The St. Bonaventure University women’s swimming and diving program will welcome seven freshmen for the Fall of 2017, head coach Brian Thomas announced.
Lina Kutsko, Gerle Kerecsen, Katrina Wardner, Mia Cote, Casey Prentice, Makenna McCartney and Riley Parker will all compete for the Bonnies beginning in the fall.
“Of course, given the accomplishments of our incoming class and where they stand within the Atlantic 10, we’re very excited to welcome the next generation of swimmers and divers to St. Bonaventure,” Thomas said. “As always, it’s my goal to surround our program with the best people possible – both athletes and support staff – and I think we accomplished that with our first recruiting class. Beyond their scoring potential in the pool and on the boards, I believe that these seven women can contribute to our culture in a very positive way.”
Kutsko will come to St. Bonaventure from Wheeling, Ill. Swimming for the CATS Aquatic Team and coach Vlad Pyshnenko, she competed in the 100-Butterfly (54.1), 50-Freestyle (23.5), 100-Freestyle (50.4) and 200-Freestyle (1:50.1). Kutsko is a Speedo Junior National qualifier in the 100-Butterfly, and her times in the freestyle events would place her in the top 10 in the Atlantic 10 in each event.
Kerecsen joins the Bonnies from Hodmezovasarhely, Hungary. At her high school of Hiszk Eotvos Jozsef Technical, she swam the 100-Breaststroke (1:02.76), 200-Breaststroke (2:17.08) and 50-Freestyle (23.70), with times that put her among the conference’s top swimmers in her events.
A native of Orchard Park, N.Y., Wardner joins the program having swam for Orchard Park High School and the Town Wrecker Swim Team. She swam the 100-Butterfly (55.6), 200-Butterfly (2:05.7), 200-IM (2:06.10), 400-IM (4:29.1), 50-Freestyle (24.2), 100-Freestyle (52.5), 200-Freestyle (1:53.6) and 100-Backstroke (58.0). Her relay team is the Section VI record holder in 200-Medley Relay, and she finished seventh in the 200-IM and fourth in the 100-Butterfly at states her senior year. In club action, she is a three-time NCSA Jr. National Qualifier. Wardner was coached by SBU swimming and diving alum and St. Bonaventure Athletics Hall of Famer Becky Sapio.
From Glens Falls, N.Y., Cote will come to St. Bonaventure having swam for Glens Falls High School — where she holds nine school and pool records — and the Glens Falls YMCA. She swam the 100-Butterfly (55.5), 200-Butterfly (2:06.9) and 200-Freestyle (1:53.7). She is a five-time Section II Division II Champion and NYS qualifier in 100-Butterfly. She received both the Section II Scholar Athlete Award and Coaches Award, and she held the highest grade point average on her team for two seasons.
A sprinter, Prentice comes to St. Bonaventure from Arnold, Md., where she swam for her high school, Archbishop Spalding and the Central Maryland YMCA. She swam the 50-Freestyle (24.1), 100-Freestyle (52.4) and 100-Butterfly (58.0). She was the National Catholics Champion in the 50-Freestyle, and finished second in the 100-Freestyle. Prentice was also named the 2017 National Catholic Championship’s Most Valuable Athlete. In club action, she was a State, Sectional and National qualifier.
McCartney, a native of Saginaw, Mich. and a member of the Flint YMCA, swam the 400-IM (4:35.1), 500-Freestyle (5:09.5) and 1,000-Freestyle (10:45.2) at Heritage High School where she collected many accolades, including All-State Swimmer, Wendy’s National Heisman High School Award and Saginaw Swim Officials Outstanding Swimmer.
Finally, Parker will join the Bonnies as a diver. From Dayton, Ohio, Parker scored 10th at the OHSAA State Meet in the 1-meter dive with a score of 392.95. In the 3-meter, her career-best score is 426.15.
“Success in a competitive environment like ours is totally reliant on all facets of the organization working toward a common goal, and that’s probably the best way for us to separate ourselves from the rest of the pack,” Thomas said. “If these seven women are prepared to do that, then I think the sky’s the limit for our team.”
News courtesy St. Bonaventure Athletics.
