TOLEDO, OH – The University of Toledo women’s swimming and diving team will welcome seven new members to its 2017-18 squad, head coach Jonas Persson announced on Monday. The newcomers will include Alida Ramdén, Lisa Eriksson, Megan Peepers, Jordyn Polderman, Allison Sperring, Gracie Storm, and Emma Sampson
“I am very pleased with the swimmers and divers that signed for UT for fall 2017,” said head coach Jonas Persson. “We are adding very helpful depth to our team, as well as some athletes that can score major points for us at the MAC Championships. My staff, Coach Socha and Coach Augostino, have worked very hard to promote the program and University. We are very excited about the talent we’re bringing in and we’re still looking to add a few more student-athletes to this freshmen class.”
Alida Ramdén – Södertälje, Sweden (Täljegymnasiet /Rosenborgskolan) / Sprint Freestyle/IM
Ramdén comes to UT from her hometown of Södertälje, Sweden where she was named her prep school’s Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior. Ramdén was a silver and bronze medalist at the 2016 Swedish Junior National Championships and placed fourth at the 2016 Swedish Senior National Championships. Her best times convert to 23.00 in the 50-yard free, 49.65 in the 100-yard free, and 2:02.05 in the 200-yard IM. She has also recorded personal-best times of 1:03.98 in the 100-yard breast and 55.41 in the 100-yard fly. Ramdén plans on majoring in medical engineering or bio-engineering while at Toledo.
“Alida is one of the most talented up-and-coming swimmers in Sweden. She comes from a club with great history of fast swimming. She will very important athlete for us in the sprint frees, IM, and fly, as well as all of our relays. Not only is Alida a fast swimmer but she is also a straight-A student with very ambitious goals for her studies at Toledo.” – Coach Persson
Lisa Eriksson – Strängnäs, Sweden (Europaskolan) / Sprint Freestyle
Eriksson comes to Toledo from Strängnäs, Sweden and will add depth for the Rockets in the sprint freestyle events. She was a finalist in the 50 free at the Berlin International Meet and a finalist in multiple events at the Swedish National Championships. As a sophomore, Eriksson won the 200 free in the 2015 Lithuenian Championships. Her best times convert to 23.48 in the 50-yard free, 51.69 in the 100-yard free and 1:52.45 in the 200-yard free. Eriksson is currently undecided on a major.
“Lisa is another very talented and up-and-coming swimmer from Sweden. She will add very valuable depth in the sprint free events and all of our relays. Lisa is very excited about joining our team and I can’t wait to start coaching her next year.” – Coach Persson
Megan Peepers – Avon Lake, OH (Avon Lake) / Diving
Peepers is a four-year letterwinner from nearby Avon Lake who earned first-team All-Ohio honors in 2016. She is a two-time Southwestern Conference Champion on the one-meter and registered a personal-best score of 438.65 in 2016. Peepers finished her junior-year campaign in 11th-place at the Ohio state meet with a score of 436.95 on the one-meter. She plans on majoring in biology once at UT.
“Megan is a great diver and she will be a very valuable addition to our growing and improving diving program. I believe that having Megan working with Coach Augostino will result in some very nice improvements and scoring opportunities on the boards.” – Coach Persson
Jordyn Polderman – Fort Wayne, IN (Snyder) / Freestyle/IM
Polderman is a Fort Wayne native who has qualified for the Indiana State Championships for three-consecutive years. She earned all-state and all-conference honors after her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. Polderman was named Team MVP as a junior after posting season-best times of 52.76 in the 100 free and 2:07.05 in the 200 IM. She plans on majoring in exercise science once at UT.
“Jordyn is a rapidly improving swimmer with great versatility. She will add great depth in many events and she’s also a great addition to the culture of our team. I am very excited to keep seeing improvements and to help her out to reach her potential.” – Coach Persson
Allison Sperring – Fishers, IN (Fishers) / Breaststroke/IM
Sperring hails from Fishers, IN and specializes in breaststroke events. Sperring qualified for the 2016 Indiana Senior State Championships and the 2016 Indiana Girls State Championships. She placed fourth in the 100 breast at the 2016 Indiana Girls Sectional Championships with a personal-best time of 1:05.64. She has recorded career-best times of 2:26.86 in the 200 breast and 2:07.73 in the 200 IM.
“I am very excited to have Allison join our program. Not only will she be a great addition to our tradition of strong breaststrokers here at UT, but she will also be a key addition in the IM’s. She is passionate about becoming a Rocket, both in the water and in the classroom.” – Coach Persson
Gracie Storm – Harveysburg, OH (Clinton Massie) / Distance Freestyle/Backstroke
Storm is a Harveysburg native who has qualified for the Ohio State Division II Swimming Championships in the 100 back and the 500 free for three-consecutive years, and placed 15th in the 100 back at the 2016 state meet. She also has regularly qualified for the YMCA National Championships in the 50, 100, and 200 back. Her personal-best times include 58.70 in the 100 back, 2:05.13 in the 200 back and 5:12.99 in the 500 free.
“Gracie is also a rapidly improving swimmer who has taken great steps in the right direction over the last few years. I am very enthusiastic about what she can do for our team, both as a great swimmer and leader. She will add very valuable depth to key events.” – Coach Persson
Emma Sampson – London, OH (Madison-Plains) / Backstroke/IM
Sampson is a native of London, OH and will add depth to the Rockets’ backstroke and IM events. She competed in the 2016 YMCA National Championships and the 2015 YMCA Short Course National Championships. Her personal-best times include 58.14 in the 100 back, 2:06.86 in the 200 back and 2:10.24 in the 200 IM.
“Emma is another swimmer whom shown great improvements and she has potential to be a scorer at MACs in many events. Not only is Emma a fast swimmer but she is a very talented and hardworking student. She will also be a great addition for the culture that we are continuously trying to make better here at Toledo.” – Coach Persson
News courtesy of Toledo Athletics.