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News Release

UMBC Swimming and Diving Announces 2008-09 Recruiting Class

9/18/2008

Head coach Chad Cradock and the Retrievers' first meet is Oct. 11 at N.C. State.

BALTIMORE—One year after boasting the largest incoming class in school history, UMBC men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach Chad Cradock recently announced that he will welcome 20 student-athletes including three siblings of current or former UMBC athletes to the Retrievers in 2008-09. The group is tied for the second-largest incoming class with the class of 2004-05, and only behind the 24-athlete draw of the past, 2007-08, season.

“We are excited about the incoming class because they look ready to fill big shoes and they have the talent to make our team extremely strong,” said Chad Cradock.

The newcomers and returning swimmers will come under the leadership of seniors Tina Cantwell (Sinking Spring, Pa./The Hill School), Daniele Surkovich (Ellicott City, Md./Wilde Lake), Justin Bronson (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada/Msgr. Paul Dwyer) and P.J. Sterba (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) and juniors Tereza Kaplanova (Prague, Czech Republic/J.G. Jarkovskeho), Kate Chialastri (Flourtown, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) and Matt Mattingly (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West), the newly announced men’s and women’s 2008-09 team captains as they lead the Retrievers into competition at N.C. State on Oct. 11..

The class of 2008 saw Cradock lose a total of 11 athletes—seven women and four men—including a six-time school record-holder and five-time America East champion in Lindsey Engler who teamed with fellow graduate Carly Fitzpatrick to make up half of the America East champion and school record-setting 200 freestyle relay.  On the men’s side Cradock saw the departure of the 2008 recipient of the America East Coaches’ Award for the most points scored over four years at the conference meet in Eric Skrabacz, as well as the 100 breaststroke school record-holder in Scott Auchter.

The women’s class will include six out-of-state student-athletes including one international student in addition to one transfer.  Four recruits, who can cover gaps in both the 100 and 200 backstroke events include Laura Rogers (Catonsville, Md./Catonsville), Laura Tilman (Miami Springs, Fl./Ransom Everglades), Abbey Mckenny (Wilmington, De./Brandyvine) and Kelsey Fitzpatrick (Delran, N.J./Delran).

“The women’s class brings a lot of depth and versatility,” Cradock said. “This will give us a lot of options as to who can race where.

Kathryn Moorby (Cape May, N.J./LCM Regiono) and transfer Jennifer Esposito (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst/CW Post)) will add more depth to an already talented group in the 100 and 200 fly events.

In the women’s sprint free events, Ashley Miller (New Smryna, Fla./New Smyrna) and Ashley Sippel (Rockville, Md./Thomas Wootton) along with Moorby, Tilman, and Mckenny will provide both talent and depth to the squad.

Pink Kinanti (Jakasta, Indonesia/The Bolles School) and Lindsey Magaw (Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) will add more depth to the distance freestyle events.

Also adding depth to the mid-distance and distance freestyle events is Sam Maccherola (Woolford, Md./South Carroll/Tennessee), a late addition to the team who was part of the 800 free relay team that earned All-American status at Tennessee in 2006.

On the men’s side, both talent and depth have been added to almost every event.  Jason Mattingly (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) will be able to swim sprint freestyle events, breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. Andrew Reid (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) can also swim a variety of events from mid-distance to distance free, as well as breaststroke, fly and the 200 and 400 IM.

“The men’s class will make our sprinting much stronger, which in turn will make our relays better,” said Cradock “Their enthusiasm and energy is tremendous and it will have a big impact on the team.”

In the breaststroke, Johnny Mendenhall (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) will have an immediate impact in both the 100 and 200 events after achieving Junior National cut level this summer. Mark Garbowski (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) a high school teammate of Mattingly, can swim freestyle at any distance.

The men’s recruiting class also includes five Maryland student-athletes. Evan Danz (Woodstock, Md./Loyola Blakefield) and Ben Wolbert (Finksburg, Md./Westminster/Carroll CC) will have impact in short distance freestyle and fly events. 

Nour Saad (Columbia, Md./Oakland Mills) will add some depth to the backstroke events.

Tim Deklau (Gambrills, Md./Arundel) will be a contributor in the mid-distance freestyle, breaststroke and IM events, while Alex Hess (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) will add some more depth to the diving corps.