Lehigh University Athletics
Eleven newcomers join swimming and diving program
9/24/2010 2:05:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – As Lehigh returns to the pool in preparation for the 2010-11 season, head coach Rob Herb has announced the addition of 11 student-athletes who have joined the Mountain Hawks program. Herb has brought in ten freshmen and a transfer that will join a men's program that lost just one dual meet last season and a women's program that is coming off its second-straight winning campaign.
“I really like how they mesh so well with our team,” said Herb of his 11 newcomers. “It's a hard working group that understands what needs to be done in training and in racing. The nice thing is they all came in with that mindset. We're not teaching them what's expected of them. They know what they need to do. Each newcomer has a specific role and has very high expectations of themselves and of the team they're a part of.”
Meredith Bayer is an all-around swimmer from Mills E. Godwin High School in Henrico, Virginia. A versatile performer, Bayer is strong in a number of strokes and the Mountain Hawks will be leaning on her to contribute and score points as a freshman.
From Moorestown, N.J. comes Stephanie Yaszemski. A breaststroker and sprinter, Yaszemski will bring depth to both areas after swimming for a strong club program in southern New Jersey. No stranger to Lehigh, Yaszemski's father and uncle both played football for the Brown and White.
Another New Jersey native, Katie Hommes comes from Wyckoff and Indian Hills High School. Hommes specializes in butterfly and is coming off a minor injury, but Herb expects her to fight through it and help herself and her teammates improve.
Giovanna Patafio is a distance swimmer from Bronxville High School in New York. With the loss of Lehigh's record-setting distance swimmer Allison Rolish to graduation, Patafio may have some big shoes to fill. Herb is confident in her competitive abilities however, and feels that she is well prepared for college swimming and will be an asset for the Brown and White.
Rounding out the newcomers on the women's side is a diver, Mercy Du from Jericho High School on New York's Long Island. Du replaces All-League diver Erin Tormey on the roster and will team with sophomore Melissa Suggs to give Lehigh two young talented female divers.
On the men's side, Chris Hoke is a sprinter from Lancaster, Pa. who took a post-graduate year at Mercersburg. Hoke has just begun to tap his potential as a sprinter and could excel both individually and in relays early on for the Mountain Hawks.
From Malvern, Pa. comes James Heintzelman. A breaststroker who came to Lehigh late in the recruiting process, Heintzelman swam for Downingtown high school and should bring depth to Lehigh in the breaststroke events.
Connor Cackovic comes to Lehigh from Carlsbad Seaside High School in California. A breaststroke/IM swimmer, Cackovic is coming off a strong senior season at the high school level. His versatility should help Lehigh score well in the individual medley events while also helping the Mountain Hawks in relays.
A sprinter from Pennsbury High School in Pennsylvania, Matt Chrzanowski brings size to the sprint freestyle events. He is expected to swim all three sprint events plus the 100 fly for the Mountain Hawks and Herb believes he has the potential to explode when he competes for the Brown and White.
Completing the freshman class is John Keough from Berwyn, Pa. and Conestoga High School. Keough is expected to contribute in the 200 fly as well as the IM events. He comes from the Upper Main Line Y program which has produced a number of Lehigh swimmers in Herb's six years as head coach.
Herb as also brought a transfer into the men's program as Kevin Shoemaker joins the Mountain Hawks after spending two years at Marist. Shoemaker was a former state champion in the 100 fly for Saucon Valley High School and is expected to contribute in the butterfly and individual medley events for the Mountain Hawks.
“Kevin is no stranger to Lehigh having swum here with the Atlantis Aquatic Club,” said Herb. “He decided to come home to absorb the total Lehigh experience. He meshes well with the kids in our program because they've seen what a hard worker he is. It's exciting to have a former state champion back home and the team has been very welcoming to him.”
The Mountain Hawks are currently in the midst of preseason workouts. The 2010-11 season begins on Friday, October 15 when the Mountain Hawks visit Big East member Providence for a 7 p.m. meet.
Women's Swimming and Diving Class of 2014
|
Name
|
Event
|
Hometown/High School
|
College
|
|
Meredith Bayer
|
All
|
Henrico, Va./Mills E. Godwin
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Mercy Du
|
Dive
|
Jericho, N.Y./Jericho
|
Business
|
|
Katie Hommes
|
Fly
|
Wyckoff, N.J./Indian Hills
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Giovanna Patafio
|
Distance
|
Tuckahoe, N.Y./Bronxville
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Stephanie Yaszemski
|
Breast/Sprint
|
Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown
|
Arts and Sciences
|
Men's Swimming and Diving Class of 2014
|
Name
|
Event
|
Hometown/High School
|
College/Major
|
|
Connor Cackovic
|
IM/Breast
|
Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad Seaside
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Matt Chrzanowski
|
Sprint/Fly
|
Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
James Heintzelman
|
Breast
|
Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown
|
Engineering
|
|
Chris Hoke
|
Sprint
|
Lancaster, Pa./Mercersburg Academy
|
Business
|
|
John Keough
|
IM/Fly
|
Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga
|
Business
|
|
Kevin Shoemaker
|
IM/Fly
|
Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley (Marist)
|
Marketing
|
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