Wisconsin-Milwaukee Men’s Swimming & Diving Team Adds Nine To Roster

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, June 13. THE University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming and diving team has announced the addition of nine student-athletes who will compete next season for the Panthers.

UWM head coach Erica Janssen announced today that Kevin Ewald of Hartland, Wis., Brady Garner of San Antonio, Tex., Ryan Goggans of Appleton, Wis., Justin Hastings of Cheyenne, Wyo., Zac Kraai of Zeeland, Mich., Caleb Sandvold of Oconomowoc, Wis., Mike Schalla of West Bend, Wis., Nathan Welchlin of Overland Park, Kans., and Sho Young of Mequon, Wis., will all enroll at UWM and participate next season.

Ewald comes to Milwaukee after swimming as a freshman at the University of Minnesota. He had a very impressive prep career at Arrowhead High School, leading his team to two state championships. He was a four-year all-conference swimmer and three-year all-state member, leading Arrowhead to four-consecutive conference championships. He earned All-American honors three years and set school records in the 500 freestyle and as a member of the 400 and 200 freestyle relay teams. He was named team MVP and captain as a senior and also helped lead the Gophers to a Big Ten title as a freshman.

"Kevin is an outstanding athlete," Janssen said. "He is someone that hasn't had the right fit in a college program but will immediately make an impact at UWM. His talent, versatility and experience at the national level will aid in relays and all areas of the lineup. We are very fortunate to have Kevin joining our program and there are great years of swimming ahead for Kevin."

Garner swam at Winston Churchill High School in Texas, leading his team to a fifth-place finish at the state meet as a senior. He earned all-state honors in the 200 freestyle and as a member of three different relay teams. He made a strong showing at the district championship as a senior, claiming titles in the 100 freestyle and 200 and 400 freestyle relays. In addition to all-district, all-region and all-area honors, Garner also earned All-America consideration in three events. He was named the co-outstanding male athlete of his high school and also recorded academic all-district accolades.
"Brady will fill in the gaps in the sprint group," Janssen said. "He is a very solid sprinter that will compete for relay spots immediately."

Goggans swam for the Appleton North/East High School swim team and capped his career by earning Appleton Post Crescent Boys' Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year honors. As a senior, he finished third in the 200 freestyle and sixth in the 500 free at the WIAA state meet after placing first in the same two events at sectionals, setting sectional and pool records in the 200. The four-year all-conference swimmer was named the Fox Valley Association Swimmer of the Year as a junior and earned all-state honors his final two seasons. He was a two-year captain in high school and also a three-time YMCA national qualifier.

"Ryan will swim mid-distance and distance freestyle for us," Janssen said. "He is another individual that has a tremendous amount of talent that will be seen in a college program."

Hastings swam at Cheyenne East High School and was named the Wyoming Swimming Male Athlete of the Year. The all-state swimmer had a very successful high school career, winning state championships in the 100 breaststroke and twice in the 200 freestyle. The all-conference swimmer won various league titles in the 200 free, 100 free and 100 backstroke over his career, as well as with the 400 free and 200 medley relay teams. The 2008 western zone champion in four events also made short-course juniors nationals in the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 200 IM.

"Justin is a very accomplished swimmer with a great amount of talent," Janssen said. "He continues to improve tremendously and has a bright swimming career ahead of him."

Kraai swam at Zeeland East High School, leading his team to a state championship as a senior. He earned two state crowns as a member of the 400 freestyle relay team and was All-American in both the 200 and 400 free relays in his career. The three-time all-conference swimmer also earned all-state honors on eight occasions in four different events. He earned the team's most improved award as a sophomore and the coach's award as a senior.

"Zac is a very versatile freestyler from the 50 all the way to the mile," Janssen said. "We will look to Zac to swim distance events at Milwaukee. He hasn't been swimming year-round very long and we feel he has a lot of room to grow as a swimmer."

Sandvold never swam for his high school team at Lakeside Lutheran, but has been swimming with the YMCA at Pabst Farms Club Team for the past 12 years. He was a consolation finalist in the 50 freestyle at YMCA Short Course Nationals and the YMCA Wisconsin state champion in the 100 freestyle. He currently holds seven club records.

"Caleb is a swimmer that continues to improve greatly," Janssen said. "He is just starting to show his ability and in college, will only continue to improve. Caleb has many great years of swimming ahead of him."

Schalla is a transfer to UWM from Wisconsin, where he did not swim as a freshman. He led a very distinguished prep career at Cedarburg High School, earning team MVP honors as a senior in leading his team to a second-place finish at the state meet. The 2008 state champion in the 50 freestyle, he earned all-state honors in four events and all-conference accolades in five. A team captain, he recorded numerous top three finishes at the state meet and holds several Cedarburg High School and Ozaukee Aquatics Center records. A scholar-athlete for all four years, he was also recognized by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as its Swimmer of the Week in January of 2008.

"Mike is a very talented kid who hasn't been swimming very long," Janssen said. "He is working hard this summer to improve and will make an impact in our sprint group."

Welchlin swam at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Kansas and captured the state championship in the 50 freestyle and 200 medley relay as a senior and in the 200 free as a junior. The two-time first-team all-state swimmer has earned All-America honors in the 50 free and was named to the Kansas City Star All-Metro Team in two events. He also earned East Kansas League crowns in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

"Nathan is another very versatile swimmer," Janssen said. "We will look for Nathan to fill in the sprint group, butterfly group, and mid-distance freestyle. He is a big kid with a lot of potential that will flourish in a college program."

Young transferred to nearby Homestead High School as a senior, but did not swim his final season. He was a Classic Lake All-Conference swimmer at Wayzata High School before that, earning All-America consideration in the 200 medley relay. The four-year letterwinner was named team captain at the end of his junior year (before moving) and voted team MVP the same season. The all-state swimmer holds the Wayzata record in the 100 breaststroke. The two-time state qualifier swam for the Schroeder YMCA National Team this past season.

"Sho will add depth to the breaststroke group for us," Janssen said. "He is an individual that continues to improve and will make a great impact on the team immediately."

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