The following is a press release courtesy of Florida State Swimming & Diving:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have added 22 athletes to the roster for the 2014-15 season.
“I’m very happy with the recruiting class we signed,” FSU head coach Frank Bradley said. “Each one of these athletes brings something important to the table. Aside from their talents in the pool all of these kids get it done in the classroom. I expect that some of these young ladies and gentlemen will come in and have the ability to contribute right away while others will develop into that role. It’s a big class and I’m happy with it.”
Among the 22 National Letters of Intent that were signed, a total of 12 athletes will join the men’s team – 10 swimmers and two divers, while the women’s team added 10 athletes. Eight are swimmers and two are divers. Both squads are expect to add walk-on athletes before the start of the 2014-15 season as well.
Men’s Swimming and Diving Signees
Calvin Bryant, St. Petersburg Aquatics (Osceola High School), St. Petersburg, Fla.
Top Times: 200 free – 1:39.37, 500 free – 4:23.47, 1650 free – 15:06.07
Bryant grabbed the silver medal in both the 200 and 500 free events at the 2013 3A FHSAA State Championships for Osceola High School. He is a national qualifier in the 1650 free, swimming his best time in the mile at the FL GSC Holiday Classic. In 2012, Bryant was fifth in the 500 and 11th in the 200 free.
Gavin Colley, North Baltimore Aquatic Club (Annapolis High School), Annapolis, Md.
Top Times: 400 IM – 3:56.84, 200 fly – 1:49.90, 500 free – 4:33.20
Colley is a national qualifier in the 200 fly and 400 IM events. A member of North Baltimore Aquatic Club, Colley placed 24th in 400 IM at the 2013 World Championship Trials after swimming a best of 4:39.67 in prelims. Colley is also teammates with incoming freshmen Connor Kalisz and Trevor Hine.
Storm Hewitt, Club Compensar (University of Miami Global Academy), Destin, Fla.
Top Times: 100 breast – 1:04.17 (LCM), 200 breast – 2:18.94 (LCM), 200 IM – 2:09.82 (LCM)
Hewitt has been a member of the Colombian Junior National Team since the turn of 2013. He is the current age group record holder in the 100 and 200 breast as well as the 200 IM. Hewitt earned a
bronze medal at the 2013 Junior South American Games in Chile in the 200 IM and 200 breast. Hewitt swims for Club Compensar where he is coached by Manuel Ruiz.
Trevor Hine, North Baltimore Aquatic Club (Dallastown), York, Pa.
Top Times: 400 IM – 3:59.88, 500 free – 4:34.87, 200 IM – 1:52.22
Hine is the younger brother of current FSU women’s swimmer, Lauren Hine. During his career at Dallastown Area High School, Hine produced his highest PIAA finish in 2014 in the 200 IM with a career best time of 1:52.22. He helped his team place sixth in the 200 free relay. Hine was also seventh in the 500 free in 2013 and has swam in four “B” individual event finals while competing at states. Hine is also a junior national qualifier in the 400 IM and 200 IM. He swims from North Baltimore Aquatics where he is coached by Erik Posegay and is teammates with Kalisz and Colley. In addition to swimming, Hine plays both roller and ice hockey.
Frank Horpel, Terrapins Swim Team (Indian River State College/Castro Valley High School), Castro Valley, Calif.
Top Times: 200 free 1:37.96, 100 free – 44.44, 500 free : 4:30.56
Horpel is teammates with Rojas at Indian River State College and he placed second in the 200 and 500 free at the 2013 NJCAA Championships. As a member of the Castro Valley High School swim team, Horpel was an All-American in 200 and 500 free in both 2012 and 2013, while contributing to that status in the 200 medley relay.
Cameron Johnson, Sunrise Springboard Diving (Satellite High School), Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.
Johnson was named the 2013 All-Space Coast Diver of the Year after he won the state title at the FHSAA 2A State Championships with a score of 438.90 from 1-meter. Took bronze at the 2012 meet with a score of 422.95.
Connor Kalisz, North Baltimore Aquatic Club (Fallston High School), Bel Air, Md.
