Seven Sign National Letters of Intent with OSU Men’s Swimming & Diving

Courtesy: Ohio State Athletics

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s swimming and diving program, coming off a runner-up finish at the 2020 Big Ten Conference championships, will grow by seven next season as five swimmers and two divers have signed national letters of intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at Ohio State University. Last Wednesday was the first day prospects could sign letters of intent with schools.

“I am very excited about our signing classes and where they fit into the future of our program,” Bill Dorenkott, director of men’s and women’s swimming and diving, said. “These young men and women are excited to be Buckeyes, and are ready to chase elite both in and out of the pool.  We believe that we have identified individuals with very high athletic ceilings, as well as the character and drive to align with the culture of OSU Swimming and Diving.

“I want to thank our coaches and especially our athletes for their part in putting together this class.  Go Bucks!”

Ohio State’s 2020 Recruiting Class

William Bansberg

Scottsdale, Ariz.

Notre Dame Prep

Scottsdale Aquatic Club

6-1

• William capped his high school career by winning 2020 Arizona state championships in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke
• He was a five-time individual state qualifier for Notre Dame Prep and coach Bob Ostrander
• Placed third in the state meet in 2019 in the 100 backstroke after taking fifth in 2018 in the 200 individual medley
• Two-time Notre Dame MVP and team captain
• A scholastic All-American while competing for the Scottsdale Aquatic Club and coach Kevin Zacher
• A finalist in the 400 individual medley at the 2019 winter junior nationals
• The only child of Julie and Stephen Bansberg
• An uncle, Mike Rae, quarterbacked the USC Trojans during their national championship year of 1972 that included a 42-17 win over Ohio State in the 1973 Rose Bowl

Clay Chaplin

Highlands Ranch, Colo.

Mountain Vista High School

Mile High Dive Club

5-8

• Clay has a runner-up finish in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2017 at the Colorado state diving championships to his credit heading into this senior campaign
• A three-year lettermen for coach Kristina Kwon at Mountain Vista High School
• Dives for Jack Perkins with the Mile High Dive Club
• Placed third at the 2016 ATT USA national diving championships in Moultrie, Ga.
• Has been a finalist (2018) and semifinalist (2018) at the International Youth Diving Meet in Dresden, Germany
• Is the son of Angela and Robert Chaplin and has an older sister, Lindsay, and two younger brothers, Joe and Trevor

Michael Adam Cooper

Ortonville, Mich.  

Brandon High School

OLY Swim Team

6-2

• Michael competes for the OLY Swim Team and is coached by his father, Jeff Cooper
• Runner-up at the 2020 NSCA summer championships in the 400 individual medley and just missed the Olympic Trials standard
• Also took seventh in the 200 individual medley and was Top 20 in the 200 breast at the 2020 NSCA summer championships
• State record-holder in the 1,650 freestyle
• Attends Brandon High School in Ortonville, Mich.
• Is the son of Lynn and Jeff Cooper
• Has an older sister, Hannah, and a younger sister, Emily 

Karl Helmuth

North Canton, Ohio

Hoover High School

North Canton YMCA Nemesis

5-10

• Karl is a three-time Ohio state qualifier in the 100 breaststroke with a fourth-place finish in 2019 already to his credit
• Earned Federal League MVP and team MVP honors in 2019
• A three-year letterman at Hoover High School swimming for coaches Rick Morrison and Mark Rogers
• Competes for DeDe Dearbarger with the North Canton YMCA Nemesis club team
• Has qualified for YMCA nationals twice, finishing as high as fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 200 breaststroke
• The son of Amy and Patrick Helmuth and the oldest of their four kids with a younger brother, Peter, and two younger sisters, Anna and Maria 

Michael Parker

Sandy Spring, Md.

Sherwood High School

Montgomery Dive Club

5-11

• Michael won the 2020 Maryland high school state diving championship
• Took runner-up honors at the 4A/3A Regional Diving Championships in 2020 and captured first at the city-wide Metro Diving championships as well
• 2020 high school All-American
• 2019 Metro and 4A/3A Regional diving champion
• Three-year diving letterman at Sherwood High School under coach Kevin Burke
• The son of Kathleen and Calvin Parker
• Has two older siblings: C.J. and Avery

Luke Paxton

Fairfield, Ohio

Stephen T. Badin High School

Powel Crosley Jr. YMCA Tigersharks

6-1

• Luke won the 2019 Ohio State high school championship in the 200 freestyle
• Ohio state runner-up in the event in 2018 and a finalist in 2017
• Four-year letterman at Stephen T. Badin High under coach Emily Muroski
• Also swims for the Powel Crosley Jr. YMCA Tigersharks for coach John Michael Leonard
• A three-time national finalist in the 100 butterfly (2017-18-19)
• Swam legs on four national champion relays: 400 medley relay (2017), 800 free relay (2018) and  200 medley and 800 free relays in 2019
• The son of Ann and Rob Paxton and the youngest of four with older sisters – Sarah and Jennifer – and an older brother, Robert

Alex Quach

Sydney Australia  

Hurlstone Agricultural High School

New South Wales Institute of Sport 

6-2

• Alex is a 17-time Australian age-group national champion swimmer
• An all-around athlete who also has extensive time spent on the basketball court and in the track and field arena
• Attends Hurlstone Agricultural High School and is coached by Brett Wilson
• 10 years of club swimming experience includes the past two years swimming for coach Adam Kable at the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS)
• An individual finalist while representing Australia at the 2018 junior world championships
• The son of Por and Blch Tu Quach and has an older sister, Melissa