The University of Minnesota men’s and women’s swimming and diving team has signed 16 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2016-17 season. The class of 2020 is composed of 14 swimmers and two divers.
WOMEN’S CLASS OF 2020
“We’re bringing in a women’s class that can help move us to the next level,” head coach Kelly Kremer said. “They’re versatile, and will be able to hit the ground running.”
Tara Chapman out of Lino Lakes, Minn., is a double-event Minnesota Class 4AA High School State Champion and will look to contribute in the University of Minnesota’s 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley events. Chapman holds five school records at Centennial High School and trains with Great Wolf Swim Team.
Lindsey Horejsi, a native of Albert Lea, Minn., was ranked as the No. 10 recruit in the nation and No. 1 out of the state of Minnesota. Horejsi is an Olympic Trials qualifier in both the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke events. Her top time in the 100-yard breaststroke is already sub-1:00, which would have scored at the 2015 NCAA Championships. Horejsi will be an asset in the 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard IM as well for Minnesota. She an all-class state record holder in the 200-yard individual medley (1:59.77) and 100 breast (59.56) in the state of Minnesota and has won several state titles.
Brianna “Rina” Krupsky from Greendale, Wis., will look to be an individual medley and butterfly swimmer for the Golden Gophers next season. Krupsky currently trains with Schroeder YMCA and her strongest event is the 400 IM.
Alexandra “Madison” Preiss out of Medina, Minn., is set to be a breaststroke and IM swimmer for the Gophers next fall. She is a three-time Minnesota Class AA HS State Champion through her junior season. Preiss placed in the top 20 in four events at the 2015 NCSA Junior Nationals, including a fourth-place mark in the 200 IM.
Tevyn Waddell from Mitchell, S.D., is already a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier in both the 100-meter backstroke and 100-meter butterfly. She is the No. 1 recruit from her home state for the graduating class of 2016 and currently swims for both Mitchell High School and Mitchell Aquatics Club. Considered extremely versatile, Waddell is strong in the freestyle, butterfly and backstroke.
Isabel Whited from Scottsdale, Ariz., is the No. 1 recruit out of her home state. She joins Minnesota as a two-time Arizona HS State Champion in the 500 free and is a six-time All-American.Whited is a ten-time Speedo Champions Series finalist. In the classroom, Whited is a Scholastic All-American.
MEN’S CLASS OF 2020
“We are excited about the balance of the incoming class,” Kremer said. “Each of their improvement curves are moving in the right direction and we know their best years of swimming and diving are ahead of them.”
Lajos Budai from Kecskemét, Hungary, is a sprint freestyle and backstroke specialist. Budai is a Hungarian National Swimming Championships participant.
Hunter Connelly out of Red Wing, Minn., is a Minnesota Class A HS State Champion in the 100-yard backstroke for Red Wing High School. Connelly also holds a Winter Junior Nationals cut in the 100-yard backstroke. He trains with Red Wing Swim Club.
Lucas Cooperman from Wheaton, Ill., is a diving sectional champion and state participant. His specialty is platform diving, which is also the future Gopher’s favorite event. Cooperman’s experience as a high school state finalist in gymnastics will also benefit him in the diving well.
David Goll from Scottsdale, Ariz., is an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 50 free for Life Time Arizona Swim Team. He will join the men’s sprint freestyle group next season for the Gophers.
Tyler Klatt out of Aurora, Ill., finished seventh at the 2014 NCSA Junior National Championships in the 200 back and has dropped over seven seconds in the event in the past two years. Klatt will join Minnesota from Bartlett high school and the Academy Bullets Swim Club.
Simon Meier from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the No. 1 recruit out of the Canadian province. He is a breaststroke and freestyle specialist for Mantas Swim Club and is set to join former teammate Breanne Siwicki at Minnesota next season.
Jeremy Moser out of Milwaukee, Wis., boasts diving experience from the USA Diving National Championships, YMCA Nationals, AAU Nationals and more. Moser specializes in platform and will add depth to Minnesota’s diving lineup.
Nicholas Saulnier from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a Speedo Junior National Championships and NCSA Junior Nationals participant. He is a backstroke specialist, with his strongest event being the 200 backstroke and has range in middle-distance freestyle.
Matthew Thomas out of Hollister, Calif., and Santa Clara Swim Club. Thomas will add depth to the Gophers’ butterfly, as he is a Winter Nationals qualifier in the 100-yard event.
Justin Torres from Piscataway, N.J., trains primarily in long course meters and was both a 2015 Junior National Championships and 2014 Speedo Winter Junior Championships participant. He will specialize for Minnesota in IM and breast. Torres trains with Scarlet Aquatic Club.
OTHER 2016-17 ROSTER ADDITIONS
Kierra Smith of Kelowna, British Columbia, will return to the University of Minnesota for her senior year in 2016-17. Smith is the reigning NCAA Champion in the 200 breaststroke, currently the NCAA’s third-fastest performer of all time in the event and is a three-time All-American and four-time Big Ten Champion for the Gophers. Smith is currently dedicating her time to training for a spot on Canada’s Olympic Team for this summer in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.
Sarah Bacon of Indianapolis, Ind., signed an NLI with Minnesota a year ago, but will be a part of the class of 2020 as she is currently training for the Olympics. Bacon brings experience from competing at meets including U.S. Olympic Team Trials, the AT&T National Diving Championships, the FINA World Junior Diving Championships and more.
Logan Redondo from Mission Viejo, Calif., is scheduled to finish out his collegiate career at Minnesota in 2016-17. Like Smith, Redondo opted to take a season off to focus on training for the Olympic year out with his club team. Redondo is a distance freestyle swimmer for the Gophers.
Swimming news courtesy of Minnesota Swimming & Diving.