Swimming: Riggs Inks Ten Recruits
November 21, 2008 03:48 PM | General
By Grant Dovey for MSNsportsNET.com
November 21, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University swimming and diving Coach Vic Riggs announced today that 10 student-athletes have signed their national letters of intent to become Mountaineers next season.
Giving the coach signatures for the women’s team are Kata Fodor, Rachael Burnett, Breanna McCann, Sloan Storie, Austen Carrington and Samantha Vavra. On the men’s side, Graham Kauffman, Tim O’Malley, Kyle Bandy and Jake Querciagrossa also signed with the Mountaineers.
“I’m very pleased to announce the signing of six women and four men to the WVU swimming and diving program for the 2009-2010 season,” Riggs says. “I stated in my first year, my goal is to recruit and bring to the program strong academic and athletic individuals. I believe each of these future Mountaineers bring these qualities and will be strong additions.”
Fodor is considered to be one of the top recruits on the women’s side. The Sarasota, Fla., native has been led by coaches Larry Shofe and Steve Brown of the Sarasota YMCA Sharks. At Booker High, Fodor is an All-American and at West Virginia she will contribute in freestyle events. The four-star swimmer is also a one-time Olympic Trials qualifier, a three-time US Open qualifier, a two-time National qualifier and a six-time Junior National qualifier.
“Kata is a talented freestyler at all distances and will contribute immediately at both the BIG EAST and NCAA levels,” Riggs says. “With her swimming background from Sarasota YMCA and Coach Shofe and Coach Brown, we are fortunate to have her to take our program forward.”
Burnett, a native of Springfield, Va., comes from Annandale High School where she is an All-American and was a Virginia state high school champion in the 500 freestyle. She is a three-time Washington Post All-Met selection, earning honorable mention in 2005-06 and second team accolades in 2006-07 and 2007-08. She is expected to help in the freestyle and IM events and swam for the Potomac Marlins under Coach Steve Ercolano. Burnett is a one-time US Open qualifier and a five-time Junior National qualifier.
“She has a strong work ethic and training background with Coach Steve Ercolano at Potomac Marlins,” Riggs says. “Rachael will contribute at all levels and will be a valuable member of our distance and IM program. I know Rachael’s goals are the same as the programs and we look forward to reaching them together.”
McCann will come to West Virginia from Medina, Ohio, where she swam for Cindy Virdo with the Firestone Akron Swim Team. The All-American at Akron Firestone High is expected to boast the breaststroke and IM events for the Mountaineers. She also is a two-time US Open qualifier, a one-time National qualifier and a four-time Junior National qualifier.
“Breanna will add much needed depth to the breaststroke and IM events,” Riggs says. “As an academic scholarship award winner Breanna has all of the characteristics of what our program is looking for in a Mountaineer swimmer.”
Storie comes from Corvallis High where she has been an All-American and a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. The Corvallis, Ore., native has been swimming for Coach Rick Guenther with the Corvallis Aquatic Team and is a one-time US Open qualifier.
“Sloan is a strong freestyler and IMer who will come to the WVU program just starting to reach her potential,” Riggs says. “Coming from Corvallis Aquatic and Coach Guenther, I feel fortunate to add her to our program. As another cornerstone of our distance program, Sloan adds depth to the foundation of what we are trying to build.”
Carrington, an Alpharetta, Ga., native, will contribute in multiple events at West Virginia. She has been swimming for the prestigious Swim Atlanta program under the tutelage of Jeff Hike. Carrington has also been attending Alpharetta High.
“Austen is very talented in the butterfly and backstroke events and she comes from one of the best club teams in the country, Swim Atlanta,” Riggs says. “She will add to our butterfly and backstroke needs and will add depth to our relays.”
Vavra will travel from Lansford, Pa., to join the Mountaineers next fall. She is expected to help the breaststroke and IM events and has been swimming for Atlantic Aquatic Club under Coach Matt Beckwith. At Panther Valley High School she is in the top 10 percent of her class and is Vice-President of the National Honors Society. She is an All-American in the 100 breaststroke.
“Samantha is a swimmer whose potential has yet to be seen and I’m excited to be adding a swimmer from the Atlantis Aquatic Club and Coach Matt Beckwith,” Riggs says. “I know I’m bringing someone into the program that knows how to compete at the BIG EAST and NCAA levels.
“With the addition of these six women, they bring a level of talent that will help make our program competitive,” Riggs says. “They will also help us reach our goals of competing successfully at the BIG EAST and NCAA Championships.”
Kauffman is a native of Spartansville, S.C., where he attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School. As a swimmer for Peter Wright at Y-Spartaquatics Swim Club he has been a five-time Junior National qualifier.
“Graham is an up-and-coming talent that we think will reach his full potential at the collegiate level and be a strong contributor to the team immediately,” Riggs says. “As we continue to build our program I am excited about what he brings to our sprint events, relays and breaststroke.”
Bandy is a freestyle and butterfly swimmer that will come to West Virginia from Coral Springs, Fla. Bandy has been attending Stoneman Douglas High where he is an All-American and is a five-time Junior National qualifier for Coral Springs Swim Club under Coach Dana Holmquist.
“Kyle is very talented in the sprint freestyle and butterfly events and will have an immediate impact at all levels,” Riggs says. “WVU is fortunate to have someone of Kyle’s ability both in and out of the water. Kyle brings great academics and is the ideal recruit both academically and athletically.”
Querciagross hails from Peoria, Ill., where he attends Peoria Notre Dame High School and has been an All-American candidate and a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. He has a strong academic background and has swam for Coach Ivan Kirov of the Peoria Area Water Wizards.
“Jake brings to our middle distance and distance program a lot of versatility,” Riggs says. “Not only will he contribute in the distance events, but I am excited about his backstroke and IM events as well. I think Jake has his best swimming yet to come.”
O’Malley, a Fullerton, Calif., native, has been an All-American at Martin Luther King High School in distance events. He has also been coached by Kevin Perry and Bill Jewell of the Fullerton Area Swim Team and has been an eight-time Junior National qualifier.
“Tim comes from a very solid background, swimming for FAST in California, and I’m looking forward to his impact on the team as both a leader and a person,” Riggs says. “Along with Jake, Tim is a great addition to our strong distance program. Coach Kevin Perry and Coach Bill Jewell have done a great job preparing Tim to go to the next level.”
“As we are reaching our goal of building a men’s program that can compete at all levels, the addition of these four young men have brought us closer to obtaining that reality.”
