Swimming And Diving Announces Incoming Class For 2007-08
June 04, 2007 | Men's Swimming and Diving
June 4, 2007
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GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Eight women and 17 men make up the list of 24 prep student-athletes and one transfer that have committed to the East Carolina swimming and diving program next season, head coach Rick Kobe announced on Monday. The class is comprised of five divers and 20 swimmers, making it one of the largest incoming classes in school history.
The class comes after another successful season that saw both teams earn a third place finish at the Conference USA Championships and earn All-American Academic Team honors. Fourteen swimmers and one diver earned all-conference honors last season.
Of its 25-member class, 11 of the Pirates' signees were NSCA Junior National Qualifiers while five others were YMCA National Qualifiers.
Rutgers' transfer Adam Papendick headlines a list of four freestyle swimmers that will compete in the sprint events. Papendick was a Big East Championship qualifier and member of two YMCA National Championship medley relay teams. Nathan Coffey, Rhett Saylors and Brian Schmitt will also compete in the sprint freestyle events.
Kyle Brown and Andrew Christian, a pair of high school championship finalists, will also compete in the freestyle events with Brown also having the ability to swim the butterfly races. Andrew Stoker was a high school championship finalist in Virginia and will see time as a butterfly swimmer along with Matt Saccurato.
The Pirates also received a commitment from breaststroke swimmers: Roman Sandler, a high school All-American and Michigan state high school champion; Tommy Ryan, a Georgia high school championship finalist; Andrew Johnson, a North Carolina championship finalist; Ben Sisler, another Virginia championship finalist.
Brazil native Thiago de Oliveira Caze Cavalcanti is one of two distance free swimmers to sign with ECU along Maryland native Scott English. High School All-America Bill Gordon will compete as a middle distance swimmer for the Pirates.
Divers Justin Eakins and Josh Gonzalez also committed to the Pirates for the upcoming season.
A trio of North Carolina divers comprises nearly half of the Lady Pirate newcomers. Chapel Hill's Rebekah Juarez, Burlington's Blythe Hogan and state diving champion Sarah Wyman of Hertford each committed to ECU.
Courtney Harris and Stephanie Harper will join the squad this fall as breaststroke swimmers, while Mercedes Minney and Jenna Stewart will compete in the sprint freestyle events. Lauren Dufault will participate in the IM and sprint freestyle events.
