Courtesy: TCU Athletics
FORT WORTH — TCU swim and dive welcomes 11 young men in its 2020 recruiting class, head coach James Winchester announced today.
Charlie Brennig
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: The Kinkaid School
Club Team: Swim Houston Aquatic Center
Highlights: Appeared twice on the podium at last summer’s NCSA.
Summer Junior and US Open qualifier.
Four-year member of All-State Team.
Two-time finalist at 2020 Texas Southwest Preparatory Conference Championship – 2nd place in 200 free (1:43.99) and 500 free (4:36.01).
Two-time finalist at 2019 NCSA Summer Swimming Championship – 7th place in 1500 free (16:11.77) and 8th place in 800 free (8:25.28).
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU because of the great team chemistry, the great coaching, and the great business school,” Brennig said. “I couldn’t be more excited to put on the purple and race this fall. Go Frogs!”
Coach Quote: “Charlie comes to us from the well-known Swim Houston Aquatic Club, and has already been showing times that reflect just a hint of his true potential,” assistant coach Nathan Lavery said. “An extremely hard worker with an aggressive racing style, Charlie should make an immediate impact amongst our men’s distance swimming ranks and as a team contributor.”
Aidan Clark
Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas
High School: Flower Mound High School
Club Team: Lakeside Aquatic Club
Highlights: Futures and State qualifier.
Two-time finalist at UIL 6A District 5 Championship – 2nd place in 500 free (4:41.94) and 3rd place in 200 free (1:44.01).
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU because as soon as I walked on campus I was welcomed to an engaging, hardworking family,” Clark said.
Coach Quote: “We are excited to welcome Aidan to our Frog family, with his hard work and dedication; the sky’s the limit for him,” assistant coach Jean Madison said. “He has yet to reach his potential which we are excited to watch him thrive here at TCU. Aidan brings out the best in others, with his positivity and sense of humor he will fit right in with our kids.”
Bryce Flynn
Hometown: Austin, Texas
High School: Vista Ridge High School
Club Team: Nitro Swimming
Highlights: Two-time finalist at 2020 Texas UIL 6A Region 3 Championship – 3rd place in both the 200 (1:40.69) and 500 (4:36.59) free.
Two-time finalist at 2019 Texas UIL 6A Region 3 Championship – 4th place in both the 200 (1:40.95) and 500 (4:35.13) free.
Jr. Nationals appearance
Futures podium finish
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU because of it’s appealing engineering program and the team’s culture,” Flynn said. “It really felt like a family and something I’d be honored to contribute to for my next four years.”
Coach Quote: “Bryce’s undeniable excellence in the classroom and focused work ethic in the pool fits perfectly with our team mission to develop the leaders of tomorrow through world class academic and athletic experiences,” Lavery said. “His ambition and drive to compete in every area of life will add to our program goals well into the future.”
Danny Henry
Hometown: Dripping Springs, Texas
High School: Dripping Springs High School
Club Team: Longhorn Aquatics
Highlights: Placed fifth in the 500 free (4:36.25) at the Texas UIL 5A State Championship.
Placed fifth in the 800 free (8:28.21) at the 2019 USA Swimming Futures Championships.
Winter Juniors qualifier.
Four-time school record holder at Dripping Springs.
Four-year varsity swimmer.
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU because of the proud team spirit and their drive to be the best they can be,” Henry said.
Coach Quote: “A technical distance swimmer with room to grow, Danny has a quiet tenacity and grit that will be a large facet in his continued development at TCU,” Lavery said. “We are excited about the level of integrity and determination he brings to this class, qualities he is clearly a leader in amongst his peers.”
Bennett Maczka
Hometown: Plano, Texas
High School: J.J. Pearce High School
Previous School: Queens University (Maczka is an incoming junior)
Club Team: City of Richardson
Highlights: 2020 Division II NCAA finalist.
2020 First-Team Division II All-American.
2018 Texas UIL 6A Region 2 Champion in 100 Y Free (46.45).
#WhyTCU: “I’m excited for the great team atmosphere, and to advance my swimming and academic career at the Division I level,” Maczka said.
Coach Quote: “We are thrilled to welcome NCAA All-American Bennett Maczka back home to the DFW,” Winchester said. “Bennett has had great success the last two years at Queens University, and his work ethic and commitment to the sport is going to add to an already deep freestyle group we have here at TCU. Bennett is going to be a great addition to the program, and we are sure he has his sights on making a big impact within the Big 12.”
Landon McMonagle
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
High School: Lawrence Central High School
Club Team: EastSide Bounce Club Team
Highlights: Two-time All-Conference.
Two-time County Champion.
Two-time state qualifier.
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU for multiple reasons,” McMonagle said. “During my official visit, I noticed that the campus was really pretty and managed to have both a big and small school feel which I really liked. Everyone that I met during my visit was very inviting and kept me involved so I never felt left out of anything. The swim and dive team members were awesome and made sure everyone was having a great time, whether it was a late night run to Chick-fil-A or getting us up front in the student section of the football game. The coaching staff was equally as fun as the team when hanging out with us and showing us around. During my visit I got to sit in on a criminal justice class which was pretty interesting. The professor had close relationships with his students, which I liked. The professor also met with me afterward. We talked about criminal justice and what someone could do with a major in it. He had tons of connections for jobs and internships that he helped his students with which was really awesome. I chose TCU because after my visit and talks with the coaches, it felt like the best fit for me.”
Coach Quote: “I’m tremendously humbled by Landon’s hard work and dedication to the sport of diving and very excited and thankful to be welcoming Landon to the TCU swimming and diving family,” head diving coach Anthony Crowder said. “The two-time All-Conference member and two-time County Champion will be adding well rounded value through his hard work in the classroom and in the pool.”
