Get to Know the Gophers' 2021-22 Freshmen Class
9/7/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
Minnesota is welcoming 15 newcomers to its ranks this season, with eight men and seven women joining the team!
The University of Minnesota swimming & diving program will be welcoming 15 fresh, new faces to the team for the 2021-22 season, with eight incoming men and seven incoming women. The class will feature student-athletes from three different countries, four Minnesota natives and plenty of power and speed to help boost the program for years to come.
"This draft class should be another strong and impactful one for the program," said Minnesota head coach Kelly Kremer. "We have a vision for where we want this program to go, and we truly believe that this class of student-athletes will be essential in getting us there. They reflect everything it means to be a Gopher, from their values to their attitudes and work ethic, and we are so excited they are here with us in Minneapolis!"
Oksana Chaput (Winnipeg, Manitoba - Manta Swim Club)
Top Times:
50 Free - 23.00*
100 Free - 49.81*
200 Free - 1:48.52*
100 Fly - 54.67*
200 Fly - 2:03.49*
* - Times converted via SwimSwam Time Converter
Prep: Hailing from Manitoba, Canada, Chaput joins the Maroon and Gold after a long, successful career with the Manta Swim Club. In 2019 alone, Chaput tallied a total of 10 top-three performances at the Canadian Junior Championships and Speedo Western Canadian Championships combined, including a gold medal finish in the 200 free and 100 fly, each. She has also seen action at a number of top events around the continent, including the TYR Pro Swim Series, Toyota US Open Swim Championships and the Canadian National Summer Games. Additionally, all three of her converted freestyle times would have earned her a Big Ten Conference Championship finals berth in 2021, suggesting she should have an immediate impact for the Gophers in 2022.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota for its high academic standards. In addition, as a member of the Gopher swimming & diving team, what sets it apart is its competitive drive and strong team culture, as well as the extraordinary coaching staff. The moment I stepped on campus and met the coaches and the team, I knew this was the perfect spot for me. I'm excited to represent the University of Minnesota and be part of a history of swimming and academic excellence!"
Hannah Cornish (Port Perry, Ontario - Uxbridge Swim Club)
Top Times:
50 Free - 22.37*
100 Free - 49.53*
200 Free - 1:47.56*
100 Fly - 54.57*
100 Back - 55.36*
* - Times converted via SwimSwam Time Converter
Prep: Cornish most recently saw competitive waters at the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials, where she managed to record a fifth place finish in the 50 free with an exceptional personal best time of 25.64. Converted to SCY (22.37), that same time would have earned her the seventh fastest time of the event at the Big Ten Championships with an 'A' final berth to accompany it. Swimming for the Uxbridge Swim Club, Cornish has appeared in some of the top-meets across the Great North, including the Canadian Trials and both the Canadian Senior & Junior Championships.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the supportive coaching staff, positive team atmosphere, and great academic opportunities."
Eliot Kennedy (Bloomington, Ill. - Bloomington Normal YMCA Waves)
Top Times:
500 Free - 4:51.34
1000 Free - 9:55.48
1650 Free - 16:24.84
Prep: A distance specialist from Illinois, Kennedy has the potential to make an instant impact for the Gophers herself. As her personal best time of 16:24.84 in the mile would have placed her twelfth at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, Kennedy should provide excellent depth in the stroke for Minnesota in her time here. The three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American has notched a plethora of finals appearances at the Illinois Senior Championships over her past two seasons, including a pair of silver medal finishes in 2019 in both distance events.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because both the swimming program and the stature of the University were impressive. The swim team has amazing coaches and an outstanding team culture."