Top Times: 200 Back – 1:45.95, 200 IM – 1:51.57, 400 IM – 3:53.97
A member of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club – the same team of Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps and Alison Schmidt, Kalisz is coached by Erik Posegay. The club is headed by Florida State Alumni Bob Bowman. Kalisz is a two-time state champion in the 200 back. Saw time drops in each of this specialties during the 2013-14 season. His older brother, Chase just finished his sophomore season at Georgia, where he was the 2014 NCAA Champion in the 400 IM and set a new American and NCAA record with a time of 3:34.50.
Rafael Van Leeuwaarde, New South Swimming (Charlotte United Christian Academy), Charlotte, N.C.
Top Times: 100 breast – 54.56, 200 breast – 2:03.60
A native of Suriname, Leeuwaarde is the national record holder in all of the SCM (Short Course – meters) events, posting times of 28.27 (50 breast), 1:02.20 (100 breast) and 2:17.66 (200 breast). As a member of New South Swimming, Leeuwaarde placed 12th in the 100 breast at the 2012 Winter Junior National Championships with a 55.58. He competed at the 2013 FINA World Championships in the 50m and 100m breast.
Anthony Lyon, Cascade Swim Club, Calgary, Alberta
Top Times: 50 free – 20.40, 100 free 44.70, 200 free – 1:38.20
A native of Calgary, Lyons grabbed silver at the 2013 Canada Summer Games for Alberta in the 100m free with a time of 51.47. He was also the runner up in the 17-18 age group in the 100 free at the Canadian Age Group Championships in 2013.
Jonathan Ratliff, Panama City Swim Team (A. Crawford Mosley High School), Panama City, Fla.
Top Times: 100 fly – 49.83, 200 fly – 1:48.59, 200 free – 1:39.74, 500 free – 4:33.16
Ratliff took silver in the 100 fly and earned All-American consideration honors on top of placing third in the 200 free at the 2013 3A FHSAA State Championships for A. Crawford Mosley High School. In 2012, Ratliff was as finalist in the 200 and 500 free, placing eighth in the 200 and sixth in the 500 while helping his team to the gold in the 200 medley relay and state runner up team finish. Ratliff is a junior national qualifier in five events. Academically, Ratliff is ranked third in his class and is a member of the National Honors Society and Dean’s List.
Tyler Roberge, – EHPDC, Edmonton, Alberta
Roberge owns the Junior Provincial Records for Alberta in the Boys A 1M (10 dives) with a score of 476.70 and Boys A 3m (10 dives) 549.55 which were set back in 2012. Roberge also holds the Boys A 3m for nine dives at 503.73. He participated in the 2010 FINA Junior World Championships and placed 11th in the 3-meter event with a score of 394.05.
Marc Rojas, South Florida Aquatic Club (Indian River State College/Pembroke Charter High School)
Miramar, Fla.
Top Times: 1650 free – 15:38.80 , 100m breast – 1:03.72, 200m breast – 2:21.84
The pipeline between FSU and Indian River State College continues to get stronger with the addition of Rojas in 2014. A NJCAA national champion in the 1650 free in 2012, Rojas posted a career best in the race at 15:38.80. In addition, Rojas was a two-year captain for Pembroke Charger High School before being named team captain of IRSC for the 2012-13 season.
Women’s Swimming and Diving Signees
Ariel Barber, Suburban Seahawks Club (Abington Senior High), Philadelphia, Pa.
Top Times: 50 free – 23.85, 100 free – 51.92, 100 back – 56.58
A member of the USA Silver Medal winning Suburban Seahawks Club, Barber swam her best time in the 100 back at the 2013 Minneapolis Grand Prix with a 56.90. She is a NCSA junior national qualifier in five events and also holds an USA Swimming junior national time standard in the 100 back. Her father, Tyrone was a football player for the University of Notre Dame.
Cameron Brown, Marlins of Raleigh (Athens Drive High School), Cary N.C.
Top Times: 200 Fly – 2:03.39, 200 free – 1:51.01, 100 fly – 57.87
Known for her leadership skills, Brown as selected as the team captain for the North Carolina Zone Team in 2012 as well as the Marlins of Raleigh in 2013. Brown was a NCSA Junior National Finalist in the 200 fly. She was also the Athens Drive High School MVP for the 2012-13 season. In the classroom, Brown was a 2013 Scholastic All-American.
