Swimming and Diving Programs Each Sign Eight Student-Athletes

The Youngstown State men's and women's swimming and diving programs have each signed eight student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to join the program in 2020-21.

Head Coach Brad Smith announced the wide-ranging group on Friday. The men's team added student-athletes from four different countries while the women's program added student-athletes from three.

"We are proud to have these young men and women join us next year," Smith said. "They're great students and have individually accomplished a lot over the course of their swimming and diving careers. They'll add talent and depth to our team but most importantly, we're honored to have them join our family because they exemplify the characteristics of what we believe make for outstanding penguins. We're looking forward to helping them become the people and leaders they want to be."

Each program signed seven swimmers and one diver. The men's program added diver Cody Thrill while the women inked diver Kiersten Lentz.

This is the first complete men's swimming and diving class since the program began competing again this past year. The women had just four seniors on the 2019-20 roster and the eight new student-athletes will add depth to the program.

Men's Swim Signees

Jasper Liekens – Brussels, Belgium (Butterfly)
Ales Zupanec – Kranju, Slovenia (Backstroke/IM)
Darren Laing – Nassau, Bahamas (Freestyle/Backstroke)
Gavin Redden – Monroe, Mich. (Freestyle)
Andrew Christopher – Fishers, Ind. (Freestyle)
Cody Thill – Orland Park, Ill. (Diving)
Gavin Webb – Allentown, Pa. (Freestyle)
Brenden Reeves – Bend, Oregon (Butterfly/IM)

Women's Swim Signees

Gunnhildur Baldursdottir – Reykjavik, Iceland (Butterfly/IM)
Jael Dankle – Smithfield, Pa. (Freestyle)
Britney Sage – Loudonville, Ohio (Freestyle/Breaststroke)
Ella Kerr – Ajax, Ontario (Breaststroke/IM)
Kamden Batchik – Acworth, Georgia (Freestyle)
Kiersten Lentz – Elizabethtown, Pa. (Diving)
Brooke Schuette – Wauseon, Ohio (Freestyle)
Elizabeth DeSalle – Springfield, Ill. (Freestyle/Butterfly)