LSU Swimming Signs 15 in Fall Signing Period

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BATON ROUGE – LSU Swimming and Diving co-head coaches Dave Geyer and Doug Shaffer announced the signing of six female swimmers, seven male swimmers and two male divers on Friday.

Thomas Smith and Taylor Anderson highlight the 2015 swimming class. Smith is from Huntington Beach, California where he swims for the Aquazot Swim Club. Anderson comes from Trinity, Florida where she swims for Tampa Bay Aquatics.

Anderson won the state championship in the 50 free and touched the wall second in the 100 free. Anderson boasts top times of 23.00 in the 50 free and 50.98 in the 100 free. Smith comes to campus with top times of 1:43.71 in the 200 back, 1:38.02 in the 200 free and 1:49.72 in the 200 IM.

“What excites us the most about Taylor, aside from being a wonderful person, is that she is an unbelievable athlete,” Geyer said. “Backing up her swimming development as a state champion in the pole vault as well, Taylor will look to be a multi-sport athlete here at LSU.

“What Thomas brings in not only exceptional talent to our program, but he also has a great perspective of life and adversity,” Geyer said. “He has been a leader in and out of the water at the Aquazot Swim Club and we look to him to develop that leadership here as well.”

Coach Shaffer announced the signing of divers Matthew Phillip and Matthew McClellan.

Phillip looks to make an immediate impact for the men’s diving team particularly on platform. He has qualified for the USA Diving Junior/Age Group National Championships each of the last four years. In 2012, he was the runner up on platform event at the national championships and in 2014 was a finalist on the one- meter springboard

“We are excited to have Matthew a part of our program,” Shaffer said. “He was recruited by some of the top programs in the country, and he is a terrific addition to our program. Diving is in his blood and the sky is the limit.”

McClellan is a native of Cypress, Texas and began diving just three years ago. He qualified for his first USA Diving Age Group National Championships in 2014 and plans to major in engineering.

“Matthew is a bright and talented young man with a great future ahead of him on the boards,” Shaffer said. “We couldn’t be happier to have Matthew a part of our program”

In addition to Anderson, the Lady Tigers have also signed Sophia Bisch, Tennyson Henry, Haylee Knight, Gabrielle Pick, Summer Spradley and Lauren Thompson

“I’m so happy with the class of young women we have signed and committed to swim here at LSU,” Swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “We are bringing in a wonderful group that has a ton of potential in the very near future. What is exciting about this group is that all of them knew that LSU was the perfect place for them.”

Bisch is from Lake Elmo, Minnesota and swims for the St. Croix Swim Club. Her top times are 1:04.62 in the 100 breast, 2:04.57 in the 200 IM, and 23.66 in the 50 free.

“We look for Sophia to develop in the sprint freestyles and breaststroke events,” Geyer said. “There is a lot of potential and development ahead of her and we look forward to having her get to campus in a year and grow with the program.”

Henry is a versatile swimmer from Rockwood Swim Club in St. Charles, Missouri. She swims distance, sprint and even backstroke with top times of 2:00.88 in the 200 back, 56.85 in the 100 back, and 10:08.97 in the 1000 free.

“Tennyson has a broad range of talent and experience in events that will make her useful in our dual meet lineups,” Geyer said. “It will be fun to get her in and start to narrow down her focus a little more in events and see where that development takes her.”

Knight is from Hanover, Massachusetts and previously swam with sophomore Colleen O’Neil at Weymouth Club Waves. She boasts top times of 55.66 in the 100 back 55.66, 56.50 in the100 fly, and 51.79 in the 100 free.

“We look for Haylee to come in and progress in her backstroke, butterfly and shorter freestyle races,” Geyer said. “Haylee has some great height, and we look forward to transitioning her into collegiate training.”

Pick will fill a role in the 200 fly as soon as she steps on campus next year. She is from Alpharetta, Georgia and goes to Milton High School. Pick’s top times are 2:18.62 in the 200 meter fly and 1:03.33 in the 100 meter fly.

“Gabrielle had a great summer season and our team is looking forward to see her development this short course season,” Geyer said. “She comes from a great program at Swim Atlanta so we know there is fast swimming ahead of her.”

