Indiana University Announces Early Recruiting Class

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, December 5. INDIANA University head swimming coach Ray Looze announced today that six male and eight female swimmers have chosen to continue their swimming careers with the Hoosiers, while head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber has signed one student-athlete for the 2012-13 season.

Brent Aarons (Austin, Texas), Andrew Hull (Denver, Colo.), Seth Kurz (Hockessin, Delaware), Tanner Kurz (Hockessin, Delaware), Grayson Smith (Ridgefield, Conn.), Michael Stack (Oak Lawn, Ill.), and Michael Taylor (Ft. Francis, Ontario) will join the men's team in 2012.

The three-time defending Big Ten champion Indiana women's team will add Alexis Bullard (Carmel, Ind.), Shelby Carroll (Schererville, Ind.), Allie Lamberson (Valparaiso, Ind.), Haley Lips (Greer, S.C.), Erika McCormick (Mt. Vernon, Ind.), Taylor O'Brien (Zionsville, Pa.), Myra Retrum (Columbus, Ind.) and Brooklyn Snodgrass (Calgary, Alberta) to its 2012 roster.

2012 Indiana Men's Swimming and Diving Signees
Brent Aarons
Freestyle/Backstroke/IM – Austin, Texas (Westwood)

Aarons is an 11-time member of the all-state team, earning honors in the 200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 100 backstroke. Four times he has been named a NISCA All-American (200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay) and is a five-time class 5-A state finalist and USA Swimming Junior National qualifier. Aarons helped lead Westwood High School to undefeated dual meet seasons in 2009, 2010 and 2011, as well as District 16-5A meet titles in 2010 and 2011.
Looze on Aarons
"We think he has a huge upside. He has a very good 200 freestyle and his 500 freestyle is rapidly improving. He has that kind of range in freestyle where we think he can sprint, as well as go up and swim some longer things. He has a good swimmers body, but most importantly he is a fantastic teammate."

Andrew Hull
Diving – Denver Colo. (Denver East)

Hull was a national qualifier in 2011 and finished sixth at the Colorado state championships. He took ninth at the same meet in 2010. A three-time team captain, Hull earned Denver League titles in 2010 and 2011, and was the San Antonio Invitational champion in 2011. A National Honor Society member, Hull was an elite-level gymnast until injuries led him to move his focus to diving.
Huber on Hull
"We are really lucky to have a person like Andrew on the team next year. He is a dedicated, hard working, and disciplined student and athlete. He also is the type of person who will represent Indiana University and the IU diving program with class and character. I am looking forward to working with him. He is a great kid and I really like the relationship we have established to this point. I had a chance to work with him at camp two summers ago so I know he is coachable and will make great strides as a Hoosier. I can't wait to start coaching him."

Seth Kurz
IM/Freestyle/Butterfly/Breaststroke/Backstroke – Hockessin, Delaware (Delaware Military Academy)

Kurz is a three-time Delaware all-state Swim Team member out of Delaware Military Academy in Hockessin, Delaware. He is a two-time state champion in the 200 freestyle relay while helping lead DMA to a league championship in 2010. Kurz is also a distinguished scholar as a member of the National Honor Society, a DMA Varsity Scholar Athlete award winner and was selected as a delegate to the National 4-H Leadership Conference and the Delaware American Legion's Boys State.
Looze on Seth Kurz
"Seth is a young man full of potential. He has all four strokes and has a big heart and intangibles of passion and desire that I look for in an athlete. I can't wait to start coaching Seth and developing him."

Tanner Kurz
IM/Freestyle/Butterfly/Breaststroke/Backstroke – Hockessin, Delaware (Delaware Military Academy)

The twin brother of Seth Kurz, Tanner Kurz is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a three-time NISCA High School All-American. The three-time Delaware state swimmer of the year, Kurz has won two state titles as a member of the 200 free relay team and holds Delaware state records in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 back and 100 breaststroke. He also holds seven Delaware Military Academy individual records and shares three relay records. Outside the pool Kurz ranks fourth in his class and was selected as the Executive Officer of DMA's NJROTC regiment.
Looze on Tanner Kurz
"He is one of the finer recruits in the country. He has one of the top 100 breaststroke times as a junior in high school. He can sprint and do the IM, back and fly individually. I expect Tanner to have an impact on the team at the NCAA level and Big Ten level as a freshman."

