ASHINGTON – Georgetown University swimming & diving Head Coach James Holder has announced his 24 student-athlete recruiting class that will begin competition this fall. The class is the second largest to be recruited during Holder’s tenure as head coach at Georgetown. The class of 2018 includes 14 women and 10 men from across the country.
Holder believes that the class of 2018 will continue to bring the team to new heights as they are “the strongest class” he has recruited to the Hilltop. Holder begins his fifth season at the helm of Georgetown’s swimming and diving program, having guided his student-athletes to breaking almost every record in the program’s history. In addition to the individual success, Holder guided both the men’s and women’s teams to second place finishes at BIG EAST Championships this past season, the best finish in program history.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome the class of 2018,” Holder said, “We think this class will not only help in its ability to swim numerous events, but also in its sheer size. From the dual meet to championship level, this class is going to strengthen our program in countless ways. Attracting a class of this caliber is a testament to the hard work our swimmers and divers put in each day and a great indication of our progress as a team. We have high hopes for this group of dynamic, well-rounded student-athletes. It should be a fun and exciting season.”
MEN’S NEWCOMERS:
Samuel Delise
Redding, Conn./Joel Barlow
Breast/IM/Fly
Short Course (SCY)
400 IM 3:59.43
100 Breast 58.94
200 Breast 2:03.25
Long Course (LCM)
200 Fly 2:07.52
200 IM 2:09.26
Holder on Delise: “Sam is an excellent example of this class’ versatility and we are very excited to welcome him to the Hilltop this fall. He has excellent times across the board, in particular the 200 breast and 400 IM; his time in the 200 breaststroke would already be a program record. We expect Sam will help strengthen our program in numerous ways this upcoming season. Having shown great improvement his senior year, we’re eager to see Sam progress as a Hoya.”
Alex Evenson
Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest School
IM/Breast
SCY
100 Breast 59.85
200 IM 1:54.42
400 IM 4:10.81
Holder on Evenson: “We’re excited to add another athlete like Alex to our team that will add more depth to our breaststroke and IM groups. His strength in these areas will help make him a contributor at the dual meet level and potentially the conference level with improvement over the course of the year. Over the past couple seasons, we’ve seen great things from his older brother Austin and we’re excited to have another Evenson swimming at the Hilltop.”
Matt Glockenmeier
Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge
Breast/IM
SCY
100 Breast 59.18
200 Breast 2:05.28
200 IM 1:56.91
400 IM 4:07.75
Holder on Glockenmeier: “Matt is a very positive addition to our breaststroke unit as well as contributor to our growing IM group. Although Matt will primarily train breaststroke, we think some more IM training will make him a strong contender in our increasingly competitive IM group. We anticipate that his talents and potential will help strengthen our team in years to come.”
Benjamin Goodfriend
Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon
Diving
Holder on Goodfriend: “Diving is an essential part of our program and team in many ways and we’re excited that Ben will be able to contribute to it in the coming years. Joining the success that Jared Vespa-Cooper achieved last year, we’re hopeful that Ben can help to continue pushing our diving program to new heights.”
Peter Kalibat
Princeton, N.J./Princeton
Freestyle/IM
SCY
200 Free 1:42.22
500 Free 4:33.30
1000 Free 9:28.87
1650 Free 15:56.62
400 IM 4:03.60
Holder on Kalibat: “Peter was another exciting commitment for our program this year. He is a dominant freestyler with impressive times from the 200 all the way up to the 1650. Many of his times have the potential to be some of the fastest in the BIG EAST. Coming from Princeton, I had heard great things about Peter as a student-athlete and thought he would be a great addition to our team.”
Chase Ladman
San Marcos, Calif./San Marcos
Freestyle
SCY
200 Free 1:45.98
500 Free 4:35.68
1650 Free 16:03.67
LCM
800 Free 8:35.93
Holder on Ladman: “Chase is a great fit as we look to strengthen our distance group with this class. His current 1650 time makes him competitive not only with future teammates Austin Evenson and Greg Romanav, but also with some of the top swimmers in the BIG EAST. Additionally, Chase’s times in the 500 and 200 freestyle show that he is versatile beyond just distance swimming; we’re excited to see what Chase will accomplish here at Georgetown.”
Chandler Hinson
Chattanooga, Tenn./The Baylor School
Freestyle/Backstroke
SCY
50 Free 21.61
100 Free 45.99
200 Free 1:39.72
100 Backstroke 51.96
200 Backstroke 1:50.92
Holder on Hinson: “Chandler is a very exciting commitment to our team and program. Chandler comes as an accomplished freestyle from Baylor, which has an excellent reputation in the swimming community. Fostering a strong work ethic, we weren’t surprised to see Chandler continue to improve his senior year. Not only will he be a force in his individual events but also on many of our relays. Being one of the first to commit, we are confident Chandler will show what it means to be a Hoya.”
