Wyoming Announces 11 Signees

LARAMIE, Wyoming, December 3. WYOMING Swimming and Diving is pleased to announce the signing of 11 new Cowboy and Cowgirl, swimmers and divers. The Cowboys will add Mitch Colby, Mike McCormick, Logan Parker and Jordan Turner. The Cowgirls will add Nicole Boyce, Jordan Denny, Holly Heussner, Karen Hendrick, Aliyah Mikulski, Melanie McDonough and Sarah Moss.

"This is a class of very bright and talented athletes and we look forward to their future contributions to the University of Wyoming Swimming and Diving program," Wyoming head swimming coach Tom Johnson said.

The following is a description of the Cowboys signees:

Mitch Colby, Distance Freestyle, Bernardsville, N.J.

Colby is from Bernardsville, N.J., will add depth to the distance freestyle program. In 2010 he placed sixth at YMCA Nationals in the 1650 meter freestyle and sixth in the 500 free in the New Jersey High School State Championships.

"Mitch has demonstrated the talent and work ethic to be a terrific distance freestyle (swimmer). He has shown consistent improvement and will add depth to the distance group," Johnson added.

Mike McCormick, Breaststroke, Parker Colo. (Chaparral High School)

McCormick is from Parker, Colo., and swims for Denver University Hilltoppers where he is a teammate of current Cowgirl Jessica Badaracco in Denver, as well as a swimmer at Chaparral High School. Mike has very good 100 and 200 yard breaststroke times. McCormick had a breakout summer, qualifying for Junior Nationals in the 100 breaststroke and the United States Open in the 200 breaststroke. At 6-foot-5, he has tremendous size, especially for a breaststroke swimmer. He is the fastest breaststroke swimmer coming out of Colorado in this recruiting class.

"I am very pleased to have Mike joining us and he was being recruited by some of the best programs in the area. We saw him at sectionals and junior nationals this summer and were very impressed. As I have gotten to know him, I was very impressed with what a great kid he is. He will undoubtedly be the tallest breaststroke (swimmer) I have ever coached," Johnson added.

Logan Parker, Sprint and Mid-Distance Freestyle, Corvallis, Ore. (Corvallis High School)

Parker is from Corvallis, Ore., and swims for the Corvallis Aquatic Team, and a teammate of current Cowgirl Caroline Wells. Parker also competes for Corvallis High School where he was the Most Valuable Player of his high school team. Parker has very nice size at 6-4 and is a sprint and middle-distance freestyle specialist. He is a very good 100 and 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke swimmer.

"We are very pleased to have another Corvallis kid on our team. They have terrific work ethic, as well as great desire to improve and contribute. Logan is a big kid and we look forward to him to continue to develop as an athlete and as a swimmer," Johnson added.

Jordan Turner, Breaststroke, IM and Butterfly, Marietta, Ga.

Turner is from Marietta, Ga., and swims for the Marietta Marlins. Like McCormick, Turner is a national-level breaststroke swimmer. He has qualified for Summer Senior Nationals in the 200 breaststroke and is just off qualifying for the 2012 US Olympic Trials in that event. He also is a national-level individual medley swimmer and has Junior National qualifying time in the 100 breast. He is also a very strong butterfly swimmer.

"Jordan is a very talented and versatile athlete. He is national qualifier in the breaststrokes and the IMs. He has shown tremendous improvement in the butterfly as well. Jordan will be able to be a guy that we can put in the meet line in virtually any event. He is a terrific talent and young man and we look forward to his contributions to our team," Johnson said.
The following is a description of the Cowgirl signees:

Nicole Boyce, Freestyle, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Edison High School)

Boyce will join high school teammate Moss as a Cowgirl next fall. Boyce is from Huntington Beach, Calif., and swims for Irvine NOVAquatics and for Edison High School. She is a National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Junior National qualifier in the 100 freestyle. She also swam on Irvine, Calif., NOVAquatics 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle relays at this summer's Junior National Championships in Irvine, Calif. She is a California Interscholastic Federation finalist in the 100 free.

"Nicole is a super athlete who continues to develop. Nicole has nice range from the 50 free to the 200 free and she will add serious punch to our relays. She is also showing continued improvement in the backstroke. She has competed in one of the fastest club and high school programs in the country and will be no stranger to the expectations that come with that. We are very excited to have Nicole here at Wyoming next fall," Johnson added.