Kate LaMonica (Chagrin Falls, Ohio - American Flyers Diving / Chagrin Falls HS)
Top Scores:
1-Meter (11) - 445.35
Prep: LaMonica joins the Gophers coming off of her best season to date in 2021, where the 2020 NISCA All-American and three-time All-State honoree earned a silver medal at the OHSAA State Championships with a personal best 11-dive score of 445.35. In fact, in LaMonica's four years of high school diving, she has managed to set and hold onto her high school's team record for the one-meter board while never finishing below tenth at a state meet. She also dove for the American Flyers Diving club, where she made appearances at both the USA Nationals and AAU Nationals events.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because I loved the city campus feel, the school had many majors I was interested in and the team environment is something that I would love to be a part of!"
Av Osero (Neenah, Wis. - Neenah HS)
Top Scores:
1-Meter (11) - 515.20
3-Meter - 413.10
Previous College: University of Iowa
Prep: Osero has been widely regarded as one of the best divers to come out of the state of Wisconsin since her freshman year, acquiring four-straight State Championship titles, All-American honors and Wisconsin Division I Female Diver of the Year awards. She has a plethora of impressive national finishes on her record as well, the most recent of which came at the 2019 USA Diving Juniors when she placed 17th on the three-meter board. Osero transferred to Minnesota before the 2020-21 season officially began, but did not compete with the team last season.
Why Minnesota: "I chose to come to Minnesota after my previous program had been cut. At first, I was pretty devastated about that, but now that I'm here, I wouldn't change it for the world. This team made me feel included and loved as soon as I arrived, and I couldn't be prouder to be a Minnesota Gopher!"
Lyndsey Wehr (Highlands Ranch, Colo. - Highlands Ranch Aquatics / Arapahoe Senior HS)
Top Times:
50 Free - 23.15
100 Free - 50.93
200 Free - 1:51.82
Prep: Wehr has seen action at a number of high-level competitions this summer, two of the most prestigious of which were Wave I of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials and the West Fargo USA Swimming Futures. The three-time All-American registered a pair of finals appearances at the latter of the two meets, including a fourth place finish in the 50 free. Additionally, she capped off her high school career with a CHSAA 5A State title in the 50 free this past March, which she complimented with a silver medal finish in the 100 free to help her team earn a sixth place finish overall.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I loved the team atmosphere, coaching staff and the amazing facilities."
Summer West (Huntington Beach, Calif. - Irvine Novaquatics / Huntington Beach HS)
Top Times:
200 Free - 1:50.72
500 Free - 4:53.44
1000 Free - 10:02.71
1650 Free - 16:53.76
Prep: Hailing from Huntington Beach, Calif., West joins the Gophers with some impressive finishes under her belt. She managed to cap off her high school career with a win in the 500 free at the CIF Southern Section Championships this past May, and most recently added a pair of sixth place finishes at the USA Swimming Future Championships in Santa Clarita in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events. Upon joining the Maroon and Gold this coming Fall, West should provide excellent depth for the 'U' in each of the distance events.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the diversity of the school, the incredible academics and the close-knit bond of the 'U's swim and dive team."
Jack Brown (Maple Grove, Minn. - Aquajets Swim Team / Maple Grove Senior High)
Top Times:
100 Free - 46.67
200 Free - 1:39.54
500 Free - 4:28.81
Prep: A Minnesota native, Brown chose to stay close to home after impressing during his strong high school and club career. Over his career, he has tallied multiple top-finishes at some of the state's top meets, most recently helping his high school team to a fifth place finish at the 2021 MSHSL Boys AA State Championships. There, Brown rattled off four, top-four finishes, including touching first in the 500 free, second in the 200 free, third in the 200 free relay and fourth in the 400 free relay. Since then, Brown has also managed to secure the top prelim seed in the 400m free at the 2021 Speedo Sectionals here in Minneapolis, as well as a fourth place finish in the 200m free at the same meet. He will be joining former club teammates Casey Stowe and Jordan McGinty on the Gophers this coming season.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I loved the campus, team and coaches, and I really saw a future here."