Grayson Smith
Freestyle/IM – Ridgefield, Conn. (Ridgefield)

Smith is a Junior National qualifier and placed second in the EZ North Region Speedo Championship meet in March 2011 in the 1,650 freestyle and 1,000 freestyle. A two-time USA Scholastic All-American, Smith led Ridgefield High School to a third-place finish at the Connecticut State Open in 2011 and earned All-America honors in the 200 freestyle relay. Smith was the team's 2009 Rookie of the Year and is a three-time all-state selection. Currently Smith is the Connecticut state record holder in the 800-meter freestyle, 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyle relays and the 200- and 400-meter medley relays.
Looze on Smith
Is a very intelligent young man, a fantastic student. We think he is going to add to our very strong and deep distance group. He is a hard worker and passionate about Indiana. We think he has the ability as a freshman to make an impact in the Big Ten.

Michael Stack
Breaststroke – Oak Lawn, Ill. (Metea Valley)

Stack has qualified for the state meet every season at Metea Valley High School and was a medalist in the 100 breast as a junior. Serving as team captain, Stack as set school records in the 100 breast and 200 medley relay and was one of the top-three 100-meter breaststrokers in the country in the 14 and under age group the summer following his freshman year. In the classroom Stack is an honors student and a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.
Looze on Stack
"Mike is a very powerful breaststroker. He has some really good speed, so right now his 50 is his best event, which should help us on relays. We expect his 100 and 200 to develop as well. Mike has a lot of passion for the sport and he was drawn to IU and we were drawn to him very early."

Donovan Taylor
IM/Fly – Ft. Frances, Ontario, Canada (Ft. Frances)

Taylor has won numerous provincial medals, along with two national medals, two Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations medals. He has achieved gold-meal standings at regional, provincial, national and interscholastic championships in the 200 individual medley. A dual U.S./Canadian citizen, Taylor is an honors student and is fluent in both English and French.
Looze on Taylor
"Donovan is a specimen of a young man. Very powerful and his coach has left a lot in the tank on purpose so that his best swimming can come in college. He is a hard worker who has high level goals and we think we are going to be able to make an elite-level swimmer out of Donovan."

2012 Indiana Women's Swimming Signees
Alexis Bullard
Backstroke/Freestyle – Carmel, Ind. (Carmel)

Bullard was runner-up in the 100 backstroke at the IHSAA state meet and finished fifth in the 100 freestyle. She placed in the top 16 in the 100 backstroke at Junior Nationals and holds national cuts in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. Bullard swims for a Carmel High School team that has won 25-straight state titles.
Looze on Bullard
"She is one of the top swimmers in the state of Indiana. She is a fantastic butterflier, backstroker, and I believe she is going to have a strong impact in the sprint freestyle as well. She has a ton of untapped potential and we felt very strongly IU would be a good fit for her. We can't wait to get to work and start developing her as a swimmer."

Shelby Carroll
Backstroke – Schererville, Ind. (Lake Central)

Carroll is a four-time IHSAA state qualifier in the 100 backstroke and a two-time state finalist in the event. She has also swum finals at the IHSAA state meet in the 400 free relay and the 400 medley relay. She currently holds the Lake Central High School record in the 100 backstroke, while also earning four varsity letters in cross country and track and field.
Looze on Carroll
"She is a backstroker that we expect to really bust through this year at the Indiana state meet. She has nice technique and has a really good ability to kick. When she really begins to use that she will improve the speed component of her swimming. She has not swum year round, so we are really excited what happens to Shelby once she commits to a 12-month training program."

Allie Lamberson
Freestyle – Valparaiso, Ind. (Valparaiso HS)

Named team captain as a junior and senior at Valparaiso High School, Lamberson was named team MVP as a junior and has qualified for the IHSAA state meet each of her first three seasons. Lamberson swam four events at the 2011 state meet, including top-25 finishes in the 50 free and 100 free. She holds all-time top-five times for the school in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 medley relay.
Looze on Lamberson
"Allie is an Indiana girl who we think will be very helpful to us in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and potentially the 200 freestyle. She is a nice tall young lady and has a very good kick and is someone we think will develop into a fine swimmer down the road."

