67) against West Virginia … placed second in the 200 free (1:53.97) against the Mountaineers … wrapped up the regular season with a win in the 100 back (58.43) at the Western PA Invite … concluded the year competing in the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 back at the ACC Championships.
Bio Blast: Graduated high school with seven team records … finished in the top-10 at the PHSAA State Championship all four years … Most Valuable Swimmer for CB East in 2012 and 2013 … selected as a captain her senior year … received numerous National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association of America (NISCA) honors, including Top-16 Award for 100 breast, 200 IM, 200 medley relay, 200 free relay, and 400 free relay … academic honors include: National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, Key Club and Honor Roll.

Elizabeth Zeiger
Hometown: Cumberland, R.I.
High School: Homeschool
Year: Freshman
Event: IM
Bio Blast: Competed for Crimson Aquatics … comes to FGCU as one of the highest-ranked recruits in program history … tabbed by CollegeSwimming.com as the top swimmer in Rhode Island and the 91st-ranked swimmer in the nation … 2016 US Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200 IM and 400 IM … two-time Junior National Finalist … 2014 National Select Camp Qualifier … her PR of 4:13.18 in the 400 IM is already two seconds faster than the program record.

Elizabeth Zubero
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
High School: Westminster Academy
Year: Freshman
Event: Breast/Back
Bio Blast: Tabbed by CollegeSwimming.com as the 21st-ranked swimmer in Florida … 2014-16 USA Swimming Academic All-American … 2016 Pinnacle Award Winner … 2016 All-American in the 100 breast … finished third in the 100 breast (1:03.60) at the 2016 FHSAA State Championship … 2015 FHSAA Region 4 Champion in the 100 breast (1:04.53) … other academic honors include: National Honor Society and Honor Roll.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-date coverage of FGCU women’s swimming and diving, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_WSWIM and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.

Press release courtesy of FGCU Athletics. 

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