Andrew Garner (Naples, Fla. - T2 Aquatics / Barron Collier HS)
Top Times:
50 Free - 20.64
100 Free - 45.10
200 Free - 1:41.31
100 Breast - 55.07
200 Breast - 1:59.74
200 IM - 1:49.50
400 IM - 3:54.34
Prep: A five time FHSAA 3A State champion and three-time All-American, Garner has plenty of speed to help the Gophers over his time donning the Maroon and Gold. Most recently at the high school level, he swept all four of his events at the 2021 FHSAA 3A State Championships, helping his team to their second straight top-two finish at the meet. With experience at some of the nation's top meets already under his belt, including a pair of top-two finishes in the breaststroke events at the Florida CAT Senior Championships, Garner should have an excellent opportunity to thrive with the Gophers beside the reigning NCAA breast champion Max McHugh.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the amazing team culture, coaches and academics."
Josh Johnston (Minnetrista, Minn. - Minnesota Flyers / Mound Westonka HS)
Top Times:
100 Breast - 56.94
200 Breast - 2:03.51
Prep: Another Minnesota native to join the Gophers in 2021-22, Johnston will bring even more power to the Maroon and Gold in the breaststroke. The two-time Scholastic All-American honoree boasted an excellent 4.0 GPA throughout high school, while registering seven high school records in his name and six top-seven finishes at the Minnesota state level with the MN Flyers. Alongside Kaelin and Garner, Johnston rounds out a strong breaststroke class for the Gophers which will ultimately be led by the reigning NCAA Champion Max McHugh.
Why Minnesota: "I love the team dynamic, the people, the coaching staff and I believe Minnesota offers me the best opportunity moving forward as an athlete."
Drew Kaelin (Elkhorn, Neb. - Greater Omaha Aquatics / Creighton Prep HS)
Top Times:
100 Breast - 56.04
200 Breast - 2:03.79
Prep: A six-time NSAA Class A State medalist and one-time State champion, Kaelin comes to Minnesota after a superb career in Omaha, Neb. At the 2021 NSAA Class A State Championships, Kaelin recorded a top-four finish in all four of his events to help lead his team to the Runner-Up title. Even more impressive may have been his performance at the 18&U Winter Championships earlier in the year, where he secured two finals berths en route to a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke. The two-time All-American should have the chance to play a pivotal role for the Gophers this coming season.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because of the amazing facilities, coaching staff and academics."
Tommy McCarthy (Edina, Minn. - Edina Swim Club / Edina HS)
Top Times:
100 Fly - 50.91
200 Fly - 1:53.34
Prep: The third of four male Minnesota natives to join the Gopher ranks in 2021-22, McCarthy hails from just 15 minutes southwest of campus in Edina, Minn. There, he competed for both Edina High School and Swim Club, compiling quite the resume in recent years while doing so. In 2021 alone, McCarthy has recorded four top-seven finishes at the Minnesota state level, the best of which was a bronze medal finish in the 400m IM at the Minnesota Long Course Senior State Championships. He has also finaled at the Speedo Sectionals, Minnesota Senior Championships and MSHSL Boys Class AA State Championships in just the past year and a half. McCarthy will be competing alongside his older sister Kelli with the Gophers for the 2021-22 season, who was named a team captain earlier this summer.
Why Minnesota: "The University of Minnesota has been my favorite school for a while and I love the campus and the school as a whole."
Matthew Mitchell (La Porte, Ind. - RipFest / La Porte HS)
Top Scores:
1-Meter - 343.88
3-Meter - 308.35
Platform - 286.65
Previous College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Prep: Mitchell joins the Maroon and Gold after spending his first collegiate season in 2019-20 at Wisconsin. In that season, the La Porte, Ind. native managed to qualify for the 2020 NCAA Zone D Championships on both springboard events, finaling in the one-meter before he eventually placed 17th overall. Since then, Mitchell has stayed busy in the diving well, competing at a pair of Invitationals in 2021 with four top-four spots to show for it. He will join a diving group led by U.S. Olympic Diving Trials Finalist Jake Butler, and should make an automatic impact for the Gophers.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I was looking for a new home where I could grow and become a part of a family, while still competing at the highest level. I'm looking forward to meeting and being a part of that family soon!"