Evan Mullen
Hometown: Denver, Colo.
High School: Regis Jesuit High School
Club Team: Mile High Dive Club
Highlights: Placed fourth at CHSAA 5A Boys State Championship in 1-meter diving (485.25.)
All-American.
Appearances at Regionals and Zones.
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU for the family aspect as the team as well as the sense of community throughout the whole school,” Mullen said.
Coach Quote: “We are excited to welcome Evan to the Horned Frog swimming and diving family,” Crowder said. “He comes from an amazing club program, Mile High Diving Club in Colorado, and brings a wealth of experience from his time there. Evan is going to be a strong component to the development of our men’s diving program as he comes in strong academically and has a proven track record of success on the boards.”
Shayne Simmons
Hometown: Danbury, Conn.
High School: Danbury High School
Club Team: Ridgefield Aquatic Club
Highlights: All-State in the 100 breast and 200 IM.
Junior National and Winter Junior Qualifier.
Placed first at the 2019 Eastern Zone Championship in the 200 breast (2:07.35).
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU for the amazing combination of an electric swim and dive program that also values their academic goals as much as their competitive goals,” Simmons said. “I’m proud to be a part of a program that is known for exceeding expectations and constantly setting new standards. I look forward to training with my team to surpass those expectations myself, and reach to my highest potential as a student-athlete.”
Coach Quote: “Throughout his recruiting process, we could tell Shayne had the right characteristics that would bring a lot to our swimming & diving program,” Winchester said. “Shayne has had an impressive senior year, with some significant drops in his best events. Shayne will add some strong depth to our breaststroke group while also being able to mix it up in the medleys. Shayne is an impressive young man and brings a tremendous work ethic with him down to the Fort. Welcome to the #FrogFam!
Colin Stacey
Hometown: New Palenstine, Ind.
High School: New Palenstine High School
Club Team: Indiana International School of Diving
Highlights: Placed third at the Indiana State Diving Meet.
Three-time USA Diving Junior National meet competitor.
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU because of the team and coaching staff and how they made it feel way more than just picking a school,” Stacey said. “There was a family aspect as well that made everyone and everything feel very welcoming. On top of that, academics wasn’t taking a back seat to athletics for the team, as they give you as much help as you need to be able to balance and do well in both. The team and coaches both told me this and showed it on my official visit, which was a lot of fun as well. I’m looking forward to being on campus and being around a great group of people who want to be there as much as I do, as well as meet more new people on top of that.”
Coach Quote: “We couldn’t be happier to be welcoming Colin to the Horned Frog swimming and diving family,” Crowder said. “This young man is coming from the renowned Indiana International School of Diving program where he has been a three-time junior national qualifier and valued member of their program. Colin’s passion for his team, teammates, diving and academics will be infectious and we are thrilled to have him coming on board this fall where he will be making an instant impact here at TCU.”
Stefan Varga
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
High School: Filbornaskolan
Club Team: Helsingborgs Simsällskap
Highlights: Two-time finalist at the Nordic Swimming Championships – 3rd place in 100 back (55.54), 6th place in 200 back (2:01.95).
50m and 100m back 2019 National Junior Champion (LCM).
200m back 2019 National Junior Championships 2nd place (LCM).
100m back 2019 National Championships 3rd place (LCM).
National Junior Record 2019 4*100 Medley (LCM).
5KM 2019 Open Water National Junior Championships 3rd place.
100 IM 2019 National Junior Championships 2nd place (SCM).
Swedish National Junior Team in 2017, Nordic Championships (SCM).
#WhyTCU: “I chose TCU because of their amazing academics, in combination with being able to swim with an awesome team,” Varga said. “I look forward to excelling both academically and athletically. From the first moment I met the team, I knew that I was supposed to be a part of the #FrogFam.”
Coach Quote: “Over the last few years I have had some great success working with some of the best swimmers out of Sweden, and the staff and I are looking forward to adding another to the mix,” Winchester said. “Stefan will be a great addition to our program and is talented in multiple events. What is most exciting about Stefan is his ability to swim multiple events at a high level – he has some flat-out elite freestyle speed, a great fly and backstroke, and a very strong medley. The ability to move Stefan around a dual meet line up means he will have a chance early and often to show his talents. It’s a great time to be a Horned Frog, and we look forward to seeing Stefan in TCU colors very soon.”
Nicco Velasquez
Hometown: Austin, Texas
High School: Westlake High School
Club Team: Austin Swim Club
Highlights: Summer and Winter Junior Qualifier
Placed seventh in the 200 Y Free (1:39.44) at the Texas UIL 6A State Championship.
Two-time finalist at the 2020 Texas UIL 6A Region 3 Championship – 2nd place in both the 100 (46.19) and 200 (1:39.81) Y Free.
Two-time finalist at the 2019 USA Swimming Futures Championships (100 and 200 L Free).
2019 Texas UIL 6A Region 3 Champion in the 500 Y Free (4:33.23).
#WhyTCU: “Being on campus felt like a home away from home,” Velasquez said. “The culture and work ethic of the team showed me how much potential this group has. Also, the ability to get a great education at an athletically competitive school made the decision that much easier! Go Frogs!”
Coach Quote: “Nicco is a late-developing talent out of Austin Swim Club who is on the cusp of developing into a conference impacting swimmer,” Lavery said. “Easy-going with a fierce competitive streak, we’re excited to have Nicco join the team as he looks to continue the recent wave of history and success Horned Frog men’s swimming has in sprint and mid-distance freestyle.”
Way to go Nicco!!!