CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – UNI Swimming & Diving head coach Nick Lakin announced the addition of 14 athletes ahead of the 2019-20 season including two divers and 12 swimmers.
The freshman class of swimmers includes Iowa high school products Grace Considine, Kassidy Lovig, Rachel Studer, and Natalia Verastegui. Additionally, Payton Hall of Nebraska, Casey Summer of Wisconsin, and Mia Savicevic of Illinois come on-board from bordering states.
The Panthers class also includes Piper Carroll from Wyoming, Sydney Schmidt from Kansas, and Sarah Walpole from Texas. Two transfers, Olivia Clark from the University of Nevada and Helena Heuberger from UW-Green Bay, round out the swimming class.
The two incoming divers, Taylor Hogan and Anna Penning, are both from Iowa.
“We are absolutely thrilled with this group of young women,” Head Coach Nick Lakin said. “They are a wonderful fit for our culture and our commitment to athletic success, academic success, and making an impact in the Cedar Valley. Many of these young women will be competitive immediately with the ability to score at the MVC championship as soon as they step on campus. They have all shown a commitment to the sport and are eager to learn and grow during their time in Cedar Falls.”
Take a closer look at the Panther newcomers:
Piper Carroll – Sheridan, Wyoming
High School: Sheridan
Club Team: Sheridan Swim Team
Notes: swims sprint freestyle and backstroke … Wyoming 4A 50 freestyle runner-up … Wyoming 4A 100 freestyle runner-up … 52.41 100 freestyle personal best … 23.89 50 freestyle personal best
Olivia Clark – Cedar Falls, Iowa
High School: Cedar Falls
Club Team: Black Hawk Area Swim Team
Notes: transfer from Nevada … swims sprint freestyle and breaststroke … 1:04.33 personal best in the 100 breaststroke … 23.74 personal best in the 50 freestyle
Grace Considine – New Hartford, Iowa
High School: Cedar Falls
Club Team: Black Hawk Area Swim Team
Notes: swims distance freestyle … 5:07.03 500 freestyle personal best … 18:08.63 1650 freestyle personal best
Payton Hall – Omaha, Nebraska
High School: Millard West
Club Team: Greater Omaha Aquatics
Notes: swims backstroke and IM … 57.46 100 backstroke personal best … 2:09.44 200 individual medley personal best
Helena Heuberger – Clearwater, Florida
High School: Clearwater
Club Team: Clearwater Aquatic Team
Notes: transfer from UW-Green Bay … swims backstroke … 55.64 100 backstroke personal best … 2:01.71 200 backstroke personal best … placed fourth in the 100 backstroke at the Horizon League Championships … placed sixth in the 200 backstroke at the Horizon League Championships … Florida 3A 100 backstroke state champion
Taylor Hogan – Waterloo, Iowa
High School: Waterloo Columbus
Club Team: Cedar Valley Diving
Notes: diver … placed fourth at the Iowa High School state championships … 313.15 1-meter personal best (6 dives) … 512.75 1-meter personal best (11 dives) … also playing softball at UNI
Kassidy Lovig – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
High School: Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Club Team: Linn-Mar Swim Team
Notes: swims distance freestyle … 5:08.82 500 freestyle personal best … 17:54.47 1650 freestyle personal best
Anna Penning – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
High School: Cedar Rapids Prairie
Club Team: Iowa Diving Club
Notes: diver … placed sixth at the Iowa High School state championships … 257.55 1-meter personal best (6 dives) … 468.60 1-meter personal best (11 dives)
Sydney Schmidt – Wichita, Kansas
High School: Bishop Carroll Catholic
Club Team: Wichita Northwest YMCA Neptunes
Notes: swims sprint freestyle and butterfly … 51.99 100 freestyle personal best … 57.36 100 butterfly personal best … 4-time individual Kansas High School state champion
Rachel Studer – West Des Moines, Iowa
High School: West Des Moines Valley
Club Team: Dowling Catholic Riptide
Notes: swims breaststroke and IM … 1:06.45 100 breaststroke personal best … 2:11.98 200 individual medley personal best
Mia Savicevic – Wheaton, Illinois
High School: Wheaton-Warrenville South
Club Team: Hinsdale Swim Club
Notes: swims breaststroke … 1:05.62 100 breaststroke personal best … 2:22.25 200 breaststroke personal best
Casey Summers – Stevens Point, Wisconsin
High School: Stevens Point Area
Club Team: Stevens Point Area YMCA
Notes: swims sprint freestyle and butterfly … 53.18 100 freestyle personal best … 57.26 100 butterfly personal best … competed at the YMCA Short Course National Championships
Natalia Verastegui – Dubuque, Iowa
High School: Dubuque Wahlert
Club Team: Dubuque YMCA
Notes: swims sprint freestyle … 53.74 100 freestyle personal best … 1:55.48 200 freestyle personal best … competed at the YMCA Short Course National Championships
Sarah Walpole – San Antonio, Texas
High School: Ronald Reagan
Club Team: Alamo Area Aquatic Association
Notes: swims distance freestyle … 5:03.09 500 freestyle personal best … 17:29.00 1650 freestyle personal best