SALT LAKE CITY – Utah head swimming coach Joe Dykstra has announced that 15 recruits have signed National Letters-of-Intent during the early fall signing period. The Utes’ swim program added seven men and eight women to the 2016-17 roster.
“I am really thrilled with this group of incoming swimmers and with the hard work my staff has done in putting it together,” Dykstra stated. “This is definitely the deepest and one of the strongest groups of swimmers ever to commit to Utah and will help us continue to improve in the Pac-12 and nationally. I am very excited about the in-state and regional talent we assembled, as well as the talented swimmers from the top clubs in California, such as Golden West and the Sierra Marlins.”
WOMEN
Cassidy Stein
Hometown: Lakewood, Colo.
Club Team: University of Denver Hilltoppers
High School: Green Mountain High School
Ranked as the fourth-best swimmer in the state of Colorado … National Qualifier … Selected to Colorado All-State Team … Western Region Sectional Champion … Won the 400 IM at the Speedo Championship Series and was a finalist in the 200 back, 1000 free and 1650 free … Placed second in the 800 free, third in the 1500 free and was also a finalist in the 400 free at the Western Zone Senior Championships … Member of the National Honor Society, Science Olympiad and B.I.O.N.I.C.
Dykstra on Stein: “Cassidy will come in right on our school records in the 200 back and 400 IM and she has the versatility to contribute in about six more events. She currently trains with the club team at University of Denver and we couldn’t be more excited to have her come over the mountains and compete for the Utes.”
Kylie Mitchell
Hometown: Hancock, N.H.
Club Team: Greenwood Swimming
High School: Conval Regional High School
Ranked as the top swimmer in the state of New Hampshire … 2014 U.S World Junior Open Water selection, placing third and fourth in her respective events … Junior Nationals qualifier … Honor Roll student
Dykstra on Mitchell: “Kylie will bring great depth to our distance group and should develop into one of our top milers very quickly. She has been more focused on open water swimming the last couple years, even swimming open water races internationally. With a renewed focus in the pool we know she can develop into an NCAA qualifying caliber miler.”
Claire Jackson
Hometown: West Valley City, Utah
Club team: West Valley Aquatic Seawolves
High School: Hunter High School
5A State Champion in 500 (5:11.18) and 100 free (53.55) … Finalist for the 200 free (1:54.81) and 50 free (24.60) … Placed third in the 100 breast at the Granite District Championships and won the 100 fly (1:01.62)
“Claire is one of the best sprinters out of Utah since I have been here and we are thrilled to have her come to the U. Again she will challenge for spots on our top relays early on and I believe can develop into a truly impactful swimmer in the Pac-12.”
Sarah Lott
Hometown: Los Alamos, N.M.
Club team: Charger Aquatics
High School: Los Alamos High School
Ranked as the top swimmer in New Mexico by CollegeSwimming.com … Won the 100 free (52.07) at the New Mexico State Championships and placed second in the 200 free (1:53.68) while racking up numerous state records… Reached Junior Nationals … Scholastic All-American. Part of Los Alamos youth leadership group
Dykstra on Lott: “Sarah is a swimmer with tremendous upside. She is, along with a lot of the girls in this class, very long and athletic, and has her best swimming ahead of her in college. She is going to come in and challenge for spots on our top relays right away as a freshman, and is our second consecutive New Mexico sprinter to join our women’s team after Gillian St. John this year.”
Cosima Kleine
Hometown: Berlin, Germany
Represented the German Junior National team in international competition … Swam the 100 fly in 1:00.87 and the 200 fly in 2:15.33 at the German Championships
Dykstra on Kleine: “Cosima will really fill a need for us next year after we graduate Petra Soininen. Cosima has top times in the long course pools that are faster than US Olympic Trials times in the butterfly races, and has international meet experience with Germany. She wants to study environmental conservation so Utah was a natural fit for her and she was our first commit in this class way back in July.”
Mallori Allen
Hometown: Allen, Texas
Club Team: Metroplex Aquatics
High School: Frisco High School
Finalist in the 100 and 200 back, as well as the 200 free at the Speedo Champions Series … Finalist in the 50 and 100 back, as well as the 100 free at the 5A State Championships
Dykstra on Allen: “Mallori is an up-and-coming backstroker from the Dallas area. She swims on Metroplex Aquatics , where current Ute Jay Bolinger swam, and Coach Brent Mitchell does an amazing job getting his swimmers prepped to continue improving in college. Mallori is tall, with long arms, and I’m excited to add her to our rising group of backstrokers.”
McKenna Gassaway
Hometown: Bountiful, Utah
Club Team: South Davis Aquatic Team
High School: Viewmont High School
Ranked the third-best swimmer in the state of Utah … Won the 100 breast at the Utah 5A State Championship and was a finalist in the event at the 2015 Speedo Champions Series … Runner-up in the 50 free at the Utah 5A State Championships … Finalist in the 200 breast at the Western Zone Senior Championships
Mariah Gassaway
Hometown: Bountiful, Utah
Club Team: South Davis Aquatic Team
High School: Viewmont High School
Ranked the top swimmer in the state of Utah … Won the 200 breast and the 200 IM at the Speedo Champions Series … Runner-up in the 100 breast at the same event … Finalist in the 50 free at the 5A State Championships … Finalist in the 200 free at the PCHS Swimvitational
Dykstra on the Gassaways: “Getting McKenna and Mariah to commit was the real coup in this recruiting cycle. We knew it was going to be a tough battle with BYU as well as other schools all over the country for them and I am thrilled they decided to stay close to home and compete for the Utes. They are both breaststrokers on the cusp of qualifying for Olympic Trials and will continue to make big improvements in college. They are two of the top swimmers to come out of Utah in many years so we are excited to have them in Red the next four years.”
