American University Announces 18 Newcomers For 2024-25 Season

Courtesy: American Athletics

WASHINGTON – Fourth-year head coach Garland Bartlett of American University men’s and women’s swimming & diving has announced the addition of 18 newcomers to the program for 2024-25. With a total of 56 student-athletes (30 women and 26 men), this is one of the largest rosters the team has ever seen in its history, and the incoming athletes will only add to the team’s depth and speed.

“I am extremely excited about our first years this upcoming season,” said Bartlett. “Not only is it a very talented group of student-athletes, the team and coaching staff have gotten to know each of them well through the recruiting process. Their goals, enthusiasm, and mentality in and out of the pool align perfectly with what we are creating for our swim and dive program.”

Incoming Women’s Recruits:

Demetra Bicos is originally from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She swam competitively for Bloomfield Hills High School and the club team Birmingham Dolphins. She was a three-time Bloomfield Swimmer of the Year as well as team captain. In her club career, Bicos was a two-time qualifier for the YMCA Nationals and winner of the 400 IM at the Great Lakes Zone YMCA Championships.

With the addition of the C-final this past year at the Patriot League Championships, Bicos has a good shot to final in multiple events during her first year. Her best time in the 200 free (1:54.43) would place her 24th at the conference meet. Bicos’ best 100 breaststroke (1:06.03) would put her in the C-final at 19th, right between rising sophomore Lian Jeong Engle, who placed 21st, and rising junior Grace Netz, who won the C-final at 17th.

Bicos’ best times:
100 Y Breast: 1:06.03
200 Y Free: 1:54.43
500 Y Free: 5:04.82
200 Y IM: 2:08.62

Piper Crosby comes to Washington from Minneapolis. Growing up she swam with the Hurricanes Swim Team and the Breck-Blake High School varsity team. She was a six-year letterwinner for Breck-Blake and the 2023 Section 2A Athlete of the Year. Crosby finished her high school career winning the 100 backstroke at the MSHSL Girls Class A State Championship and was runner-up in the 50 freestyle.

Coming into AU, Crosby will make an immediate impact on the women’s team both in individual events and relays. Her best 100 backstroke (54.78) would rank her second all-time at AU, behind nine-time Patriot League medalist Mimi Watts. Along with her 100 back, Crosby’s 50 freestyle (23.66) would rank her sixth all-time, and her 100 freestyle (51.91) would rank eighth. She would have been a finalist in all three events at the 2024 Patriot League Championship, with her highest placement being third in the 100 backstroke.

Crosby’s best times:
100 Y back: 54.78
50 Y Free: 23.66
100 Y Free: 51.91

Ciera Fujiwara will travel 4,822 miles across the country from Honolulu, Hawaii. She swam for the Iolani Swim Club and was a member of the Punahau School varsity team. During her high school career, she was a member of the three-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu and Hawaii state champion team. Fujiwara helped her club team this season to three top-20 relay finishes at the long course Speedo Sectionals in Phoenix. She swam in the 800 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay. She also was a member of her high school JROTC and plans on continuing in Army ROTC while at American.

Fujiwara’s best times:
100 Y Fly: 59.14
100 Y Free: 55.34
200 Y Free: 2:01.00

Grace Gilbert hails from Wilmington, Del., and swam for Diamondhead Aquatics as well as the Tower Hill School. She was named to the All-State First Team in her sophomore, junior and senior years. She was able to achieve this accolade by helping set the state record in the 200 free and 400 free relays. Along with setting those records at the Delaware High School State Championship, she placed second in the 50 free and 100 free.

Gilbert’s experience on those record-setting relays will prove to be a big help to the Eagles throughout the season. On that 200 free relay, she split a 24.70, and on the 400 free relay, she led off in 53.75. Along with her relay experience, Gilbert has seen much improvement in her long-course freestyle throughout high school.

Gilbert’s best times:
50 L Free: 27.53
100 L Free: 1:00.43
200 Y Free: 1:57.61

Mallorie Jeremiah from Glen Mills, Pa., swam for the Wilmington Aquatic Club and Garnet Valley High School. Jeremiah was First Team All-Central League as a junior and senior. In 2023, she was a two-time qualifier for the NCSA Summer championship in the 200 L freestyle (2:14.43) and 200 L breaststroke (2:49.53).

Along with her long-course experience, Jeremiah excels at short-course breaststroke. Her best time in the 200 breaststroke (2:22.62) would have placed 12th in the B-final at the 2024 Patriot League Championship. She would’ve been the Eagles’ top qualifier in that event. Jeremiah will also make some waves in the Eagles’ distance group, with her top 1,000 Freestyle (10:35.36) ranking 12th all-time at AU.

