TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State swimming and diving teams have added eight more athletes for the 2016-17 season.
Giorgio Delgrosso, Rudo Loock, Vladimir Stefanik, Daniel Bis, Maverick Layne and Derek Peeples will join the men’s swim team, while Christina Loh and Michelle Turek will race for the women.
“This group of men is the culmination of a lot of hard work, patience and perseverance,” FSU assistant swimming coach Matt McVittie said. “Each one brings a unique set of skills that will truly help benefit this team well into the future. We’re a youthful team, but we’re in a great spot moving forward. It’s going to be a lot fun seeing how these men progress. They’re young, they’re hungry and ready to get to work. I thank each one of them for staying the course as we make the transition into a new era here at Florida State.”
“We are very excited to get this class here and going,” FSU assistant coach Katie Gardocki said. “These ladies will make an immediate impact on our program both in the pool along with their leadership abilities. We’re excited for what the future holds for Florida State and we believe this group will take us in the right direction to become a stronger program.”
The six signees this spring hail from five different nations, where three of them have experience competing internationally and three are transfers.
With the spring additions, the Seminoles have acquired 19 athletes, nine women and 10 men for the 2016-17 season from eight different countries, with three boasting their nation’s national team experience.
The 2015-16 Signing Class
2016 Spring Signees
Giorgio Delgrosso • Bloomfield Hills, Mich. • Motor City Aquatics • Cranbrook Kingswood School
100 breast: 55.92, 200 breast: 2:03.39, 200 IM: 1:53.42
A two-time Michigan Division 3 State champ in the 100 breast, Delgrosso picked up three bronze medals during his career at Cranbrook Kingswood. He is a junior national qualifier in the 100 and 200 breast events while representing the Motor City Aquatics.
Rudo Loock • Pretoria, South Africa • Menlo Park HS • NTS
(SCM)200m free: 1:48.45, 200m IM: 2:01.69, 100m fly: 54.51, 100m free: 50.62
Loock earned four personal best times at the UESET short course in Tilburg, Netherlands in 2016. He competed at the World Cup in 2014 in Qatar, where he placed seventh in the 100m back. Will join the Seminoles in January of 2017 as a freshman.
Vladimir Stefanik • Žilina, Slovakia • Žilina HS • Club KPS
(SCM) 50m free: 22.31, 100m free: 48.00, 50m fly: 24.31 100m fly: 53.92, 200m free:1:50.63
A member of the Slovakian national team, Stefanik competed at the 2015 FINA World Junior Championships where he competed in the 50m free, 50m fly, 100m free and 100m fly races. He is a three-time junior national record holder. Stefanik will join the Seminoles in January of 2017 as a freshman.
Daniel Bis • Kalisz, Poland• Saint Leo University
1650 free: 15:12.05, 1000 free: 9:00.58, 500 free: 4:22.50
Daniel Bis spent the 2014-16 season competing NCAA Division II for Saint Leo University, where he was a three-time finalist at the 2016 NCAA Championships in the distance races. In 2015, he earned second place in the mile and the 1000 free, while taking fourth in the 500 free. Prior to nationals, Bis was a three-time Sunshine State Conference champ, winning the 500 free, 1000 free and 1650 free. He also earned the Swimmer of the Meet in 2015 behind three titles on top of a conference record and is a two-time Saint Leo Male Athlete of the Year.
Christina Loh • IRSC • Desa Park, Malaysia
100 breast: 1:01.20, 200 breast: 2:13.27
A four-time NJCAA champ in 2016, Loh joins FSU through the pipeline of Indian River State College. She led IRSC to the 2016 NJCAA team championship while swimming her career best times at the 2015 Georgia Tech Fall Invite in the 100 and 200 breast. She competed in the Southeast Asian Games in 2015 where she placed fifth in the 100m breast (1:12.16) and fourth in the 200m breast (2:36.57) in addition to the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2014.
Michelle Turek • Homosassa, Fla. • Sun Coast Swim Team • Auburn • East Lake HS
200 free: 1:47.90, 500 free: 4.52.44, 100 free: 50.20, 100 back: 55.99
Turek joins FSU after spending a season at Auburn where she competed in dual meets and invitationals for the Tigers. A native of Clearwater, Fla. Turek was a four-time state champion for East Lake High School. She was also coached by Randy Reese for five years prior to Auburn.
Derek Peeples• Lakeland, Fla. • Santa Fe Catholic• Seminole Aquatics
100 free: 46.46, 200 free: 1:41.82, 100 fly: 49.71
Earned silver at the 2015 1A Florida State Championships in the 100 fly with a time of 49.71 and finished 11th in the 200 free with a time of 1:42.10. Peeples was also a finalist in the 100 free and 100 back at the 2014 meet. Will be added to the team as a walk-on.
Maverick Layne• Sanford, Fla. • Seminole High School • Seminole Aquatics
50 free: 20.69, 100 free: 45.09
Layne won silver at the 2015 Florida 4A State Championships in the 100 free with a career best of 45.09 after taking bronze in the 50 free at 20.69. He is a junior national qualifier while representing Seminole Aquatics – the same club as current FSU junior, Chad Mylin. Layne will be joining the Seminoles as a walk-on for the 2016-17 season.
