Dec. 4, 2008
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State head swimming Coach Mike Shrader today announced the signing of seven athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 season. Of the seven swimmers signed, four have earned All-America honors, five have won state championships in their events and six are either state or school record holders. In addition, two of them are listed among the top 100 recruits in the nation.
Leading off the class is Kim Bierwith, from Danville, Calif., who set a state record in winning the 50 butterfly in 2008 and also captured the title in the title in the 50 back on her way to earning state swimmer of the year honors.
"Kim is one of the best underwater dolphin kickers I've ever seen," said Shrader, " and that's reflected in her results in the fly events. She will help us in all of the sprint events and is also an incredible relay swimmer."
Heather Cramer, a native of Rohnert Park, Calif., earned high school All-America honors and last season took third in the 100 fly and was a member of two winning relay teams at the state meet.
"Heather is a great butterfly sprinter," noted Shrader. "She's really a versatile competitor who also swims the individual medley as well as the sprint and middle distance free."
Allison Stuhr (Santa Rosa, Calif.) is an all-Empire League honoree who set school records in the freestyle and backstroke events last season. She was also a member of three record-setting free relay quartets.
"Allison is a tremendous competitor who is very tough in the sprint freestyle and backstroke," said Shrader. "She's had a lot of success in the past in her specialty events and will be counted on in the relays as well.
Keri George (Danville, Calif.) is a two-time prep All-American who has been a three-time qualifier in the butterfly events at the North Coast Section championships. She swam on the school-record medley and free relay squads and also competes for the Crow Canyon Sharks swim club.
"Keri has good times in both butterfly events as well as the 50 free," commented Shrader. "She has the potential to develop even further in those races and should continue to improve during her senior year of high school."
Stephanie Koch, who hails from Ames, Iowa, earned All-America honors in the 100 freestyle after winning state titles in both the 100 and 200 free events last season. As s sophomore she won the 200 and 500 free, setting a state mark in the 200. She has won both all-state and district athlete of the year honors.
"Stephanie is a multiple-time Iowa state champion and a top 100 United States recruit," noted Shrader. "After all she's done in high school, she was one of the most highly-recruited athletes in the country. She's an incredible racer who we expect to help us in many sprint and middle distance events."
Kaitlyn Salovich (Valencia, Calif.) holds five school records including the 100 and 200 freestyle individual events and as a member of the 200 and 400 free relay and the 200 medley relay teams. Her honors include being named the Valencia Swimmer of the Year and a Daily News All-Valley swimmer. She has also been a girls Foothill League High Point Winner. Salovich, who currently swims for Porter Valley Aquatics, previously swam at the spring Junior Nationals in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle as a member of the California Aquatics club team.
"Kaitlyn is another very talented sprint and middle distance swimmer who we anticipate will have big drops in her times during her senior year," commented Shrader. "In addition to her individual freestyle events she'll be counted on in the relays as well."
Katelyn Weddle, a prep standout from Yuma, Ariz., has been named to the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association All-America team as a breaststroke specialist. She has won the state 5A Division II 100 breast title the past two seasons and also captured the 50 freestyle last season. She has won the Arizona Short Course Championship in the 50 and 100 breast twice as well as the 20 breast once and has garnered Academic All-American honors as well.
"Katelyn Weddle is a multiple-time Arizona state champion and a top 100 United States recruit who was highly recruited," noted Shrader. "She competed at the Olympic trials this past summer and will make an immediate impact on our team.
"We fell very blessed to have signed this year's class with this caliber of athletes. They are all first-class young ladies and ready to help us elevate our program here at San Diego State."