Jeremiah’s best times:
200 Y Breast: 2:22.62
1000 Y Free: 10:35.36
1500 L Free: 18:11.42

Claire Mosher is a distance IM specialist from Exeter, N.H. She swam club for SOLO Aquatics and was a member of the Exeter High School varsity team. She is a five-time Futures qualifier in the 800 L free, 1500 L free, 100 L Fly, 200 L Fly, and 400 L IM.

Mosher’s long course prowess ranked her as one of the Top 10 New England LSC swimmers. Along with her high club rankings, Mosher could be a multiple-event scorer for the Eagles at the Patriot League Championship. Her best 400 IM (4:34.02) would have placed her 20th at the 2024 championship and 21st in the 1,650 freestyle (17:38.92), right above recent graduate Mallory Meister.

Mosher’s best times:
100 L Fly: 1:04.44
400 Y IM: 4:34.02
1000 Y Free: 10:32.36
1650 Y Free: 17:38.92

Marin Priddy travels to AU from Camp Lejune, N.C. Growing up in a military family, Priddy swam for 11 different teams across seven states. One of those stops was in the DMV where she swam for the Nation’s Capital Swim Club. This past year she swam for the Waves of Wilmington Swim Team and Lejeune High School.

Priddy will be a great addition to the team’s breaststroke group with the ability to score in the 100 breaststroke at the conference championships. Her best time (1:04.82) would have placed 18th at the 2024 Patriot League Championship right behind rising junior Grace Netz. Along with that, her 100 breaststroke would rank seventh all-time at AU.

Priddy’s best times:
100 Y Breast: 1:04.82
200 Y Free: 1:56.01
50 L Free: 24.47

Hailey Rees, a Texas native, comes to AU as a distance specialist. She grew up swimming club for The Woodlands Swim Team and The Woodlands High School. She is a two-time Speedo Sectionals qualifier in the 100 freestyle and 500 freestyle.

Rees comes in with the ability to be right on the cusp of the top 16 in the 1,650 freestyle at next year’s Patriot League Championship. Her best time (17:31.86) would have placed her 17th at the 2024 championship. Also, Rees’ best time in the 1,000 freestyle (10:29.83) would rank her 10th all-time at AU. Her distance ability will prove a great asset to the team this coming season.

Rees’ best times:
100 Y Free: 52.02
500 Y Free: 5:04.12
1000 Y Free: 10:29.83
1650 Y Free: 17:31.86

Brooke Vos hails from New Paltz, N.Y., specializing in backstroke and IM. This year at the NYSPHAA Section 9 Championship, she was the runner-up in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. In 2023, she won the Section 9 100 backstroke title with her best time of 58.77.

She not only has a strong 100 backstroke, but a great 200 backstroke as well. Her best time of 2:04.97 would have placed her 19th at the 2024 Patriot League Championship, three spots behind graduate student Sasha Uspenskaya. That 200 backstroke time would also rank her 13th all-time at AU. Vos would have also made the C-final of the 100 backstroke (58.77) this year at the 2024 championship, placing 23rd.

Vos’ best times:
100 Y Back: 58.77
200 Y Back: 2:04.97
200 Y IM: 2:09.10

Incoming Men’s Recruits:

Cole Coffman from Stroudsburg, Pa., comes to Washington as a butterfly and backstroke specialist. He swam for the Parkland Swimming Club and was a four-year letterwinner at Nazareth Area High School. He comes to AU as a two-time PIAA District champion in 2023 and 2024.

Last summer, Coffman swam three races at the Eastern Zone Senior Championship. He made the C-final of the 200 L back with a time of 2:17.45 and the B-final in the 200 fly swimming a 2:12.31. His long course ability also transfers to short course yards. At the 2024 Middle Atlantic Senior Championship he made the C-final in the 200 backstroke with a 1:55.70.

Coffman’s best times:
200 Y Fly: 1:54.10
100 Y Fly: 51.14
200 Y Back: 1:55.70

Olaoluwadeji Jones (Deji) comes from up the road in Bethesda, Md. He swam for the DMV area team Machine Aquatics and was the two-time captain of the Landon School varsity team. While at Landon, he set the school record in the 100 breaststroke and was named a Potomac Valley Swim Swimming Scholar Athlete from 2020 through 2023.

Jones specializes in breaststroke, recently qualifying for this year’s NCSA Summer Championship in the 100 and 200 long course breaststroke. He also swam at the NCSA Spring Championship where he added the 200 short course IM to his event lineup. He’ll prove a useful asset to the Eagles, adding to their breaststroke depth.

Jones’ best times:
100 Y Breast: 58.46
200 Y Breast: 2:12.11
200 Y IM: 2:05.30

Sam Kohm is the lone incoming transfer in the class, coming from the University of Georgia. He is originally from Philadelphia, but has been recently training with the TAC Titans in Cary, N.C. Kohm comes to AU as a member of the USA Deaf National Team. At the 2023 Deaf World Championships, Kohm came home with some major hardware, winning one gold medal, two silver medals, and one bronze. Along with his medals from the meet, he holds two Deaf American records.

