Eight Women Set to Join Virginia Swimming
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia head swimming coach Mark Bernardino announced the signing of eight women to National Letters of Intent to join the swimming and diving program next fall.
Charlotte Clarke (Adelaide, Australia), Riley Flanagan (Gainesville, Fla.), Caroline Kenney (Suwanee, Ga.), Emily Lloyd (Severna Park, Md.), Jane Munro (Evanston, Ill.), Rachel Naurath (Manakin-Sabot, Va.), Dana Nessler (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Hillary Petersen (Gainesville, Fla.) will join the Virginia women’s squad in 2010-11.
“We feel this is probably the most well-rounded women’s recruiting class we have had in the last several years,” Bernardino said. “We have addressed what we feel are many of our team needs both for the upcoming season and long-term future. We were able to sign athletes in almost every event and distance – athletes of great character, work ethic, and great students.”
SIGNEE TOP TIMES
Charlotte Clarke
Adelaide, Australia
Norwood Swim Club (Peter Bishop)
Back
SCM 50 Back 27.04 100 Back 58.40 200 Back 2:08.34 LCM 100 Back
1:02.40 200 Back
2:14.92 200 IM 2:18.16
Bernardino on Clarke: “Charlotte is a very special swimmer and person, the type who comes along and changes a program for the better for years to come. She is one of the finest sprint backstrokers in the world and before she leaves UVa we hope to see her accomplish her dream of becoming both an Olympian and NCAA champion. Charlotte is one of the most explosive and strongest athletes we have seen in the pool. Having her in the fold certainly softens the pain of graduating Mei Christensen this year.”
Riley Flanagan
Gainesville, Fla.
Gator Swim Club (Chris Oliver)
Free/Back/IM
| SCY | |
| 200 Free | 1:50.12 |
| 100 Back | 55.55 |
| 200 Back | 2:00.16 |
| 100 Fly | 55.28 |
| 200 Fly | 2:01.25 |
| 400 IM | 4:23.56 |
Bernardino on Flanagan: “Riley will be a very dynamic addition to the team. She is versatile and talented and still searching for the one big swim. She has a great personality and will help fill multiple spots in our line-up. Riley has a strong will to succeed and should experience many breakthroughs at the collegiate level. Her talents were very much needed and we expect Riley to contribute immediately.”
Caroline Kenney
Suwanee, Ga.
Swim Atlanta (Chris Davis)
Free/Back
| SCY | |
| 50 Free | 23.31 |
| 100 Free | 50.15 |
| 200 Free | 1:47.10 |
| 500 Free | 4:52.43 |
| LCM | |
| 50 Free | 26.10 |
| 200 Free | 2:03.33 |
| 100 Back | 1:03.92 |
| 200 Back | 2:16.27 |
Bernardino on Kenney: “We feel very fortunate to welcome such a strong student and swimmer to our university in Caroline, who was our first commitment this fall. She will provide excellence in the freestyle events from the 50 to the 500, be a backstroker of significance and an athlete who will potentially help strengthen our relays. She comes from an exceptional club swim program and has been exposed to the best of swimming at very high levels.”
Emily Lloyd
Severna Park, Md.
Severna Park YMCA (Crystee Ballard, Jim Hutcheson)
Free
| SCY | |
| 50 Free | 22.70 |
| 100 Free | 49.02 |
| 200 Free | 1:48.18 |
| LCM | |
| 50 Free | 25.74 |
| 100 Free | 56.79 |
Bernardino on Lloyd: “Strong, fast, explosive, talented, intelligent and a strong will to win are attributes I immediately think of in describing Emily. Her presence in our line-up is huge as will be her ability to perform well in the clutch. She does many things well in many different perspectives: school, swimming and leadership. Emily is going to have a special college career.”
Jane Munro
Evanston, Ill.
YMCA Flying Fish (Peter Caragher)
Free/Back
| SCY | |
| 50 Free | 23.69 |
| 100 Free | 51.87 |
| 100 Back | 55.46 |
| 200 Back | 2:03.51 |
Bernardino on Munro: “Jane brings a strong, competitive and determined mindset to the team. She has lots of promise and potential and we foresee her really developing into a serious contender for conference honors down the road. Jane is preparing herself physically and mentally for the challenges that are in front of her and will bring speed and power with her to the University of Virginia.”
Rachel Naurath
Manakin-Sabot, Va.
NOVA of Virginia (Geoff Brown)
Free/Fly/IM
| SCY | |
| 100 Free | 50.70 |
| 200 Free | 1:48.27 |
| 500 Free | 4:44.09 |
| 1000 Free | 9:42.00 |
| 1650 Free | 16:07.53 |
| 100 Fly | 54.75 |
| 200 Fly | 1:57.08 |
| 400 IM | 4:16.00 |
| LCM | |
| 200 Free | 2:02.10 |
| 400 Free | 4:16.02 |
| 800 Free | 8:44.88 |
| 1500 Free | 16:36.72 |
| 200 Fly | 2:14.34 |
| 400 IM | 4:53.96 |
Bernardino on Naurath: “It is a dream come true having Rachel join our program. She is not only the best high school swimmer in the state of Virginia but the most versatile. She brings so much to the table in so many events and at so many distances. Rachel is a premier swimmer, a premier student and an exceptional leader with a dynamic personality. She has all the attributes necessary to be a great collegiate swimmer.”
Dana Nessler
Jacksonville, Fla.
Bolles School Sharks (Sergio Lopez)
Free
| SCY | |
| 50 Free | 23.46 |
| 100 Free | 50.82 |
| 200 Free | 1:50.03 |
Bernardino on Nessler: “We feel Dana’s best swimming is in front of her and look forward to helping her develop her talents in the short freestyle events. She is a high-energy, positive person who swims extremely well on relays. Dana is strong team leader for the Bolles School and understands tradition and excellence in the concept of team and program.”
Hillary Petersen
Gainesville, Fla.
Gator Swim Club (Chris Oliver)
Free/IM
| SCY | |
| 200 Free | 1:49.12 |
| 500 Free | 4:51.61 |
| 400 IM | 4:22.39 |
| LCM | |
| 400 Free | 4:19.42 |
| 800 Free | 8:56.15 |
| 200 IM | 2:21.84 |
| 400 IM | 4:57.32 |
Bernardino on Petersen: “Hillary is tough mentally, physically and emotionally. She is constantly positive and brings an element of toughness to the team that will be worth its weight in gold. Hillary is versatile, will fill multiple roles on the team and has the type of personality that can motivate her teammates to excel at higher levels.”