July 14, 2010
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State's 2010-11 swimming class, comprised of eight athletes who will be freshmen this fall, has been ranked 22nd in the nation by CollegeSwimming.com. Five of those eight swimmers are ranked among the top 275 recruits in the nation with two considered to be among the top 55. SDSU is the lone Mountain West Conference team to have its class ranked among the top 25 nationally.
Leading the group are two swimmers with extensive international competitive experience as Kelly Marquenie and Olivia Sefton have chosen to join the Aztecs for the 2010 season. Marquenie, a freestyle specialist, is a member of the Pro-MA Miami Swim Team from the Gold Coast, Australia while Sefton (butterfly) will arrive from Nottingham, England. Marquenie is ranked 42nd and Sefton 55th among all recruits by CollegeSwimming.com.
SDSU other six swim recruits hail from California and include a pair of high school All-Americans and four U.S. National qualifiers. Lauren Parrett Irvine, Calif.) and Natalie Meltzer (San Ramon, Calif.) both earned All-America honors in the breaststroke while in high school. Parrett was a U.S. National qualifier in that event and is ranked 188th among national recruits by CollegeSwimming.com.
The trio of Mikaela Macklin, Berklie Oscarson and Taylor Yamagata were also U.S. National qualifiers in their events. Macklin (Placerville, Calif.) is a butterfly specialist while Oscarson (Altadena, Calif.) competes primarily in the backstroke. CollegeSwimming.com ranks them 203rd and 261st on its list of national recruits respectively. Yamagata (Marin, Calif.) is a breaststroke swimmer. Also joining the Aztecs is freestyle swimmer Jordan Devine, who was a Junior U.S. National qualifier.
In addition, SDSU went out of state to sign a pair if divers in Hattie Lamping (Dublin, Ohio) and Ana Steiner (Kirkland, Wash.) to bring its 2010-11 recruiting class to a total of 10 athletes.
San Diego State is coming off what is generally regarded as the swim program's finest season. During their 2009-10 campaign, the Aztecs recorded their highest dual meet win total and best record with a 14-3 mark. They also turned in their highest conference regular-season finish (third) with a 5-3 record as well as their best showing at the MWC Championship Meet (third). In addition, Aztec swimmers set new San Diego State records in all 14 individual events as well as all five relay races during the season.
A total of 13 athletes earned all-Mountain West Conference honors in 13 swimming events, one diving event and five relays at the MWC Championship meet. At the conclusion of the meet, SDSU freshman Meghan Zimmer received women's conference co- Swimmer of the Year honors.
In addition, third-year SDSU Head Coach Mike Shrader was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year after leading his squad to its best-ever finish both during the regular season and at the MWC Swimming and Diving Championships. It marked the second consecutive year that Shrader won the honor as the league's top coach.
Freshmen Leona Jennings and Katelyn Weddle became the first two Aztec swimmers to ever compete at the NCAA Championships. Weddle's 12th-place finish in the 100 breast marked SDSU's first-ever points at the national championships as she was named an honorable mention All-American. Those points allowed the Aztecs to tie for 42nd place, the highest finish for a Mountain West Conference team.
TOP 25 RECRUITING CLASSES 1. Stanford 2. Arizona 3. Virginia 4. Auburn 5. Tennessee 6. California 7. USC 8. Florida 9. Texas10. Ohio State11. SMU12. Louisville13. Princeton14. LSU15. Georgia16. Indiana17. Arkansas18. North Carolina19. Alabama20. Penn State21. Duke22. San Diego State23. Texas A&M24. Arizona State25. MinnesotaSDSU 2010-11 RECRUITING CLASSAthlete Events Hometown (Previous School)Jordan Devine.....Free...............Ballard, Calif. (Santa Ynez HS)Hattie Lamping....Diving.............Dublin, Ohio (Jerome HS)Mikaela Macklin...Breast, Free, IM...Placerville, Calif. (El Dorado HS)Kelly Marquenie...Free...............Gold Coast, Australia (Parkwood Secondary)Natalie Meltzer...Breast.............San Ramon, Calif. (California HS)Berklie Oscarson..Back, IM...........Altadena, Calif. (San Marino HS)Lauren Parrett....Breast.............Irvine, Calif. (University HS)Olivia Sefton.....Fly................Nottingham, England (Kesgrave HS)Ana Steiner.......Diving.............Kirkland, Wash. (Lake Washington HS)Taylor Yamagata...Breast.............Marin, Calif. (Novato HS)