June 19, 2009
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State Mike Shrader has announced the signing of 15 athletes for the upcoming 2009-2010 swimming season, a class that has been ranked fourth-best in the nation by CollegeSwimming.com. The group consists of nine freshmen, a sophomore, four juniors and one senior and is considered the best collection of swimming talent to ever step foot on the SDSU campus.
"This is by far the top recruiting class that San Diego State has ever had," said Shrader. "This group will be doing some impressive things in the fall, but they will also help build the foundation for the future of the Aztec program.
"Many of these athletes will arrive with times that are faster than many of our school records and I expect each of them to contribute to our success this coming season."
Top 25 Recruiting Classes 1. Southern California 2. Texas 3. UCLA 4. San Diego State 5. Georgia 6. Virginia 7. Arizona 8. Florida 9. Auburn10. Texas A&M11. Missouri12. Minnesota13. Stanford14. Virginia Tech15. Louisiana State16. Arizona State17. Tennessee18. North Carolina19. Ohio State20. Notre Dame21. Texas Christian22. Penn State23. Michigan24. West Virginia25. Clemson
Leading off SDSU's stellar recruiting class is Petra Radovic, an NCAA All-American transfer. A senior freestyle specialist ranked as the 18th-best recruit in the nation by CollegeSwimming.com, she finished second in the 1,650 at the 2009 Pac-10 championships in a school-record time of 16:14.57. She was 25th in that event at the NCAA Championships and also swam a personal best 1:46.66 in the 200 free. In addition, she was a member of the 800 free relay team that placed 16th. Her other top times include 50.47 in the 100 free and 4:44.05 in the 500 free.
The second four-year transfer swimmer to arrive at SDSU is NCAA All-American junior Emilee Jennings. At this year's Pac-10 championship meet, she went 22.92 in the 50 free and swam a 1:02.71 in the 100 breast. She has also posted top times of 50.29in the 100 free and 1:49.56 in the 200 free. Jennings was among the top-10 recruits in the country out of high school after having qualified for the U.S. Nationals in the 50 and 100 free, and the 200 breast. She competed at the Olympic Trials in Long Beach, Calif., in 2004, swimming to an 18th place finish in the 50 free and also competed at the U.S. Nationals from 2003-2007.
Joining Emilee this fall will be her sister, Leona, a prep standout who qualified seventh in the prelims for the 100 backstroke at the Olympic trials in 2008. Both she and Emilee, who are ranked 40th and 46th respectively by CollegeSwimming.com, competed for the King Aquatic Club in Seattle for Coach Sean Hutchison, who was recently appointed head coach of the U.S. Women's World Championship Team and was also a coach for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. A high school All-American, Leona (Mount Rainier HS, Des Moines, Wash.) broke state prep records in both the 50 free (22.92) and 100 back (53.66) last season.
Stephanie Koch, another top 50 recruit who hails from Ames HS in Ames, Iowa, is a two-time prep All-American who won both the 100 and 200 freestyle events at state championship meet each of the past two years. As a sophomore she won the 200 and 500 free, setting a state record in the 200. An all-state and district athlete of the year honoree, Koch's primary events (with best time) are the 200 free (1:48.15), 100 free (50.15), 50 free (23.25) and 100 fly (55.30). She is the Ames HS school record holder in six individual events and as a member of three relay quartets.
Katelyn Weddle is a breaststroke specialist who comes to SDSU from Kofa HS in Yuma, Ariz., where she was a two-time member of the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association All-America team. She won the state 5A Division II 100 breaststroke title the past three seasons and also captured the 50 free each of the past two seasons. An Academic All-American as well, she participated in the 2008 Olympic trials in the 100 breast. Her best times include 1:01.91 in the 100 breast, 2:18.52 in the 200 breast and 24.79 in the 50 free.
Freshman Meghan Zimmer earned high school All-America accolades while at Pioneer Valley HS in Santa Maria, Calif. A versatile athlete, she will likely be utilized in the freestyle events although she could also compete in the backstroke and individual medley. Among her top marks are 1:49.73 in the 200 free, 51.25 in the 100 free, 23.91 in the 50 free and 4:5911 in the 500 free.
Adding additional international experience to the Aztec roster this fall will be freshmen freestyle specialist Melanie Garibaldi from Gold Coast, Australia. One of the top distance swimmers in her native country, she attended the Queensland Academy of Sport and participated in the Olympic trials in 2008. She has been a Queensland State medalist four years and a national age group medalist on three occasions. Her top times include 4:44.89 in the 500 free, 9:58.8 in the 1,000 free and 1:49.3 in the 200 free.