Chris Morris (Saint Cloud, Minn. - Saint Croix Swim Club / Saint Cloud Technical HS)
Top Times:
200 Free - 1:37.82
500 Free - 4:33.34
100 Fly - 48.11**
200 Fly - 1:48.45
200 IM - 1:50.04
400 IM - 3:56.41
** - MSHSL State Record
Prep: Morris should be an immediate factor for the Gophers in 2021-22, as the two-time 2021 MSHSL Boys Class AA State Champion and state record holder from Saint Cloud, Minn. is coming off of his best season yet. In his summer club season, Morris managed to record four top-four finishes at the Speedo Sectionals to qualify for the Speedo Summer Championships earlier this month. There, Morris managed to place eighth in the 200m IM in personal best fashion to wrap up his summer season, and now heads into his first season with the Maroon and Gold ready to make waves.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because of the incredible coaching staff, amazing team and how well supported the student-athletes are. From the moment I stepped on campus, I could tell that this was a place I could call my home."
Bar Soloveychik (Kiryat Motzkin, Israel - Israeli Swimming Federation)
Top Times:
100 Free - 45.08*
200 Free - 1:35.48*
500 Free - 4:17.44*
1000 Free - 8:57.14*
1650 Free - 15:08.67*
* - Times converted via SwimSwam Time Converter
Prep: One of the top recruits of the 2021-22 class nationwide, Soloveychik should make an instant impact for the Gophers at nearly every level of the sport. His lifetime best (converted from LCM) time in the 500 free would have earned him an 'A' finals berth and fourth place finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, and his 1650 time would have placed tenth overall at the same meet. In his career swimming for the Israeli Swimming Federation, he has competed at multiple continental junior championships as well as the 2019 World University Games, peaking with a gold medal finish in the 4x200m at the 2018 Junior European Championships. Having spent the past year specifically training to make the Israeli Olympic Swimming Team for the 2020 Games, Soloveychik will be joining the Gophers primed to immediately make his presence known every time he touches the water.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota for the high-level performance, the coaching staff and the excellent academics."
"This draft class should be another strong and impactful one for the program," said Minnesota head coach Kelly Kremer. "We have a vision for where we want this program to go, and we truly believe that this class of student-athletes will be essential in getting us there. They reflect everything it means to be a Gopher, from their values to their attitudes and work ethic, and we are so excited they are here with us in Minneapolis!"
WOMEN
Oksana Chaput (Winnipeg, Manitoba - Manta Swim Club)
Top Times:
50 Free - 23.00*
100 Free - 49.81*
200 Free - 1:48.52*
100 Fly - 54.67*
200 Fly - 2:03.49*
* - Times converted via SwimSwam Time Converter
Prep: Hailing from Manitoba, Canada, Chaput joins the Maroon and Gold after a long, successful career with the Manta Swim Club. In 2019 alone, Chaput tallied a total of 10 top-three performances at the Canadian Junior Championships and Speedo Western Canadian Championships combined, including a gold medal finish in the 200 free and 100 fly, each. She has also seen action at a number of top events around the continent, including the TYR Pro Swim Series, Toyota US Open Swim Championships and the Canadian National Summer Games. Additionally, all three of her converted freestyle times would have earned her a Big Ten Conference Championship finals berth in 2021, suggesting she should have an immediate impact for the Gophers in 2022.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota for its high academic standards. In addition, as a member of the Gopher swimming & diving team, what sets it apart is its competitive drive and strong team culture, as well as the extraordinary coaching staff. The moment I stepped on campus and met the coaches and the team, I knew this was the perfect spot for me. I'm excited to represent the University of Minnesota and be part of a history of swimming and academic excellence!"