2015 Fall Signees
Manuella Ribas Andrade • Curitiba, Brazil • Bolles • Bolles School Sharks
100 free: 51.94, 200 free: 1:49.56, 500 free: 4:56.03
A native of Brazil, Andrade resides in Jacksonville, Fla. where she attends Bolles where she is a two-time state champion. She is a member of the Brazilian junior national open water and swim team member.
Macie Beairsto • Springfield, Mo.• Glendale High School• Springfield Aquatics
100 free: 52.39, 200 free: 1:50.06, 100 fly: 55.68, 200 fly: 2:01.41
A two-time state title winner, Beairsto was named given the co-swimmer of the meet honors at the 2015 Missouri State Championships after winning the 200 free and 100 fly while battling a nagging foot injury
Nika Blank • Lowell, Mass.• The Peddie School • Peddie Aquatics
50 free: 23.23, 100 free: 50.98, 200 free: 1:51.14
A 2016 U.S. Olympic Trial qualifier in the 50 free (25.83), Blank swims for Peddie Aquatics in New Jersey where she placed eighth in the 50 free at junior nationals this summer. She holds two team records in the 50 free and 100 free races, including a state record in the 50 free. Blank earned NJ All-Prep Team honors while earning a pair of gold medals at the Eastern Championships in the 50 free and as a member of the 200 free relay. Blank is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a member of the high honor roll.
Ayla Bonniwell• Ithaca Senior High School• Ohio State Diving Club
Bonniwell placed 11th (406.35) on 1-meter and sixth on 3-meter (464.15) at the 2014 USA Diving AT&T Nation Diving Championships in the 16-18 division, while representing the Ohio State Diving Club. She was the 2015 New York state champion on 1-meter with a score of 529.45.
Molly Carlson • Toronto, Ont.• West Hill Collegiate Institute• Diving Plongeon Canada
A member of the Canadian National Team, Carlson has represented her country at a wealth of international competitions where she is a two-time Junior Pan American Champion on 3-meter. She competed at the 2014 Youth Olympics, 2014 Junior World Championships on top of winning gold on 3-meter at the International Youth Diving Meet in 2014. Carlson is also a 12-time junior national medalist and his sister Megan swims for Lynn University in Boca Raton.
Natalie Chambers • Spring, Texas • Liberty University • The Woodlands Swim Team
200 back: 2:00.00, 100 back: 55.70, 100 fly: 57.90
A transfer from Liberty University, Chambers is a member of the Woodlands Swim Team. While at Liberty, she qualified for the championship finals of the backstroke events placing seventh in the 200 back and eighth in the 100 at the 2013-14 CSCAA Championships. Her grandfather, Earl Wayne Miller played football at Baylor University and was a member of the 1958 Green Bay Packers. Chambers will be admitted to FSU as a grad student and will have one year of eligibility.
Tayla Lovemore • Durban, South Africa • Indian River State College
100 fly: 53.31, 100 back: 55.00, 50 free: 22.47, 200 back: 2:00.71, 100 free: 49.94
Joining FSU via the pipeline from Indian River State College, earned eight titles at the 2016 NJCAA National Championships. Lovemore is a three-time NJCAA national champion in the 50 free, 100 fly and 200 fly in 2014-15. Prior to her arrival in the States, Lovemore swam for eight years in South Africa where she was coached by Wayne Riddin. Lovemore was the gold medalist in the 50m free after she grabbed bronze in the 100m free at the 2016 South African National Championships. Will be admitted to Florida State as a junior.
Griffin Alaniz • Rockville, Md.• Rockville High School• RMSC
200 free: 1:39.98, 100 back: 50.33, 200 back: 1:47.27, 100m back: 57.89, 200m back: 2:01.83
An 2016 Olympic Trial qualifier, Griffin A four-time MPSSAA state champion heading into his senior season, he picked up victories in the 100 free, 200 free and 100 back races since 2013. Alaniz was a winter All-Met Team in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and was a 2015 All-Gazette First Team member. Alaniz is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a PVS Scholar Athlete, while earning a spot on the honor roll each of his first three years at Rockville High School.
Aidan Faminoff• Victoria, B.C.• Claremont Secondary School• Boardworks Diving
As one of the best divers in British Columbia, Faminoff won the bronze medal at the 2015 Junior Pan American Championships in 3-meter synchro before taking bronze on platform at the 2016 Summer Nationals and Olympic Trials.
Max Polianski • Auckland, New Zealand• Liston College (High School)• United Swimming Club
200 fly: 1:56.97 (SCM), 200 IM: 1:59.07 (SCM), 100 fly: 53.43 (SCM)
A member of New Zealand’s national team, Polianski is the son of Igor, who won the gold medal in 200 backstroke at the 1988 Olympics for the USSR in Seoul. He also held the World Record in the 100 back from March 15-Aug. 12, 1988. Polianski is the reigning national champion in the 200 fly (SCM, 1:56.97).
Nate Samson • Brunswick, Maine• Brunswick High School• Long Reach Swim Club
50 free: 20.82, 100 free: 45.75, 100 breast: 57.25, 100 back 48.56, 100 fly: 48.34
Samson is the reigning swimmer of the year of Class A in Maine after holding the top times in the state in four events. He is the state meet record holder in the 100 free with a 46.64 after taking the title in 2015. Samson was the national champion in the 50m back (27.00) in 2015 and was fifth at the 2015 short course meet in the 100 back after swimming a career best time of 48.63.
Swimming news courtesy of FSU Swimming & Diving.