TCU Swimming and Diving Announces Spring Signing Class
5/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
May 20, 2011
FORT WORTH - TCU swimming and diving coach Richard Sybesma announced the addition of 13 more athletes to his rosters in the spring signing period for a total of 25 newcomers in the fall and spring.
For the spring, the Horned Frogs signed three men and six women to join his program. Additionally, Sybesma announced two men and three men have made commitments to walk on with the Frogs in the fall of 2011.
"We're really excited about this class," TCU coach Richard Sybesma said. "They are a great fit for us as athletes and they are all great people, which is exactly what we look for in our recruits."
During last fall's signing period, TCU saw six recruits sign national letters of intent on both teams. Sixteen seniors departed the TCU program in the past year, including school-record holders Maria Paula Alvarez and Kyle Callens.
The women's team adds two in the spring with family ties to the Frogs. Gabi Korac, whose older sister Zrinka Korac will be a senior in the fall, transferred to TCU after spending a year at Arkansas. Elizabeth Oster, the younger sister of 100-back TCU record holder Jennifer Oster, will be a freshman at TCU in the fall.
Also highlighting the women's signees is sprinter Lauren Kaufman of Renton, Wash. Kaufman is the No. 6-ranked recruit in the state of Washington and is a three-time state champion in The Evergreen State.
Other scholarship athletes signed in the spring on the women's side are Ali Bleasdell and Van-Anh Hoang, who were teammates at the Houston Swim Club. Walking on for TCU are Ashley Alspaugh, Courtney Cheek and Carmen Lindmoen.
On the men's side, distance specialist Thor Stenfjord is the No. 12 recruit in the state of Washington. Joining the Frogs as a second-semester sophomore is Luiz Azarias from Brazil. Azarias won two Brazilian junior national championships in 2009.
Curtis Muller will be the second scholarship diver on the roster for TCU. Walk-ons in the fall are Josh Mangus and Mancer Roberts.
Ariel Bond, Kyra Lindholm, Lauren Mikulecky, Kenzie Miller, Mackenzie Schuler and Victoria Thicke-Rattray signed NLIs with the TCU women in the fall period. On the men's side, Mitchell Adshead, Ricky Bradley, Ryan Hall, Matt Korman, Cooper Robinson and August Van Allen signed with the Frogs in the fall.
TCU Spring 2011 Signing Class
Ashley Alspaugh, Back/Free; Humble, Texas (St. Pius X)
Will walk-on with the Frogs in the fall … The 49th-ranked recruit in the state of Texas by collegeswimming.com … Swam primarily the 100-back and 200-free in high school and club … Personal bests are 57.06 in the 100-back, 1:54.22 in the 200-free and 25.23 in the 50-free … Was the TAPPS Division I state champion in the 200-free and 100-back … State record holder in the 100-back for TAPPS Division I … Swam for coach Richard Butler at St. Pius X … A member of the Blue Tide Aquatics swim club under the direction of Charlie Fry … Daughter of Rick and Dorothy Alspaugh … Plans to major in business
Luiz Azarias, Fly; Uberlandia, Brazil (Universidade Federal de Uberlandia)
A transfer who will be a second-semester sophomore in the fall … Spent three semesters at Universidade Federal de Uberlandia in his native Brazil … Primary events are the 100-fly and 200-fly … Notched personal bests of 54.34 in the 100-fly and 1:59.08 in the 200-fly … Both times are long-course meters … Was the Brazilian junior national champion for the 200-fly and 400-individual medley for 2009 … Placed second in the 200-fly at the 2010 Missouri Grand Prix and Junior South American … Son of Heliane Luzia de Araujo and Divino Claudio Azarias … Plans to pursue a degree in business
Ali Bleasdell, Fly/IM; Missouri City, Texas (Elkins)
Holds personal bests of 2:03.28 in the 200-fly and 4:26.40 in the 400-individual medley … Collegeswimming.com ranked her 46th in the state of Texas and No. 506 overall for the class of 2011 … Earned all-state honors in the 100-fly during her sophomore year … Picked up all-region honors in the 100-fly and 200-free in her freshman and sophomore seasons … A member of the Houston Swim Club … Her coach at HSC was Gilbert Legaspi … Earned an Academic Excellence Award while at Elkins High School … Parents are Don and Cathy Bleasdell … Hopes to major in kinesiology
Courtney Cheek, Diving; Coppell, Texas (New Tech)
Will walk on as a diver in the fall … Placed in the top eight in her district in high school … Named an Academic All-American … Competed for coach Patrick Henry at New Tech High School … A member of the club team GC Diving under the direction of Krista Klien, Kirk Scimone and April Long … Daughter of Tim and Cynthia Cheek … Looks to major in film media/communications
Van-Anh Hoang, Breast/Free; Houston, Texas (St. Agnes Academy)
Is the 20th-ranked swimmer in Texas and No. 268 in the nation for 2011 recruits, according to collegeswimming.com … One of two women signing with the Frogs from Houston Swim Club … Joins Ali Bleasdell who also competed for Gilbert Legaspi at HSC … Has breaststroke personal bests times of 1:04.56 in the 100-breast and 2:18.88 in the 200-breast … Freestyle personal bests are 24.56 for the 50-free and 53.89 for the 100-free … Named a Scholastic All-American in high school … Graduated from St. Agnes Academy where she was coached by Jocelyn Vincent … Parents are Doc and Gail Hoang … Plans to major in engineering