Caroline Gerhardt, North Florida Diving (Stanton College Preparatory), Jacksonville, Fla.
Gerhardt was the 2013 FHSAA 2A State Champion in 1-meter with a score of 427.95. She was the silver medalist in the event in 2012. Gerhardt is a member of the North Florida Diving Club, where she fifth at the AAU National Championships on 1-meter. Gerhardt was a team captain at Stanton College Preparatory and she is a member of the National Honors Society.
Meghan Haila, Bolles School Sharks (Creekside High School), St. Johns, Fla.
Top Times: – 100 breast – 1:02. 73, 200 breast – 2:19.04, 200 IM 2:04.16
A two-time state champion in the 100 breast and All-American for Creekside High School, Haila was also a four-time finalist in the event. She posted her career best en route to taking gold in the 100 breast at the 2013 FHSAA 3A State Championships with a 1:02.73. Haila added silver in the 200 IM in the 2013 at 2:01.16. While representing the Bolles School Sharks, Haila is a junior national qualifier in both breaststroke races.
McKenna Harris, St. Petersburg Aquatics (St. Petersburg High School) St. Petersburg, Fla.
Top Times: 100 breast – 1:04.41, 200 breast – 2:19.33
Harris is a junior national qualifier in the 200 breast with a top time of 2:19.33. She grabbed bronze at the 2013 FHSSA 4A State Championships in the 100 breast with a top time of 1:04.41. She was the silver medalist in the 100 breast at the 2012 meet. Harris has also participated in the 2013-14 Arena Grand Prix series in the breaststroke races while representing St. Petersburg Aquatics.
Colby Harvey, Coastal Maine Aquatics (Waynflete) Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Top Times: 100 fly – 54.88, 200 fly – 2:03.26, 100 free – 52.82
A senior national qualifier while representing Coastal Maine Aquatics – the same club team as FSU rising seniorLaura Flewelling, Harvey was a finalist at the Minnesota Grand Prix of Nov. 2012 in the 100 fly. She is a three-time state champion and All-American in the 100 fly while representing Waynflete High School and is the current state record holder in the event. She is also a three-year captain.
Blaire Mulka, Boca Dive Team (St. Andrew’s School) Wellington, Fla.
Mulka grabbed the bronze at the 2013 FHSAA State Championships on 1-meter with score of 475.65 for Boca Raton High School. Placed second at the USA Spring Junior Region 7 Championships on platform (312.00) and 3-meter (442.50) and added a third place on 1-meter (420.00). Mulka is a four-time high school All-American and 10-time USA Diving Junior National Qualifier.
Natalie Pierce, Birmingham-Bloomfield Atlantis (Seaholm High School), Bloomfield, Mich.
Top Times – 100 breast – 1:03.62, 200 breast – 2:23.04
More of a sprint breaststroker, Pierce posted her career best time at 1:03.62 at 2013 MSHAA D3 State Championships en route to the title. Pierce also helped Detroit Country Day to a gold medal performance in the 200 medley relay by splitting a 28.39 in the breast portion of the race – which was the fastest split in the field by about a second.
Brenna Ruth, (St. Andrews) Boca Raton, Fla.
Top Times: 50 free – 23.68, 100 free – 51.15
An asset for relays while representing St. Andrews, Ruth is a member of the state record holding 400 free relay – a mark that was set in 2012 at 3:23.43 while earning gold. Ruth six-time state medalist while swimming on the free relays and is a four-time individual medalist. She placed fourth at the 2013 FHSAA 1A State Championships in the 100 free with a career best of 51.15. Ruth turned in another career top time at the meet in the 50 free with a time of 23.68 and placed sixth.
Alexi Smith, Swim Atlanta (Archer High School), Lawrenceville, Ga.
Top Times: 50 free – 22.83, 100 free – 50.88, 100 fly – 57.85
A two-time Georgia 6A High School State Champion in the 50 free, Smith clocked her career best in the 50 at the 2014 meet with a time of 22.83. She is a two-time silver medalist in the 100 (2013, 2014). She added a second place showing in the 50 free and took sixth in 2012 at the state meet before making her debut with a pair of ninth places in the 50 and 100 free at the 2011 state championships.