Tennessee Aquatics Swimmers Part of Benchmark Class

Photo Courtesy: Tennessee Aquatics

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Tennessee Aquatics will be sending a powerful graduating class to the collegiate swimming ranks next fall.

“It was a benchmark of a class that will see its impact on all divisions and NAIA swimming over the next couple of years,” said head coach Marshall Goldman. Tennessee Aquatics swimmers will be scattered at colleges and universities across the nation next fall.

The most recent signee is future NC State Wolfpack member James Bretscher. Bretchser, a butterfly specialist, posted a 47.53 100-yard fly and a 1:47.11 200-yard fly. Those times would put him third and second in NC State’s 2014-2015 top five, respectively. His long course times include a 56.87 100-meter fly and a solid 2:06.67 200-meter fly.

Bretscher is coming off a stellar short course season, where he spent a lot of his training with distance group swimmers. He committed himself to underwater work and skill work, and clearly it paid dividends. Goldman added, “[He’s a] very meticulous and thoughtful individual who made tremendous strides.”

Bretscher’s teammate Will Arthur is heading to Baton Rouge to swim for the LSU Tigers in the fall. Arthur, a sprint freestyler, backstroker, and IMer finished 13^th at Winter Junior Nationals in the 200-yard IM and was part of two top three relays at Summer Junior Nationals. In his senior year, he clocked a 20.50 50-yard free and a 45.19 100-yard free. Both times will make him a valuable asset on relays, especially with the departure of senior sprinter Marco Gonzalez. His 1:48.80 is the third fastest Tiger time from the 2014-2015 season. In long course, Arthur zipped a 24.24 50-meter free, 52.65 100-meter free, and a 2:07.67 200-meter IM.

While Bretscher and Arthur are heading further south, Hayden Burns will continue to assert his presence in the state of Tennessee. The mid distance freestyler will join the Volunteers at the University of Tennessee. Burns brings a 1:38.17 200-yard free and a 4:24.75 500-yard free to the Vols. Both times would be on the cusp of scoring at SEC Championships. It’s worth noting Burns notched the 400-meter free Olympic Trial qualifying time with his 3:58.45.

Chris Glafenhein signed with Division II school Queens College and should make an immediate impact. Glafenhein brings a 1:42.01 200-yard free, 1:51.22 200-yard back, and 1:54.73 200-yard IM. All three of those times would be school records. In long course, he swims a 1:58.31 200-meter free, 2:14.23 200-meter back, and 2:16.82 200-meter IM.

Jonny Goss rounds out the Tennessee Aquatics signees on the boys’ side, signing with Carson-Newman College. The Division II squad added swimming as a varsity sport in 2013 and will add the sprint freestyler next fall. Goss’s 21.54 50-yard free puts him in the thick of the competition in the Bluegrass Mountain Conference. He also swims a 47.13 100-yard free. His meters times stand at 25.73 in the 50-meter free and 56.74 in the 100-meter free.

On the girls’ side, Courtney Aycock signed with Michigan State and should quickly establish herself as one of the team’s top sprinters. Her 23.67 50-yard free and 51.45 100-yard free place her in the Spartans’ top five in both events. Aycock turned in a 57.22 100-yard fly, which ranks fourth for Sparty. Aycock adds solid long course times to her arsenal, holding a 27.14 50-meter free, 59.10 100-meter free, and a 1:05.93 100-meter fly.

Breaststroker Caitlin Freeny will swim at Lenoir Rhyne next season. The D-II team located in Hickory, North Carolina will immediately value Freeny’s breaststroke ability. Her 1:10.14 100-yard breast tops the Bears’ best times from last season. Her 2:36.09 200-yard breast adds some much needed depth to event. Freeny also swims a 1:24.47 100-meter breast and a 3:03.51 200-meter breast.

Mallory Gardner is set to join Limestone College, a Division II team in Gaffney, South Carolina. The sprint freestyle and backstroke specialist adds depth to the Saints’ roster. Gardner’s top times include a 24.45 50-yard free, 53.74 100-yard free, 59.64 100-yard back, and 2:10.04 200-yard back. Her long course times consist of a 1:01.86 100-meter free, 1:09.77 100-meter back, and a 2:29.90 200-eter back.

Anna Banick just signed on to Gardner-Webb’s swim team as a breaststroker. Her 1:05.56 100-yard breast and 2:21.22 200-yard breast adds depth to the Bulldogs’ breaststroke events. The D-I school is a consistent contender in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association. Banick adds a 1:15.81 100-meter breast and 2:45.63 200-meter breast to her breaststroke repertoire.

Christina Klouda will head just north to Williamsburg, Kentucky to swim for the University of the Cumberlands. Klouda’s wide range of specialties should help bolster the NAIA squad. Klouda clocks a 5:06.47 500-yard free, 59.29 100-yard back, 2:05.41 200-yard back, and a 4:34.28 400-yard IM. Her long course strength’s reside most in the backstroke events with a 1:10.27 100-meter back and 2:28.98 200-meter back.

Lauren Sapp decided to continue her swimming career at Washington University in St. Louis, where she’ll establish herself as a sprint free and butterfly specialist. Her 100-yard fly (56.47) already ranks second on the team’s top five from the 2014-2015 season. She also adds a 52.01 100-yard free, which is just outside the Bears’ top five. Sapp also goes a 1:00.46 100-meter free and a 1:07.20 100-meter fly.

Two Tennessee Aquatics swimmers were affected by the Western Kentucky controversy and are now considering other schools. Ashley Darby planned to join the Hilltoppers as a mid distance freestyler. She posts a 1:51.08 200-yard free and 4:56.35 500-yard free. The other WKU commit was Trenton Reed, a Junior National qualifier in the 200-yard backstroke. His top times include his 1:50.56 200-yard back, 51.85 100-yard back, 51.84 100-yard fly, and 1:55.15 200-yard fly.

Adam Thomas will become the next Tennessee Aquatics swimmer to sign a NLI later this week. Thomas will join Virginia Tech as a sprint freestyler. He dipped down to a 20.77 50-yard free and 45.51 100-yard free at the Tennessee HS State Meet after racing a 21.40 and 47.09 last year. Thomas currently stands at a 24.01 50-meter free and 52.78 100-meter free.

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Trish Ownby

8 years ago

Congratulations to all of the swimmers. Special congratulations to Will Arthur, HVA and Green Meadow Swimmers Trenton Reed and Adam Thomas!! So very proud of you all!