MEN
Thomas Baker
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Club Team: Colorado Springs Swim Team
High School: Air Academy
Ranked as the sixth-best swimmer in the state of Colorado by CollegeSwimming.com … Three-time All-American … Five-time high school state champion (four relays, one individual) … High school state champion in the 200 free … Holds a pair of Colorado high school state records … Western Zone champion in the 100 free
Dykstra on Baker: “Tommy is a rapidly improving sprinter from the Colorado Springs Swim Team. He had some big drops this summer in long course and I know he is going to surprise some people with how much time he drops in short course this next year. We are a little thin in men’s sprinting with our current team and Tommy is one of several sprinters coming in next fall for our men’s team.”
Brad Toland
Hometown: Surfside, Calif.
Club Team: Golden West Swim Club
High School: Los Alamitos High School
Selected for 2013 North American Challenge Cup team … Selected for 2015 CA-NV All Star meet vs. Japan … Won the 100 fly at the CCCAA State Championships … Helped Los Alamitos to a CCCAA state title … Holds three individual records at Los Alamitos and was the team’s MVP … 100 fly record-holder at GWC and was a Winter Nationals qualifier … Finalist in the 100 free at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships … Finalist in the 200 free at the SAND/SCS Winter Age Group Championships
Dykstra on Toland: “Bradley is currently in his second year at a junior college and will join us next fall as a third-year student. He swims club on the Golden West Swim Club coached by the legendary Mark Schubert and joins a long list of swimmers from Golden West that have come to Utah over the past five years. He is a great sprinter and has the gift of being an awesome under water kicker. That will make him a very valuable addition to our sprint group and in fly and back.”
Ethan Dillard
Hometown: Folsom, Calif.
Club Team: Sierra Marlins Swim Team
High School: Oak Ridge High School
Ranked the 25th-best swimmer in the state of California by CollegeSwimming.com … Finalist in the 400 IM at the 2015 Speedo Champions Series (3:59.64) … Placed fifth in the 100 free, 200 IM and was a finalist in the 100 breast at the CIF California Swimming and Diving State Finals.
Dykstra on Dillard: “Ethan continues what is becoming a great and long lasting tradition of swimmers from the Sierra Marlins in Folsom, California to come to Utah. He is another swimmer that is rapidly improving. He is a great 200 IM’er, has some good backstroke times, and has recently been making huge strides in breaststroke.”
Liam O’Haimhirgin
Hometown: Fair Oaks, Calif.
Club Team: Sierra Marlins Swim Team
High School: Bella Vista High School
Ranked as the 12th-best swimmer in the state of California by CollegeSwimming.com … Captured the 100 fly at the 2015 Speedo Champions Series (50.48) … Reached the finals of the 50, 100 and 200 free at the same event … Placed sixth in the 500 free at the California Sac Joaquin Section Championships
Dykstra on O’Haimhirgin: “Liam is also out of the Sierra Marlins and is one of the top ranked recruits in California. He is a great 100/200 freestyler with a tenacious knack for racing. He will be a tremendous relay component for us in the future.”
Brody Lewis
Hometown: Greely, Colo.
Club Team: Loveland Swim Club
High School: Greely West High School
Ranked as the third-best swimmer in the state of Colorado by CollegeSwimming.com … All-American … Scholastic All-American … 5A State Champion in the 100 breast … First Team All-State Winter Nationals qualifier … Two-time conference champion … Three-time Team MVP … Second Team All-State in cross country and two-time all-region … helped Greely win the 3A state title
Dykstra on Lewis: “Brody comes from one of the top club teams in the mountain region at Loveland Swim Club. He is a tremendous breaststroker and distance swimmer. He also has been a cross country runner and is a tremendous athlete for someone who is 6’5”. He hasn’t been swimming full-time for very long and we think he will develop at a very fast rate in college.”
Adam Shelton
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Club Team: Eagle Aquatic Team
High School: Skyline High School
Ranked as the top swimmer in the state of Utah by CollegeSwimming.com … USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Wendy’s Heisman State finalist … 4A State Champion in the 50 free, 100 back, 200 free relay and 400 free relay and finalist in the 100 free … Multiple All-State and All-Region selection … 4A state record holder in the 200 and 400 free relay … Reached the finals of the 50 and 100 free at the Speedo Champions Series … Swam for the first time at eight months of age and started swimming competitively at 12 years old … Entire family graduated from the University of Utah
Dykstra on Shelton: “Adam is the premier sprinter in the state of Utah and we are excited to keep him close to home to race for the Utes. He is a lifelong Utah fan and it is always wonderful to have swimmers on your team who grew up bleeding red! He is coached by Utah Swimming Alumni and former coach Joe Pereira at the Eagle Aquatic Team and Skyline HS.”
Matteo Sogne
Hometown: Modena, Italy
One of the top junior swimmers in Italy … Distance swimmer that has competed internationally with the Italian open water … Placed seventh at the Italian Open Water Championship in 5km and was ninth at the Italian Indoor Championships in the same event … Earned a gold medal, along with three silvers and a bronze at the Italian Championships.
Dykstra on Sogne: “When Bence Kiraly graduates this coming spring it will obviously hurt our team in distance swimming. Matteo will come in to soften that blow and immediately be one of our top milers. He is better in short course than long course which bodes well for a European making the transition to a 25-yard course in college.”
Swimming news courtesy of Utah Swimming & Diving.