Fifteen Join Alabama Swimming & Diving in Fall Signing Period

Photo Courtesy: Amelia B. Barton/Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A total of 15 swimmers and divers have joined the Alabama swimming and diving teams, head coach Dennis Pursley announced this week.

The Crimson Tide women signed eight, while the men added seven in the fall period. That total includes 14 swimmers and one diver.

“Every year, we are looking for student-athletes who are both talented in the pool and dedicated to our core values of attitude, character and commitment,” Pursley said. “This class certainly embodies those attributes. We feel this is a balanced class that will help us in a lot of areas.”

Alabama Swimming Women’s Signees

Sydney Carlson

Freestyle/Individual Medley, 5-8, Phoenix, Ariz., Arcadia HS

The 2018 Arizona Swimmer of the Year
Swims for Michael Maezuga at Phoenix Swim Club

Natalie Crisci

Butterfly/Breaststroke/Individual Medley, 5-7, Chandler, Ariz., Westwood

The 2018 AIA Division I High School State Champion in the 100 butterfly and a championship finalist in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2018 Oregon Speedo Sectionals
Swims for Eric Dimmery at Mesa Aquatics Club, and Sarah Clawson and Sarah Grey at Westwood

Jocelyn Fisher

Breaststroke/Butterfly/Individual Medley, 5-6, Holtsville, N.Y., HS East

USA Junior National Championships qualifier
Swims for Mark Anderson and Emily Fleckenstein at Three Village Swim Club

Abigail Koczo

Backstroke/Individual Medley, 5-9, Frisco, Texas, Reedy

Helped lead Lakeside Aquatics Club to a top-three finish at the 2017 USA Summer Junior National Championships
Swims for Steve Mateer at Lakeside Aquatics Club and Jennifer Beagle at Reedy

Tanesha Lucoe

Diving, 5-5, Victoria, British Columbia, Claremont Secondary

Dove for Team British Columbia at the 2017 Canada Summer Games and the 2014, 2016 and 2017 Cuba International
Dives for Tommy McLeod at Boardworks Diving

Marina Olmstead

Freestyle/Backstroke, 5-9, Chunky, Miss., Home Schooled

Mississippi state 100 backstroke record holder and member of the Mississippi Zone Team
Coached by her father Byran Olmstead

Caitlin Reynera

Breaststroke/Individual Medley, 5-6, The Woodlands, Texas, The Woodlands

Member of The Woodlands silver medal 2018 USA Winter Junior National 400 medley relay and 6A state-record 200 medley relay and helped lead her team to back-to-back 6A state titles
Swims for Terry Jones and Clayton Cagle at Magnolia Aquatic Club, and Jeremy Wade and Katherine Thom at the Woodlands

Ashley Slayton

Freestyle/Individual Medley, 5-8, Winchester, Tenn., Franklin County

Anchored the winning SES 400 medley relay at Zones in 2017
Swam for Shawn Daniels at Manchester Makos Swim Team, and Susan Hiscock and Melanie Huffines at Franklin County

Alabama Swimming Men’s Signees

Cam Auerbach

Butterfly/Backstroke, 6-3, Johns Creek, Ga., Northview

Two-time All-American and a member of Dynamo Swim Club’s National Age Group record setting relay
Swims for Brian Wrighton at Dynamo Swim Club and Tony Cianciola at Northview

Liam Bell

Breaststroke/Freestyle, 6-5, Atlanta, Ga., Druid Hills

Earned the USA Olympic Trial cut in the 100-meter breaststroke and a part of a 400 medley relay National Age Group record-setting squad
Swims for Sergiy Useinov at US-Aquatics club and Kaitlin Meade at Druid Hills

Jonathan Berneburg

Freestyle, 6-4, Wasenberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Gymnasium am Rotenbuehl

Championship finalist in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2016 European Junior Championships
Swims for Felix Weins at SSG Saar Max Ritter

Derek Maas

Backstroke/Breaststroke/Individual Medley, 6-3, Holland, Mich., West Holland HS

The Michigan state 100 backstroke champion
Swims for Sam Hoekstra at West Ottawa Swim Club

Matt Menke

Backstroke/Freestyle/Individual Medley, 6-0, Lexington, Ky., Lexington Catholic

The 2018 Kentucky state long course champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes
Swims for Chris Fugmann and Bob Peck at Kentucky Aquatics, and Dave Little at Lexington Catholic

Nico Perner

6-2, Essingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Gymnasium am Rotenbuehl Saarbruecken

German Junior champion in the 50-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter breaststrokes and 200 individual medley and two-time Junior European Championships team member
Swims for Felix Weins at SSG Saar Max Ritter

Riley VanMeter

Butterfly/Backstroke, 5-10, Holland, Mich., Holland Christian

Led Holland Christian to a state championship in 2018
Swims for Jim Whitehead and Rachel Schlatter at Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics and Todd Smeenge at Holland Christian

The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with the Alabama Athletics. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.

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