Shrader has added another four-year transfer in sophomore Tarin Corwin, who spent the 2008-09 season at Texas A&M. Corwin was of the top sprinters in the nation out of Blue Springs HS in Blue Springs, Mo., where she was a 16-time All-American and four-time swimmer of the year. While in high school she set school marks in the 50 and 100 free and was a member of three record-setting relay teams. Corwin's personal best in her specialties include: 50 free (23.39), 100 free (51.04), 200 free (1:52.24) and 100 back (57.26).
From the junior college ranks, the Aztecs signed Kim Bierwith out of Diablo Valley JC where she set state records at the California Community College State Championships in 2009 in the 50 free (23.24) and 50 fly (24.90). She has also turned in a personal-best time of 51.12 in her other primary event, the 100 free.
A pair of JC swimmers from two-time state champion Santa Rosa Junior College will also be added to the Aztec roster as Shrader signed teammates Heather Cramer and Allison Stuhr. After earning high school All-America honors at Rancho Cotate HS in Rohnert Park, Calif., Heather went on to set school records at SRJC in the 100 fly (57.55), 100 IM (59.04) and 200 IM (2:06.93).
As a sophomore at Santa Rosa JC last year, Stuhr established records in the 50 free (23.9), 100 free (51.84), 50 back (27.10) and 100 back (57.01). In addition, she combined with Cramer to help set state record in both the 200 and 400 medley relays along with school marks in the 200, 400 and 800 free relays.
Shelley Perkins (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield HS) comes to SDSU as a Junior National qualifier and one of the top prep sprinters in the state of Colorado. As a senior, she was named the Colorado High School Swimmer of the Year. During her junior year she won the 50 free at the state meet and has turned in personal best times of 23.74 in the 50 free, 51.39 in the 100 free and 58.91 in the 100 fly.
The final three recruits finished their high school careers in 2009 with impressive credentials. Keri George (Danville, Calif./San Ramon HS) earned prep All-America honors as a member of her school's 200 medley relay squad. She specialized in the butterfly with best times of 57.94 in the 100 and 2:08.98 in the 200. She has also recorded a personal-best mark of 53.69 in the 100 freestyle.
Jessica Crider was an all-league selection at Concord (Calif.) HS where she set school marks in both the 50 free (23.91) and 100 free (51.79). She finished her prep career among the top 10 times in school history in the 200 free, 100 fly and 100 back as well. She was named the CHS swimming program Athlete of the Year for her efforts during her senior season.
A native of Woodinville, Wash., Maureen Cardwell captured state 4A titles in both the 50 free and 100 fly as a junior at Redmond HS. She also earned all-state recognition as a member of the 200 medley and 400 free relay teams that finished second and third respectively at the state meet. Her top times includes a 57.17 in the 100 fly, 2:05.47 in the 200 fly and 24.20 in the 50 free.
"We are very excited to have signed a recruiting class with this caliber of athletes," said Shrader. "This group immediately elevates the level of our program and will have a big impact on our goal to compete at both the conference and national levels.
"This class also reaffirms my belief that San Diego State is the absolute best combination of a great education and a swim program that is moving toward becoming a nationally-recognized program while being located in what has become know as America's Finest City."
SDSU 2009-10 Recruiting ClassSwimmer Events Yr. Hometown (Previous School)Kim Bierwith.......Free, Fly.......Jr....Danville, Calif. (Diablo Valley JC)Maureen Cardwell...Fly, Free.......Fr....Woodinville, Wash. (Redmond HS)Tarin Corwin.......Free, Back......So....Blue Springs, Mo. (Texas A&M)Heather Cramer.....Fly, IM.........Jr....Rohnert Park, Calif. (Santa Rosa JC)Jessica Crider.....Free............Fr....Concord, Calif. (Concord HS)Melanie Garibaldi..Free............Fr....Gold Coast, Australia (Queensland Academy of Sport)Keri George........Fly, Free.......Fr....Danville, Calif. (San Ramon Valley HS)Emilee Jennings....Free, Breast....Jr....Seattle, Wash. (Washington)Leona Jennings.....Back, Free,IM...Fr....Seattle, Wash. (Mt. Rainier HS)Stephanie Koch.....Free, Fly.......Fr....Boone, Iowa (Ames HS)Shelley Perkins....Free, Fly.......Fr....Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield HS)Petra Radovic......Free............Sr....Zagreb, Croatia (Washington)Allison Stuhr......Free, Back......Jr....Santa Rosa, Calif. (Santa Rosa JC)Katelyn Weddle.....Breast, Free....Fr....Yuma, Ariz. (Kofa HS)Meghan Zimmer......Free, Back......Fr....Santa Maria, Calif. (Ramon Valley HS) (Yr. indicates class at SDSU in the fall)