INDIANAPOLIS – Potentially one of the most exciting and experienced signing classes in recent memory, the IUPUI women’s swimming and diving teams have announced the addition of five swimmers and two divers for the 2016-17 seasons.
The signing class includes Claudia Crawford, Samantha Roll, Eline Van den Bossche, Jenna Durham, Rachel Metzger, Blaire Wills, and Carolyn Dietz.
“This is a large and talented class that we are incredibly excited about,” Head Coach Matt Bossaid. “There will be an immediate impact that this class will make and there is an excitement about the potential down the road. We have a good amount of big meet experience within the group that will benefit us as we get to championship season. On top of a lot of athletic talent this group will be great in the classroom and no doubt help to continue the great academic success of our program.”
Crawford attended Castle High School in Evansville, Indiana, while also competing for the Newburgh Sea Creatures Club Team. She competed in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke events, as well as the 200 IM. Crawford boasts a 1:04.80 time in the 100 Breaststroke, which currently bests IUPUI’s freshman record. She finished in the Top 16 at the IHSAA State Championships during the 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons. In addition to her accomplishments in the pool, Crawford was also a two-time Academic All-American and will be a Pre-Nursing major while at IUPUI.
Roll attended Middleton High School in Cross Plains, Wisconsin, also swimming for the Badger Aquatics Club Team. She competed in the 50, 100 and 200 Freestyle events. Her 53.03 mark in the 100 Free is just 0.24 seconds short of the IUPUI freshman record. She was named both the Captain and Most Valuable Player while at Middleton in 2015, while being named a WIAA HS State Qualifier from 2013 to 2015.
Van den Bossche hails from Victhen, Luxembourg, where she competed in the 100 and 200 Backstroke events while also taking part in the 200 IM. While there, she qualified for the 2016 European Championships in London, as well as the Youth European Championships in Hungary. She is a four-time Luxembourg National Champion and was also a bronze medalist at the Games of the Small States in Iceland. Van den Bossche was also a member of Luxembourg’s 2015 European Championships team in Netanya. Her current personal best times in the 200 IM (2:23.33) and the 200 Back (2:19.97) already best the IUPUI freshman records in those respective events.
Durham comes to Indianapolis after swimming at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio. While there, she also participated in the Ohio State Swim Club. She participated in both the 100 Butterfly and 100 Freestyle events, earning marks of 1:01.36 and 55.05, respectively.
Metzger is an in-state swimmer from Wheeler High School in Valparaiso, Indiana. She was a member of the Mako Swim Team and participated in both the 100 and 200 Butterfly events while also taking part in the 400 IM. She posted a 1:00.33 mark in the 100 Fly while also notching a 2:11.09 in the 200. Her best 400 IM time came in at 4:41.71.
Wills comes to IUPUI from Homestead High School in Roanoke, Indiana, where she was also a member of the Indiana International School of Diving. Heresister, Bailey Wills, is already a member of the Jag family and will be entering her senior season. Blaire finished in seventh place at the 2015 IHSAA State Finals in the one-meter springboard event. While at IUPUI, she will pursue a degree in Psychology.
Dietz hails from Lockport Township High School in Homer Glenn, Illinois, and was part of the Windy City Dive Club. She was a two-sport athlete in high school, qualifying for IHSA in the one-meter springboard event while also qualifying in the triple jump and pole-vaulting events as part of the track and field teams. Dietz was a four-time IHSA State Qualifier in the one-meter event, while finishing in seventh place her senior season. She’ll study Biology/Health Sciences while at IUPUI.
Swimming news courtesy of IUPUI Swimming & Diving.
