Modified from Press Release courtesy of Cornell Athletic Communications
The Cornell men’s swimming and diving program will enroll 12 student-athletes to make up the Class of 2018. With 10 swimmers and two divers representing nine states and three countries, the Big Red is already excited to get into the pool in the Fall of 2014.
* Leading the group is standout breaststroker, Ilya (Alex) Evdokimov who swam a 54.0 and 1:58.6 this year in his 100 and 200 breaststroke.
* Brandon Sweezer and Ryan Sharkey are two incoming distance swimmers who have the potential to become great training partners as their 1000 free is within a half second of each other (9:15.7 and 9:16.0). They both swim the 500 and mile also and will add needed depth to the longer events.
* Will Stange was recruited primarily as a backstroker, however he showed great improvement this past season in his 200 freestyle, which will help the squad this coming season. Along with this past year’s freshman Dylan Sali, the two should make the Big Red very competitive in backstroke events.
* Jack Brenneman will add some depth to our team in the sprint fly and freestyle events and can help the relays. He broke 50 seconds this season for the first time when he dropped to a 48.80 in this 100 fly.
* Kevin Ma will be arriving in Ithaca from Beijing, China for the first time in August. At 6-4, Ma has the potential to be a surprise player across the league next year. Although he has never swum in yards, his long course meter times are impressive.
* Alex (Buzz) Rehnberg is a sprint specialist from Edina, Minn. Buzz was a multi-sport athlete in high school and will be focused entirely on swimming for the first time.
* After taking a gap year after high school to work in Australia for a year, Slater Goodman decided his next step would be Cornell. Goodman’s best events include the 200 free and both breaststroke events. His older brother, Spencer, swam at Harvard.
* Vincent Declercq is the team’s most recent addition to next year’s class and will add another strong butterflyer to our group. Declerq is from Belgium and like Ma, his first time to Cornell will be in August when he moves in. His long course meter times of 56.4 and 2:08.0 in 100m and 200m fly should convert to competitive times across the league.
* Dylan Magee is still relatively young in the sport of swimming but shows potential as an up-and-coming breaststroker.
* Noah Sterling and Kyle Rooney are two incoming divers who will be looking to add depth the diving squad. Sterling had a great senior year, winning the state championship meet in Ohio.
Jack Brenneman: Fly/Free • Mechanicsburg, Pa.• Cumberland Valley HS• Northern York Aquatic Club
100y Fly: 48.8
100y Free: 46.2
Vincent Declercq: Fly• Dendermonde, Belgium• Heilige Maagd College• Aquarius Zwemclub Lebbeke
100m Fly: 56.4
200m Fly: 2:08.0
Alex Evdokimov: Breast• Coral Springs, Fla.• J.P. Taravella HS• Coral Springs Swim Club
100y Breast: 54.0
200y Breast: 1:58.6
Slater Goodman: Breast/Free• San Juan Capistrano, Calif.• Capistrano Valley HS• Irvine Novaquatics
200y Free: 1:41.4
100m Breast: 1:06.9
200m Breast: 2:24.4
Kevin Ma: Fly/Free• Beijing, China/Beijing Yuying School
100m Fly: 56.4
50m Free: 45.8
Dylan Magee: Breast• Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.• Don Bosco Preparatory HS• New York Sharks Aquatics
100y Breast: 1:00.6
200y Breast: 2:08.7
Buzz Rehnberg: Free• Edina, Minn.• Edina HS• Foxjet
50y Free: 20.8
100y Free: 45.8
Kyle Rooney: Diving• Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.• Cold Spring Harbor HS• Long Island Diving
Ryan Sharkey: Distance• The Woodlands, Texas• John Cooper School• The Woodlands Swim Team
500y Free: 4:29.2
1000y Free: 9:15.7
1650y Free: 15:34.5
Will Stange: Back/Free• Princeton, N.J.• Princeton HS• Princeton Piranhas Swim Team
100y Back: 49.8
200y Back: 1:47.1
200y Free 1:39.4
Noah Sterling: Diving• Beachwood, Ohio• University School• America Flyers Diving
Brandon Sweezer: Distance• Fort Mill, S.C.• National Ford HS• Rock Hill Area YMCA
1000y Free: 9:16.0
1650y Free: 15:38.7