Haley Lips
Butterfly/Freestyle/IM – Greer, South Carolina (Riverside)

Lips is a nine-time state champion, winning the 200 free (2006, 2007, 2011), 500 free (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011) and 100 fly (2009, 2010). She is a three-time MVP and holds numerous South Carolina short course age-group records in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly. Lips is also the YMCA short course national record holder in the 100 butterfly. At age 13 Lips posted a 2008 Olympic Trials qualifying time in the 100 fly, and earned a second cut in the 200 fly at age 14. She currently holds 2012 Olympic Trials qualifying times in the 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 free, 400 free and 400 IM.
Looze on Lips
"Haley has been one of the most successful YMCA swimmers in recent memory. She has won numerous national titles and her team has had some outstanding success in the last two or three years. She is a very versatile athlete that swims freestyle, butterfly, IM. She was on the USA junior team that went to Lima, Peru this past summer, so we are excited about Haley's future."

Erika McCormick
Breaststroke – Mount Vernon, Ind. (Mount Vernon)

McCormick is a six-time All-American out of Mount Vernon High School. In her first three seasons she has placed in the top-16 in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley and the IHSAA state meet. Last season McCormick earned all-state honors after placing third in the 100 breast and qualified for Junior Nationals. She holds school records in the 100 breast, 200 IM, 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay. This season as a senior she has been selected team captain.
Looze on McCormick
"She is a Hoosier through and through. She is going to help us in the 50 breast and the 100 breast. But I really believe she has a great 200 breast and 200 IM, and even an ability to sprint freestyle as well. We can't wait to start developing her."

Taylor O'Brien
Freestyle/IM – Zionsville, Pa. (Emmaus)

O'Brien has posted 2012 Olympic Trials qualifying times in the 400 free and 800 free and is a USA Nationals qualifier in the 200 free, 800 free, and 1,500 free. She earned All-America honors in the 200 free, 500 free and 200 medley relay as a junior and was a 2010-11 USA Junior National Open Water team member. In 2010 O'Brien competed at the Junior Pan Pacs as a member of the USA squad and was a bronze medalist in the 800-meter freestyle at the USA Junior Nationals. That same year she led Parkland Aquatics to a third-place team finish at Junior Nationals. O'Brien holds numerous state and pool records including Maryland state records in the 13-14 age group in the 1,000 free and 1,650 free.
Looze on O'Brien
"Taylor is an extremely talented distance swimmer. Two summers ago she was on the junior national team in the 200 free, 400 free and 800 free. She has impressive range and loves to do the IM, but she can do other stroke as well. We are excited to have someone with her experience and love of training."

Myra Retrum
Breaststroke/IM – Columbus, Ind. (Columbus North)

Retrum was the IHSAA state meet runner-up in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:01.90. A three-time top-16 finisher in the event, Retrum has also qualified for Junior Nationals the last three years. She has earned invitations to the Indiana Elite training camp in Arizona, and the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Retrum holds school records in the 100 breaststroke and 200 medley relay, and helped Columbus North to a fifth-place finish at the state meet in 2011.
Looze on Retrum
"She comes from a long line of swimmers and divers. She is a passionate person who loves to be involved with her family, and we felt like she was part of our family very early in the process. She is a very good IMer and breaststroker, but I think she is going to add to a high level of great team chemistry."

Brooklyn Snodgrass
Backstroke/Freestyle – Calgary, Alberta, Canada (National Sports School)

Snodgrass is the 2011 Canadian Age Group gold medalist in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke. In 2011 at the World Cup in Sweden she won a silver medal in the 200 back. Also, at the World Junior Championships in Peru this year she placed sixth in the 100 back while representing Team Canada. During the 2010 season she finaled in the 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM at the Junior Pan Pac's in Hawaii. In 2009, Snodgrass set a Canadian age-group record in the 100 short-course meter backstroke. Snodgrass also has a sister, Rayven, who swims for McGill University in Montreal.
Looze on Snodgrass
A very high-level, experienced international swimmer from Canada. She has been to Europe and South America competing for Team Canada. She is a backstroker, IMer and freestyler, so she grades high on the versatility scale. Most importantly she is a great student and a fantastic young lady.

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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