Hannah Cornish (Port Perry, Ontario - Uxbridge Swim Club)
Top Times:
50 Free - 22.37*
100 Free - 49.53*
200 Free - 1:47.56*
100 Fly - 54.57*
100 Back - 55.36*
* - Times converted via SwimSwam Time Converter
Prep: Cornish most recently saw competitive waters at the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials, where she managed to record a fifth place finish in the 50 free with an exceptional personal best time of 25.64. Converted to SCY (22.37), that same time would have earned her the seventh fastest time of the event at the Big Ten Championships with an 'A' final berth to accompany it. Swimming for the Uxbridge Swim Club, Cornish has appeared in some of the top-meets across the Great North, including the Canadian Trials and both the Canadian Senior & Junior Championships.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the supportive coaching staff, positive team atmosphere, and great academic opportunities."
Eliot Kennedy (Bloomington, Ill. - Bloomington Normal YMCA Waves)
Top Times:
500 Free - 4:51.34
1000 Free - 9:55.48
1650 Free - 16:24.84
Prep: A distance specialist from Illinois, Kennedy has the potential to make an instant impact for the Gophers herself. As her personal best time of 16:24.84 in the mile would have placed her twelfth at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, Kennedy should provide excellent depth in the stroke for Minnesota in her time here. The three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American has notched a plethora of finals appearances at the Illinois Senior Championships over her past two seasons, including a pair of silver medal finishes in 2019 in both distance events.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because both the swimming program and the stature of the University were impressive. The swim team has amazing coaches and an outstanding team culture."
Kate LaMonica (Chagrin Falls, Ohio - American Flyers Diving / Chagrin Falls HS)
Top Scores:
1-Meter (11) - 445.35
Prep: LaMonica joins the Gophers coming off of her best season to date in 2021, where the 2020 NISCA All-American and three-time All-State honoree earned a silver medal at the OHSAA State Championships with a personal best 11-dive score of 445.35. In fact, in LaMonica's four years of high school diving, she has managed to set and hold onto her high school's team record for the one-meter board while never finishing below tenth at a state meet. She also dove for the American Flyers Diving club, where she made appearances at both the USA Nationals and AAU Nationals events.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because I loved the city campus feel, the school had many majors I was interested in and the team environment is something that I would love to be a part of!"
Av Osero (Neenah, Wis. - Neenah HS)
Top Scores:
1-Meter (11) - 515.20
3-Meter - 413.10
Previous College: University of Iowa
Prep: Osero has been widely regarded as one of the best divers to come out of the state of Wisconsin since her freshman year, acquiring four-straight State Championship titles, All-American honors and Wisconsin Division I Female Diver of the Year awards. She has a plethora of impressive national finishes on her record as well, the most recent of which came at the 2019 USA Diving Juniors when she placed 17th on the three-meter board. Osero transferred to Minnesota before the 2020-21 season officially began, but did not compete with the team last season.
Why Minnesota: "I chose to come to Minnesota after my previous program had been cut. At first, I was pretty devastated about that, but now that I'm here, I wouldn't change it for the world. This team made me feel included and loved as soon as I arrived, and I couldn't be prouder to be a Minnesota Gopher!"
Lyndsey Wehr (Highlands Ranch, Colo. - Highlands Ranch Aquatics / Arapahoe Senior HS)
Top Times:
50 Free - 23.15
100 Free - 50.93
200 Free - 1:51.82
Prep: Wehr has seen action at a number of high-level competitions this summer, two of the most prestigious of which were Wave I of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials and the West Fargo USA Swimming Futures. The three-time All-American registered a pair of finals appearances at the latter of the two meets, including a fourth place finish in the 50 free. Additionally, she capped off her high school career with a CHSAA 5A State title in the 50 free this past March, which she complimented with a silver medal finish in the 100 free to help her team earn a sixth place finish overall.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I loved the team atmosphere, coaching staff and the amazing facilities."
