CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois swimming and diving head coach Sue Novitsky has announced the addition of four spring National Letter of Intent signees that will join the Fighting Illini on campus this fall. Recent signees include some familiar names in Molly Hein and Fiona McDermott who will follow in their elder sisters’ footsteps wearing the orange and blue. Additionally, Rebecca Corzine and diver Morgan Young signed on with Novitsky’s program.
Rebecca Corzine
Notes: NCSA Junior National qualifier … Qualified for the finals in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke at the 2016 Sectionals … Personal-best 100 butterfly time of :57.92 … Lifetime-best mark of 1:07.36 in the 100 breaststroke … Swam for the CSP Tideriders Club Team.
Coach Novitsky on Corzine: “Rebecca is coming off a strong summer season and short course season. We are looking forward to helping her continue to improve in all areas and become an impact player in our lineup. Rebecca is a hard worker and is very strong academically. She will add to the Illinois legacy in her family, following in her mother’s footsteps. We are excited to add a quality person and athlete like Rebecca to the team.”
Molly Hein:
Notes: Lifetime-best 100 butterfly time of :58.27 … Personal-best mark of 2:11.74 in the 200 butterfly … Four-year swimming letter winner … Member of the 2015 State Championship Team and 2013 State Runner-Up Team … Second place finish in the 100 butterfly at the 2015 Wisconsin High School Sectional Meet … Top-16 finish in the 100 butterfly at the 2015 Wisconsin Division 1 State Meet … 2015 All-State in the 200 medley relay … 2016 Lake Country Swim team Coach’s Award … Four-time Lake Country Speedo Sectional team member … Eight-time member of Lake Country State team … Sister Stephanie was a member of the Fighting Illini from 2012-16.
Coach Novitsky on Hein: “Molly is a terrific addition to our team. She has a great personality, strong work ethic and strong academics; those are key qualities that we look for in our student-athletes. Molly is the younger sister of graduating senior Stephanie Heinand just like her sister I expect that we will be able to help her improve in the pool. We are looking forward to having another member of the Hein family on the team.”
Fiona McDermott
Notes: Three-time JCSA Junior National qualifier … Lifetime-best time of 2:07.95 in the 200 individual medley … Personal-best reading of 1:07.52 in the 100 breaststroke … Top mark of 5:08.83 in the 500 freestyle … Four-year varsity swimming letterwinner … School record holder in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:06.02 … Three-time All-Conference selection … Named All-State … Three-time IHSA State qualifier … Three older sisters, Darragh, Callan and Sloane, who have all swam or dove for the Fighting Illini.
Coach Novitsky on McDermott: “We are excited to add the last McDermott to the team next season. Fiona brings enthusiasm, a positive attitude and hard work to her academics and to her swimming. She has a great range of events that will help us out in our meet lineups. We are looking forward to working with Fiona and helping her continue to develop. All of the McDermott sisters have worn the Orange & Blue with pride and we expect Fiona to carry on that tradition.”
Morgan Young
Notes: Two-year diving letterwinner … Holds the Wheaton Co-Op 11-dive record at 425.55 … 2015 State qualifier and went on to place 15th … 2014 trampoline national champion … Member of the Wheaton Warrenville South Athletic Leadership council.
Coach Waters on Young: “Morgan is incredibly passionate about the sport of diving and knows how to work hard in order to achieve her goals. Her background in trampoline will be of great benefit to her and its going to be fun seeing her diving develop over these next few years. She makes a terrific fit with the girls on our team too and will bring a tremendous amount of positive energy to the program as well. I’m really looking forward to Morgan joining us this fall!”
Swimming news courtesy of Illinois Swimming & Diving.