Spradley is coming to campus in the fall from Granite Bay High School along with Matthew Klotz. She holds top times of 23.87 in the 50 free and 52.01 in the 100 free.

“Summer has the potential to come in and develop in the short freestyle events for us,” Geyer said. “Her coach believes there is huge potential ahead of her, and her commitment this season will start to show that promise.”

Thompson rounds out the solid women’s signees. She comes from Austin, Texas and Nitro Swimming. She boasts top times of 4:56.15 in the 400 meter IM, 2:20.87 in the 200 meter IM and 2:17.13 in the 200 breast.

“She is another young woman that had a great summer and we look forward to see how that translates into her senior year short course season,” Geyer said.

Lia Joslin from FINS Swim Club in Mandeville, Louisiana also committed to LSU. Joslin has top times of 56.96 in the 100 fly and 52.35 in the 100 free.

“Lia has really shown some great development this past year in her shorter freestyle races and her 100 butterfly,” Geyer said. “We look forward to having her on campus this summer and begin to acclimate to our facilities and academics early.”

The coaches have also signed William Arthur, Alex Carson, Tyler Harper, Harrison Jones, Matthew Klotz, and Alarii Levreault-Lopez on the men’s side.

“We are very excited about the group of young men we are bringing in next year,” Geyer said. “I’m excited for what they will bring in the water but just as excited to what they will bring to the team and campus every day. It’s a very well rounded class that hit almost all of our needs out of this signing class. They all have the opportunity and potential to make immediate impacts in our dual meet lineups and conference team”

Arthur is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee and swam under Marshall Goldman. He’ll come to campus next season and fill a void in the shorter end freestyle, backstroke, and IM events. Arthur boasts top times of 49.63 in the 100 back, 52.65 in the 100-meter free and 2:07.67 in the 200 meter IM.

“He had a great summer capped off by a wonderful meet at junior nationals in August,” Geyer said. “With his development this past long course season, we are really anticipating some great development in short course this winter”

Carson comes out of Cary, North Carolina where he swam at the YMCA of the Triangle Area. He owns top times of 20.97 in the 50 free, 45.70 in the 100 free, and 50.66 in the 100 back.

“Alex will really help fill in our sprint lineup with an opportunity to jump in on relays as a freshman,” Geyer said. “Coming from a program that has produced great sprint talent will help Alex adjust to collegiate training and development.”

Harper enters next season with a strong partner in Carson to develop in the sprint program. The Marietta, Georgia native owns top times in the 50 free (20.60) and 100 free (45.53).

“Coming from Stingrays Swimming in Atlanta, Tyler has the technical base needed to have further development in college and with his training has the ability to progress in either backstroke or butterfly as well.”

Jones comes from College Station, Texas and Bryan High School. He will come in next year and make an impact with his experience in the butterfly events as well as the medleys. Jones boasts top times of 48.76 in the 100 fly, 1:48.60 in the 200 fly and 1:51.04 in the 200 IM.

“Harrison was a key pick up for us,” Geyer said. With his past few seasons of swimming and progression, Harrison has a very bright future in the sport and we look forward to working with him here.

Klotz was named the 2013 Deaf Sports Male Athlete of the Year and won gold medals in the 100 and 200 backstroke at the 2013 Deaflympics in Bulgaria. The Cameron Park, California native set the deaf world record in the 200 back at junior nationals this past summer. He boasts top times of 1:46.48 in the 200 back, 49.18 in the 100 back, and 1:40.26 in the 200 free.

“Matt is another young man who has developed in the water but also has been challenged by some of life’s adversities,” Geyer said. He has represented the United States at an international level and will bring that experience into the SEC. Matt comes from a great club program with the Sierra Marlins and we are all excited to see what this year brings to him.”

Levreault-Lopez rounds out the signing class on the men’s side. He will bring diversity to the men’s team when he steps on campus next season. The Canton, Georgia native goes from the 100 butterfly all the way up to the 1000 free. He owns top times of 1:49.10 in the 200 fly, 4:00.45 in the 400 IM and 9:31.16 in the 1000 free.

“Ultimately when looking at Alarii, we will hone in on his butterfly and IM,” Geyer said. “Aside from his talent in the water our staff and program really enjoyed Alarii’s dynamic and upbeat personality through the recruiting process. He will be a great teammate to have around.”

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com.

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