Jack McGuire
Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill
Freestyle/Backstroke
SCY
200 Free 1:44.76
500 Free 4:44.78
200 Backstroke 1:58.28
Holder on McGuire: “Jack adds more depth to our mid-distance freestyle group and shows potential in other events as well. His times will make him a contributor at our dual meets with the capacity to make an impact at the conference level with improvement. We’re eager to see how Jack will progress at Georgetown in the coming years.”
Daniel Ross
Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township
Freestyle/IM
SCY
100 Free 46.49
200 Free 1:41.10
500 Free 4:31.43
1000 Free 9:21.03
200 IM 1:52.43
400 IM 3:58.00
Holder on Ross: “We were very fortunate and excited to land Dan this season. He is an incredibly versatile swimmer who has the ability to swim almost every distance of freestyle not to mention both IMs. Dan’s versatility will be a huge help in strengthening our line up. He will be able to have an immediate impact at both the dual meet and conference levels. We’re excited to see what Dan will bring to our team both at practice and competition.”
Edward Spinelli
Brooklyn, N.Y./Polytech Prep Country Day School
Backstroke/IM
SCY
100 Backstroke 51.67
200 Backstroke 1:54.33
200 IM 1:56.59
100 Butterfly 52.75
Holder on Spinelli: “Eddie is another strong contribution to this class, yet his backstroke specialty makes him a bit unique in a class dominated by freestyle and IM. His times in the 100 and 200 backstroke will add needed depth to our backstroke group, while he shows potential in IM and fly as well. Joining his older brother Michael, we’re excited to welcome another Spinelli to the team.
WOMEN’S NEWCOMERS:
Rachel Armstrong
Annapolis, Md./Broadneck
Backstroke/IM
SCY
100 Backstroke 58.67
200 Backstroke 2:03.38
100 Breaststroke 1:06.25
200 Breaststroke 2:23.89
200 IM 2:08.14
400 IM 4:27.98
Holder on Armstrong: “Rachel is a very exciting recruit for our team this year. Her versatility is impressive, as her times in the IM, backstroke and breaststroke are already among the top of our depth chart and her times in the 400 IM and 200 backstroke would be program records. She has the ability to make a big impact at the dual meet and conference levels. Being one of our first commitments, we’re excited to see what Rachel will bring to the Hilltop.”
Lia Barsanti
Darien, Conn./Darien
Breaststroke/IM
SCY
100 Breaststroke 1:06.48
200 Breaststroke 2:24.92
200 IM 2:13.14
Holder on Barsanti: “We are very excited to welcome Lia to our program, as her breaststroke times will provide the necessary depth that we need in the breaststroke group. We believe that over the course of the season, Lia will be a great asset to our team in both the growing breaststroke and the IM group.”
Molly Fitzpatrick
Manchester, N.H./The Derryfield School
Breaststroke/IM
SCY
100 Breaststroke 1:04.23
200 Breaststroke 2:14.56
200 IM 2:06.98
Holder on Fitzpatrick: “We are incredibly happy to have Molly join of our team this season. Her breaststroke and IM times are impressive as her 100 and 200 breaststroke times would be school records. Currently, Molly’s 200 breaststroke time qualifies as an NCAA “B” cut. She is certainly someone we feel can help our team compete on a national level. Molly will immediately impact our team’s performance on both the dual meet and conference level and we are expecting her to be a major contributor in both individual events and relays over the course of her career here at Georgetown.”
Emma Housman
Cross River, N.Y./John Jay
Freestyle
SCY
200 Freestyle 1:55.20
500 Freestyle 5:03.07
1000 Freestyle 10:22.00
1650 Freestyle 17:34.77
Holder on Housman: “Emma’s ability to swim a range of freestyle events is one of her biggest assets. In looking to add depth to our distance program, we are excited to have a swimmer like Emma join our team. Her times definitely make her competitive not only within her class, but also within the Georgetown team as a whole. Despite her ability to have an impact as a freshman, we feel Emma also has a great deal of potential as a college swimmer and are optimistic to see great things from her in the years to come.”
Shana McLaughlin
Chatham, N.J./Chatham
Freestyle
SCY
50 Freestyle 24.49
100 Freestyle 52.04
200 Freestyle 1:52.91
100 Fly 57.38
200 Fly 2:06.13
200 IM 2:08.12
Holder on Mclaughlin: “After Shana’s recruiting trip, we knew we would love to have her as a Hoya. When she committed, the women’s team was more than excited to welcome her to the hilltop because of her excitement and enthusiasm for the team. Shana is an individual that has overcome a great deal in her young life, having already battled and beaten cancer through her sophomore and junior year. Clearly she is a driven and positive individual who brings a great deal to our program. Recruited mainly as a freestyler, where she is currently near the top of our depth chart, she developed a great deal in the butterfly events and 200 IM this season. These recent improvements will add depth and versatility to our entire line up at both the dual meet and conference level. “
Ryan Murphy
Henderson, Va./Henderson
Backstroke
SCY
100 Backstroke 58.68
200 Freestyle 2:06.51
Holder on Murphy: “Ryan is a great addition to this class. Her backstroke specialty is something we were looking for and her work ethic is something we value. We believe that her talent will increase the level of competition in our program, not only this year but also in years to come.”
