Dec. 4, 2012
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - San Diego State Head Swimming & Diving Coach Mike Shrader has announced the addition of five athletes for the 2013-14 campaign. The group includes three high school All-Americans plus a junior college transfer who won three events at the California state meet last season. Three of the newcomers are ranked among the top 100 recruits in the nation by CollegeSwimming.com.
Anika Apostalon (Albuquerque, N.M., Albuquerque Academy) inks with SDSU as the No. 1-ranked swimmer in the state of New Mexico. Apostalon won the New Mexico state championship in the 100 freestyle in 2009, 2011 and 2012, and captured the state title in the 50 free in 2009 and 2011. She also won the 100 backstroke in 2012. Apostalon currently holds the New Mexico high school state records in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 back, 200 medley relay and 200 free relay. The 2012 Olympic Trials participant was also a part of the Albuquerque Academy championship team that won the state championship from 2009-12. Las season she earned 2011-12 NISCA/Speedo Girls High School All-America honors in the 50 and 100 freestyle as well as the 100 backstroke. Her top times include 23.01 in the 50 free, 50.40 in the 100 free, 1:57.90 in the 200 free and 54.24 in the 100 back. Apostalon was ranked 99th in the nation among 2013-14 recruits by CollegeSwimmiing.com.
Frida Berggren is an international student who is currently a high school senior in Stockholm, Sweden. As a junior during the 2011-12 campaign she attended Lewis Palmer High School in Monument, Colo., as a foreign exchange student. While there she did not lose a race during the regular season and qualified for the state meet in every individual event, earning NISCA/Speedo All-America honors in the 200 IM and 100 fly along the way. At the Colorado Springs Metro League Championships she won the 200 and 500 free and was on the winning 200 and 400 free relay teams. Berggren was an all-area first-team selection and was named the area swimmer of the year. At the state meet she finished second in the 100 fly (55.02) and 200 individual medley (2:02.41). Her 200 free and 200 medley relay teams also took second and third respectively. Her best marks include 51.48 in the 100 free, 1:48.74 in the 200 free, 4:58.39 in the 500 free, 55.02 in the 100 fly and 2:03.21 in the 200 fly. Berggren was ranked as the No. 3 swimmer in Colorado and 73rd in the nation by CollegeSwimming.com.
Samantha Guttmacher has been tabbed as the No. 3 swimmer in Arizona (and No. 85 nationally) where she currently attends Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Ariz. At the 2011 Arizona 5A High School State Championships she won the 100 fly (55.17) and took second in the 50 free (23.78). Her mark in the 50 free was the 10th-fastest time in the state that year. At the 2012 state championship meet she captured second in both the 50 free (23.58) and 100 fly (54.96). She was named Red Mountain high's MVP each of the past four years. Guttmacher also competes for the Mesa Aquatics club where she holds women's club records in five individual events. Her best times include 23.21 in the 50 free, 51.87 in the 100 free and 54.76 in the 100 fly.
Alexandria Holland will come to SDSU from Santa Rosa Junior College where she is in her sophomore season. A graduate of Maria Carillo High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Holland helped lead Santa Rosa JC to a third-place finish at the CCCAA State finals. At the state meet she won three events including the 100 and 200 individual medleys (times for 57.99 and 2:07.07 respectively) along with the 100 fly (57.06). She also swam on a pair of relays teams (200 and 400 medley) that placed sixth of 33 teams. Her performance there earned here the meet's co-Swimmer of the Year award. Holland is the holder of Santa Rosa JC records in the 100 fly (56.89) and 100 individual medley (57.99).
Katherine Santilena is a senior at Chaparral High School in Temecula, Calif., where she earned 2011-12 Scholastic All-America honors. At the 2012 CIF section championships she captured first in the 100 freestyle (51.49) and 100 backstroke (56.31). During the 2012 campaign she set school records in the 50 and 100 free, 100 back and 100 fly and she currently holds school records in every race except the 100 breaststroke. She was named a 2011-12 NISCA/Speedo Girls High School Swimming All-American in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke. Santilena also competes for the Pacific Swim club where she was named to the 2011 Southern California Swimming Pacific Coast All-Star Team. Her top times include 23.88 in the 50 free, 51.49 in the 100 free, 56.31 in the 100 back and 55.63 in the 100 fly.
San Diego State is 6-0 in dual meet competition this season and will look to extend its current 44-meet winning streak (dating back to the 2009-10 season) when it returns to action on Monday, Jan. 7, as it hosts Tulane in a dual meet at 2:00 p.m. at the Aztec Aquaplex.