Jordan Denny, Backstroke, Freestyle and IM, Billings, Mont. (Billings West High School)

Denny is from Billings, Mont., and swims for Billings Aquatic Club and Billings West High School. She is a versatile and talented backstroke, freestyle and IM swimmer. Denny is a US Swimming Senior National qualifier in the 100 back and has put up very strong times in the 500 freestyle and the 200 IM. Denny is developing a strong 200 backstroke, as well.

"Jordan is completely an untapped talent. I was very impressed with her swims over the summer and I feel she is truly a diamond in the rough. Jordan has tremendous desire to improve and a willingness to be fast. She will also be an asset to our medley relays and we look forward to having her here at Wyoming next fall," Johnson said.

Holly Heussner, Diving, Houston, Texas. (Lamar Cons High School)

Heussner hails from Sugar Land, Texas and comes to the University of Wyoming with a great diving background including international diving experience competing at the Camo Invitational, in Montreal, Canada, in 2009. She holds multiple diving records at Lamar Cons High School including the freshman six-dive record, overall six-dive record, and 11-dive record. Heussner has demonstrated significant progress year-to-year including second-place finish at districts, fifth at regionals in 2008, first-place finishes at districts and regionals, followed up by an eleventh-place finish at the state meet in 2009. Heussner rounded out her junior year with a first in districts and regionals followed up by ninth at the state meet in 2010. Holly was also the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District MVP diver during the 2009-10 season.

"She is a great athlete and is going to make an immediate impact on our roster next season. We have had great success with Texas divers here at Wyoming and Holly will continue that tradition," UW diving coach Pat Bukowski said.

Karen Hendrick, Backstroke and IM, Santa Maria, Calif. (Righetti High School)

Hendrick of Santa Maria, Calif., will join the Cowgirls next fall. She swims for Santa Maria Swim Club and at Righetti High School. She is a very talented and versatile swimmer. Hendrick is a very talented backstroke and IM swimmer and recently has had tremendous improvement in the butterfly. She represented Southern California Swimming at last summer's North American Challenge Cup. She follows her older sister, Julie, who swam for the Cowgirls last year.

"Karen is a really talented kid who has a ton of potential and is a very versatile athlete that we can plug in almost anywhere in our dual meet line up. She has very strong times coming in next fall and like Boyce and Moss, she swims in the most competitive swimming in the country, so she is no stranger from very fast swimming. Karen will be a tremendous asset to the program and we look forward to her contribution to the Cowgirls," Johnson added.

Aliyah Mikulski, Distance Freestyle, Houston, Texas (Cypress Fall High School)

Mikulski of Houston, Texas will follow her teammate and current Cowboy Ross Johnson to Wyoming. Mikulski competes for Cy-Fair (the Fleet) Swim Club and at Cypress Fall High School. She will add some additional punch to the talented and deep distance group at Wyoming. She is a very talented 1000 and 1650 freestyle swimmer who is also strong in the 500 free and the 400 IM. Aliyah is also an outstanding student as she is in the National Honor Society at her high school.

"Aliyah will be a great addition to the current group of distance swimmers here at Wyoming. We found Aliyah to be a super kid whose coaches spoke highly of. She has the tremendous work ethic necessary to be a great distance swimmer," Johnson said.

Melanie McDonough, Sprint Freestyle and Backstroke, Frisco, Texas. (Frisco High School)

McDonough will join fellow Texans, Mikulski and Heussner, to Wyoming. She is a very talented sprint freestyle and backstroke swimmer out of Frisco, Texas where she swims on Frisco Aquatic Club Team for her dad, Daniel McDonough and at Frisco High School. Melanie is a NISCA High School All–American in the 50 free. Melanie is also very talented in the 100 free and in the 100 and 200 back.

"Melanie is a very athletic and talented sprinter and will add additional punch to our sprint freestyle and backstrokes. She will challenge to be on our 200 free and 200 medley relays and will need to develop in the 400 free relay," Johnson added.

Sarah Moss, Backstroke and Breaststroke, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Edison High School)

Moss will join fellow southern Californian Hendrick and high school teammate Boyce as a Cowgirl next year. She is an athlete at Fullerton Aquatic Swim Team and at Edison High School. Sarah is a very talented backstroke and breaststroke swimmer and also has very strong IM times. Moss is a NISCA High School All-American in the 200 medley relay in 2008 and 2009. She has competed in NICSA Junior Nationals in 2009 and 2010.

"Sarah is a super kid who has a tremendous desire to get better and improve. She spends extra time asking for help with the coaches at F.A.S.T. She is a great kid to have in the program because the number of events she can swim and the number of ways she can contribute. We look forward to Sarah's contributions to our team," Johnson added.

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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