While at Georgia, Kohm was a jack-of-all-trades, swimming mid-distance free, IM, and butterfly. The best times he set with the Bulldogs would have qualified him for three finals at the 2024 Patriot League Championship. In the 400 IM (4:00.28) and 200 fly (1:49.17), Kohm would have made the B-finals. In the 500 free, Kohm would have placed 19th in the C-final right above rising senior Seamus Brown.

Kohm’s best times:
500 Y Free: 4:34.98
200 Y Fly: 1:49.17
400 Y IM: 4:00.28

Luke Martens hails from Naperville, Ill., bringing his IM and mid-distance free prowess to American. He swam club for the Fox Valley Swim Team and earned an All-American relay title with his high school team, Waubonsie Valley. Along with his All-American title, he is a three-time Futures qualifier in the 400 IM, 200 Free, and 200 IM.

Martens can make a big difference for the men’s team, as two of his best times would have scored at the 2024 Patriot League Championship. His 400 IM would’ve placed 20th in the C-Final. Marten’s 200 free would have placed him 23rd right behind rising sophomore, Lucas Standridge, who finished 19th.

Martens’ best times:
400 Y Im: 4:02.41
200 Y Free: 1:41.52
200 Y IM: 1:53.77

Sean Memon is one of two incoming divers for the class of 2028. Memon is from the DMV area coming to AU from Arlington, Virginia. He dove for the Alexandria Dive Club and graduated high school with an associate’s degree in business from the Arlington Career Center.

Memon will help bolster AU’s diving program with a personal record of 226 for a six-dive list on the 1-meter. He was a regional qualifier all four years in high school for diving. Memon will be a crucial asset at dual meets for the Eagles alongside senior dive captain, Griffin Batt.

Memon’s top dives:
1 meter: 226
1 meter (11 dives): 303.95

Gray Miller joins Memon as the other diving recruit for the class of 2028. Originally from Outer Banks, N.C., Miller will help add depth to the diving roster in both the 1-meter and 3-meter. He went to First Flight High School and dove on the K2 Diving club team. While at First Flight, Miller placed third at the NCHSAA 3A State Championships.

His career bests include 1-meter 11 dives with a 450.15, and 3-meter 11 dives with a 413.80.

Miller’s top dives:
1 Meter (11 dives): 450.15

In the Patriot League, three divers count as one individual roster spot on a championship roster. This will be the first time in over a decade that American will have the ability to have three divers compete in the Patriot League Championships.

Ryan Pursley is a fly specialist from Rochester, Mich. He competed on the Utica Shelby Swim Club and Stoney Creek High School varsity team. Throughout his high school career, he was a four-time all-state and all-league honoree. He also helped lead Stoney Creek to a county and league championship in 2022.

Coming into AU, Pursely will have the ability to make some of the AU All-Time Top 16 Lists. His best time in the 100 backstroke (51.79) would put him right at 16th all-time at AU. Along with that, he’s right on the cusp of the Top 16 in both the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly. He’ll be a crucial asset to some of AU’s relays throughout the season.

Pursley’s best times:
200 Y Fly: 1:55.22
100 Y Fly: 51.32
100 Y Back: 51.79

Zachary Rothman from Cornwall, N.Y. is a two-time NYSPHAA Section IX champion and a three-time state qualifier. Rothman swam club for the New York Sharks and varsity for Cornwall Central High School. This season, Rothman earned two Section IX championship titles in the 200 freestyle (1:42.72) and the 500 freestyle. This led to him being named Swimmer of the Meet.

Rothman can swim multiple freestyle events ranging from the 200 freestyle up to the 1,650 freestyle. His best times in both the 500 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle would have scored at the 2024 Patriot League Championship. His best 500 freestyle (4:37.98) would have placed him 24th right behind rising senior, Seamus Brown, and his 1,650 freestyle (16:18.28) would have put him in 21st right above Brown at 22nd. The two will be great training partners to push themselves even higher up in the conference rankings.

Rothman’s best times:
200 Y Free: 1:42.72
500 Y Free: 4:37.98
1000 Y Free: 9:39.24
1650 Y Free: 15:18.28

Charlie St. Louis is a DMV native from Burke, Va., specializing in sprint breaststroke. He swam for Machine Aquatics and Lake Braddock Secondary School. This season, he was a member of two winning relays at the VHSL Class 6 State championship in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

He was a four-time NCSA spring championship qualifier in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and 100 butterfly. St. Louis has also an impressive resume in the long course as well. In 2023, he qualified for the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. He’ll prove crucial to the Eagles in relays throughout the season with his sprint stroke ability.

St. Louis’ best times:
50 L Free: 24.34
100 Y Free: 48.09
100 Y Breast: 59.92

(L) = long course meters
(Y) = short course yards