Summer West (Huntington Beach, Calif. - Irvine Novaquatics / Huntington Beach HS)
Top Times:
200 Free - 1:50.72
500 Free - 4:53.44
1000 Free - 10:02.71
1650 Free - 16:53.76
Prep: Hailing from Huntington Beach, Calif., West joins the Gophers with some impressive finishes under her belt. She managed to cap off her high school career with a win in the 500 free at the CIF Southern Section Championships this past May, and most recently added a pair of sixth place finishes at the USA Swimming Future Championships in Santa Clarita in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events. Upon joining the Maroon and Gold this coming Fall, West should provide excellent depth for the 'U' in each of the distance events.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the diversity of the school, the incredible academics and the close-knit bond of the 'U's swim and dive team."
MEN
Jack Brown (Maple Grove, Minn. - Aquajets Swim Team / Maple Grove Senior High)
Top Times:
100 Free - 46.67
200 Free - 1:39.54
500 Free - 4:28.81
Prep: A Minnesota native, Brown chose to stay close to home after impressing during his strong high school and club career. Over his career, he has tallied multiple top-finishes at some of the state's top meets, most recently helping his high school team to a fifth place finish at the 2021 MSHSL Boys AA State Championships. There, Brown rattled off four, top-four finishes, including touching first in the 500 free, second in the 200 free, third in the 200 free relay and fourth in the 400 free relay. Since then, Brown has also managed to secure the top prelim seed in the 400m free at the 2021 Speedo Sectionals here in Minneapolis, as well as a fourth place finish in the 200m free at the same meet. He will be joining former club teammates Casey Stowe and Jordan McGinty on the Gophers this coming season.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I loved the campus, team and coaches, and I really saw a future here."
Andrew Garner (Naples, Fla. - T2 Aquatics / Barron Collier HS)
Top Times:
50 Free - 20.64
100 Free - 45.10
200 Free - 1:41.31
100 Breast - 55.07
200 Breast - 1:59.74
200 IM - 1:49.50
400 IM - 3:54.34
Prep: A five time FHSAA 3A State champion and three-time All-American, Garner has plenty of speed to help the Gophers over his time donning the Maroon and Gold. Most recently at the high school level, he swept all four of his events at the 2021 FHSAA 3A State Championships, helping his team to their second straight top-two finish at the meet. With experience at some of the nation's top meets already under his belt, including a pair of top-two finishes in the breaststroke events at the Florida CAT Senior Championships, Garner should have an excellent opportunity to thrive with the Gophers beside the reigning NCAA breast champion Max McHugh.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the amazing team culture, coaches and academics."
Josh Johnston (Minnetrista, Minn. - Minnesota Flyers / Mound Westonka HS)
Top Times:
100 Breast - 56.94
200 Breast - 2:03.51
Prep: Another Minnesota native to join the Gophers in 2021-22, Johnston will bring even more power to the Maroon and Gold in the breaststroke. The two-time Scholastic All-American honoree boasted an excellent 4.0 GPA throughout high school, while registering seven high school records in his name and six top-seven finishes at the Minnesota state level with the MN Flyers. Alongside Kaelin and Garner, Johnston rounds out a strong breaststroke class for the Gophers which will ultimately be led by the reigning NCAA Champion Max McHugh.
Why Minnesota: "I love the team dynamic, the people, the coaching staff and I believe Minnesota offers me the best opportunity moving forward as an athlete."
Drew Kaelin (Elkhorn, Neb. - Greater Omaha Aquatics / Creighton Prep HS)
Top Times:
100 Breast - 56.04
200 Breast - 2:03.79
Prep: A six-time NSAA Class A State medalist and one-time State champion, Kaelin comes to Minnesota after a superb career in Omaha, Neb. At the 2021 NSAA Class A State Championships, Kaelin recorded a top-four finish in all four of his events to help lead his team to the Runner-Up title. Even more impressive may have been his performance at the 18&U Winter Championships earlier in the year, where he secured two finals berths en route to a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke. The two-time All-American should have the chance to play a pivotal role for the Gophers this coming season.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because of the amazing facilities, coaching staff and academics."