Lauren Kaufman, Free; Renton, Wash. (Oliver Hazen)
A three-time Washington state champion … Ranked 191st among all female swimmers in the class of 2011 by collegeswimming.com … Ranked as the sixth-best recruit in The Evergreen State … Personal best times are 23.31 for the 50-free and 51.26 for the 100-free … Won titles in the 100-free in 2009 and 2010 and in the 50-free in 2010 … Never finished lower than third at the state meet for the 50-free in all four years … Placed second in the event in 2009 and third in 2007 and 2008 … Fifth-place finisher in the 100-fre in 2008 and seventh-place finisher in 2007 … Named the Swimmer of the Meet at the 3A state meet … A consensus All-American for the 50-free in 2010 … Qualified the LCM Junior Nationals in the 50-free and 100-free … School record holder in both events … Qualifed for the US Open SCY 50-free at age 16 … A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Attended Oliver Hazen High School, competing for coach Ken Alfonso … A member of King Aquatic Club under the direction of Tommie Hannan … Daughter of Joseph and Erin Kaufman … Hopes to major in business
Gabi Korac, Breast; Zagreb, Croatia (Arkansas)
A transfer after spending a year at the University of Arkansas … Sister of TCU senior Zrinka Korac … Notched a 1:02.68 in the 100-breast and a 2:14.86 in the 200-breast … Both times are personal bests at last year's SEC Championships … Is the daughter of Vesna and Velimir Korac … Pursuing a degree in interior design
Carmen Lindmoen, Breast/Free/Fly; Houston, Texas (Westside)
Walking on for the Frogs … Collegeswimming.com ranks her a top-60 recruit in Texas … Holds personal bests of 53.57 in the 100-free, 1:06.00 in the 100-breast and 58.22 in the 100-fly … Named Most Valuable Swimmer all four years of high school … A member of the National Honor Society … AP Scholar with Distinction in 2009 and 2010 … Competed for coach Craig Sikkema at Westside High School … Member of Dad's Club Swim Team coached by Rey Aguilar … Parents are Vidar and Evelyn Lindmoen … Plans to pursue a biology/pre-med degree
Josh Mangus, Free/Back; Encinitas, Calif. (Sante Fe Christian)
Plans to walk on in the fall … Ranked as the 101st-best recruit in California by collegeswimming.com … Has a personal-best time of 1:43.04 in the 200-free, a 4:40.99 in the 500-free and a 1:54.46 in the 200-back … A Junior Olympic Champion in the 400 meters … Owns six of his high school's records and four club records … Finalist in the 2010 TYR Swim Meet of Champions … Scholastic All-American in 2011 … Member of the National Honor Society … Earned the NHS Leadership Award in 2010 and 2011 … Coach was Shaun Kennard at Sante Fe Christian High School … Also a member of Rancho San Dieguito Swim Club with coach Joe Benjamin … Son of Daniel and Donna Mangus … Undecided on a major
Curtis Muller, Diving; Helotes, Texas (Sandra Day O'Connor)
Joining the Frogs as the second scholarship diver for the 2010-11 class … Holds a personal-best 464.50 for the 1-meter springboard in an 11-dive competition … Garned All-American honors in 2009 and 2010 … A Texas all-state honorable mention honoree in 2010 … Twice named the Northside School District Diver of the Year … Qualified for regionals and state all four years of high school … Competed for coaches Tommy Law and Nicholas Haidin at Sandra Day O'Connor High School … Also suited up for Law and Stan Randall with the Alamo Area Aquatics Diving team … Son of Lia Rios-Muller and Richard Muller … Looking to major in engineering or mathematics
Elizabeth Oster, Back; Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek)
Another signee in the women's class with family ties to the TCU program … Younger sister of TCU 100-back record holder Jennifer Oster … Personal best times are 58.16 in the 100-back and 2:01.05 in the 200-back … Collegeswimming.com ranks her as the 17th-best in Colorado … Attended Cherry Creek High School … Also a member of the Colorado Athletic Club Stingrays under the direction of Alexis Keto … Daughter of David and Ann Oster … Plans to major in mathematics
Mancer Roberts, Free/Back; Nassau, Bahamas (Kingsway Academy)
Will walk on for the Frogs … Holds personal bests in short course yards in the 50-free of 21.97, 100-free of 49.55 and 200-free of 2:05.70 in long course meters … Personal best short course times are 54.43 for the 100-back and 1:58.69 for the 200-back … A national record holder in Bahamas … Attended Kingsway Academy … Member of Barracuda Swim Club where he competed for Michael Stewart … Parents names are Mancer and Deshaun Roberts … Looking to major in mechanical engineering
Thor Stenfjord, Distance Free/IM; Shoreline, Wash. (Shorewood)
Placed second in state in the 200-IM as a junior and third as a senior … Collegeswimming.com ranks her the No. 12 male recruit in Washington … Took second-place state honors in the 500-free as a senionr … An individual state champion in the 100-free as a freshman … Personal best times are 4:35.49 in the 500-free, 9:36.57 in the 1000-free and 16:05.56 in the 1650-free … Best 200-IM time is 1:54.68 … Competed for Scott Kelley at Shorewood High School … A member of Cascade Swim Club under the direction of Tom Pardee … Son of Leif and Tani Stenfjord … Plans to major in electrical engineering