Haley Owens
Placerville, Calif./El Dorado
Breaststroke/IM
SCY
100 Breaststroke 1:04.58
200 Breaststroke 2:20.22
200 IM 2:12.69
Holder on Owens: “Haley is a very motivated swimmer, whose passion is hard to ignore. Her breaststroke times in the 100 and 200 will be competitive not only among our team, but also in our conference. She is another example of someone who will have an immediate impact on our program. She, along with Molly and Lia, will help to replace our graduating senior breastrokers and keep our depth in those events strong.”
Bailey Page
Brentwood, Tenn./Ravenwood
Freestyle/IM
SCY
50 Freestyle 23.93
100 Freestyle 51.71
200 Freestyle 1:52.02
200 IM 2:06.69
400 IM 4:33.93
Holder on Page: “Our women’s team is extremely excited about Bailey joining the team. Her versatility is something we value, as both her freestyle and her IM times add a lot of depth to our program. Her 50, 100, and 200 freestyle will be very competitive within our conference and she provides much needed depth to our growing sprint and mid-distance freestyle groups. Like several of her classmates, Bailey will have an immediate impact on our team in both individual and relay events. Although she came to us late in the recruiting process, we couldn’t be happier to have her join us on the Hilltop.”
Kirstin Peterson
Hunterdon County, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional
Freestyle/Butterfly
SCY
50 Freestyle 24.50
100 Freestyle 52.26
200 Freestyle 1:55.44
100 Fly 56.52
Holder on Peterson: “Hailing from Hunterdon Central High School, Peterson helped lead her team to victory in the NJSIAA Public A state championship during her senior year. She brings promising skill to both the freestyle and butterfly events. Based on her meet performance in high school, we know she is capable of fortifying our female sprint group and we look forward to the depth she will provide in our dual meets throughout the season. Kirstin is another solid edition to the class of 2018.”
Madeleine Quinn
Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset Jr-Sr.
Freestyle/IM
SCY
200 Freestyle 1:54.10
500 Freestyle 5:04.20
1000 Freestyle 10:16.93
200 IM 2:08.40
400 IM 4:31.17
Holder on Quinn: “Madeline is a great addition to this class. With her strong times in both the mid-distance and distance freestyle events, we are more than happy to add her to this great group of incoming freshman. Madeline is extremely versatile which will enable us to place her in different events depending on our competition at both the dual and conference level.”
Christine Ryan
Winnetka, Ill./New Trier
Freestyle
SCY
200 Freestyle 1:52.84
500 Freestyle 4:57.17
1000 Freestyle 10:16.35
Holder on Ryan: “We are very excited to welcome Christine to the team this coming fall. She contributed to her high school team’s state championship win during her junior and senior year. Christine will add depth and speed to our mid-distance and distance groups. Her times signify that she will be a high point-scorer in both dual meets and end-of-season conference swims. We are enthusiastic to see what this season will bring for this promising young lady.”
Jennifer Sullivan
Hanover, Mass./Notre Dame Academy
Diver
Holder on Sullivan: “With the loss of two divers this upcoming fall, we were more than happy to add Jennifer to our team. With a growing diving program, Jennifer is the perfect addition. As the season progresses, we hope to see great things coming from Jennifer.”
Scarlett Sun
Rockville, Md./Wooton
Backstroke/Freestyle
SCY
100 Backstroke 57.68
200 Backstroke 2:06.75
50 Freestyle 24.99
100 Freestyle 54.11
Holder on Sun: “Coming to us from Rockville, Md., Scarlett will add a significant level of depth and speed to our backstroke events as well as sprint freestyle. She has the ability to contribute at both the dual meet and conference level in several events as well as some potential relays. We are eager to watch her grow as a Hoya this season.”
Grace Wydeven
Wayne, Pa./Conestoga
Freestyle
SCY
50 Freestyle 24.65
100 Freestyle 53.87
200 Freestyle 1:59.88
Holder on Wydeven: “Although Grace committed to us late in the recruiting process, we’re excited to have her join our team this fall. Her times in the sprint freestyle events will add much needed depth to our sprinting core which is something we looked forward to improving this season. Grace’s relatively small amount of experience as a swimmer, is a strong indication of her great potential as a college swimmer. We are excited to see what she will accomplish as a Hoya.”
This is an unedited press release courtesy of Georgetown Swimming.