Tommy McCarthy (Edina, Minn. - Edina Swim Club / Edina HS)
Top Times:
100 Fly - 50.91
200 Fly - 1:53.34
Prep: The third of four male Minnesota natives to join the Gopher ranks in 2021-22, McCarthy hails from just 15 minutes southwest of campus in Edina, Minn. There, he competed for both Edina High School and Swim Club, compiling quite the resume in recent years while doing so. In 2021 alone, McCarthy has recorded four top-seven finishes at the Minnesota state level, the best of which was a bronze medal finish in the 400m IM at the Minnesota Long Course Senior State Championships. He has also finaled at the Speedo Sectionals, Minnesota Senior Championships and MSHSL Boys Class AA State Championships in just the past year and a half. McCarthy will be competing alongside his older sister Kelli with the Gophers for the 2021-22 season, who was named a team captain earlier this summer.
Why Minnesota: "The University of Minnesota has been my favorite school for a while and I love the campus and the school as a whole."
Matthew Mitchell (La Porte, Ind. - RipFest / La Porte HS)
Top Scores:
1-Meter - 343.88
3-Meter - 308.35
Platform - 286.65
Previous College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Prep: Mitchell joins the Maroon and Gold after spending his first collegiate season in 2019-20 at Wisconsin. In that season, the La Porte, Ind. native managed to qualify for the 2020 NCAA Zone D Championships on both springboard events, finaling in the one-meter before he eventually placed 17th overall. Since then, Mitchell has stayed busy in the diving well, competing at a pair of Invitationals in 2021 with four top-four spots to show for it. He will join a diving group led by U.S. Olympic Diving Trials Finalist Jake Butler, and should make an automatic impact for the Gophers.
Why Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I was looking for a new home where I could grow and become a part of a family, while still competing at the highest level. I'm looking forward to meeting and being a part of that family soon!"
Chris Morris (Saint Cloud, Minn. - Saint Croix Swim Club / Saint Cloud Technical HS)
Top Times:
200 Free - 1:37.82
500 Free - 4:33.34
100 Fly - 48.11**
200 Fly - 1:48.45
200 IM - 1:50.04
400 IM - 3:56.41
** - MSHSL State Record
Prep: Morris should be an immediate factor for the Gophers in 2021-22, as the two-time 2021 MSHSL Boys Class AA State Champion and state record holder from Saint Cloud, Minn. is coming off of his best season yet. In his summer club season, Morris managed to record four top-four finishes at the Speedo Sectionals to qualify for the Speedo Summer Championships earlier this month. There, Morris managed to place eighth in the 200m IM in personal best fashion to wrap up his summer season, and now heads into his first season with the Maroon and Gold ready to make waves.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because of the incredible coaching staff, amazing team and how well supported the student-athletes are. From the moment I stepped on campus, I could tell that this was a place I could call my home."
Bar Soloveychik (Kiryat Motzkin, Israel - Israeli Swimming Federation)
Top Times:
100 Free - 45.08*
200 Free - 1:35.48*
500 Free - 4:17.44*
1000 Free - 8:57.14*
1650 Free - 15:08.67*
* - Times converted via SwimSwam Time Converter
Prep: One of the top recruits of the 2021-22 class nationwide, Soloveychik should make an instant impact for the Gophers at nearly every level of the sport. His lifetime best (converted from LCM) time in the 500 free would have earned him an 'A' finals berth and fourth place finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, and his 1650 time would have placed tenth overall at the same meet. In his career swimming for the Israeli Swimming Federation, he has competed at multiple continental junior championships as well as the 2019 World University Games, peaking with a gold medal finish in the 4x200m at the 2018 Junior European Championships. Having spent the past year specifically training to make the Israeli Olympic Swimming Team for the 2020 Games, Soloveychik will be joining the Gophers primed to immediately make his presence known every time he touches the water.
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota for the high-level performance, the coaching staff and the excellent academics."