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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The UNLV men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have added a 15-member signing class for the upcoming 2024 season.
On the women’s side, the Scarlet & Gray bring in a 10-member class, highlighted by fifth-year transfer Heather Gardner from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, native competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials this past June, placing 76th in the 100 breast (1:13.23).
On the men’s side, the Rebels bring in a six-member class, including transfer Joshua Peters (Visalia, California) out of College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California. Peters was a state champion in the 100 free at the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship, while finishing as a two-time runner up in the 200 free and a runner-up in the 50 free.
Adding to the list of Rebel women newcomers, the group brings in four California natives. That includes Grace Wharton (Orange, California) – a CIF Southern Section champion in the 200 IM, 500 free and two-time champion in the 100 back at El Modena high school in Orange, California. Rounding out the Californian trio are backstroke specialist Alyssa Dimitriadis (Yorba Linda, California) from CIF Southern Section Champion Esperanza High School and butterfly specialist Lauren Palacios (Fair Oaks, California), who won two CIF Sac-Joaquin Section titles in her prep career (100 fly; 200 free).
The Scarlet & Gray rookie group also features Caroline Waters (Anchorage, Alaska) – a two-time 200 IM and 100 fly state championship finalist with theASAA state champion Dimond High School in 2021. Additionally, the Rebels bring in divers Allyse Abbott (Gillette, Wyoming) from region and district champion Midland High School (Midland, Texas) and Badger High School record holder Wylde Chupich (Milwaukee, Wisconsin).. Closing out the women’s group is Canadian backstroke specialist Halayna Montrichard (Hamilton, Ontario) and freestyle sprinter Cadence Johnston (San Ramon, California) out of Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon.
Also joining the Rebel men’s squad from international backgrounds are Lithuanian freestyle specialist Kiril Stepanov (Vilnius, Lithuania), sprint freestyle and breaststroke specialist Gabriel Schreiber (Cape Town, South Africa) and Lucas Diermayr (Singapore, Singapore). Adding to the Scarlet & Gray men’s newcomer list men’s squad from within the U.S.Caleb Manning –was a 500 free state champion at Beaver Creek High School in Beavercreek, Ohio.
The Rebels also bring in two local products in Rylie Solis (Las Vegas, NV) andYamato Lucero (North Las Vegas, NV), both of whom swam for the nationally top-5 ranked Sandpipers of Nevada. Lucero was a state champion in the 50 free and 100 breast at Shadow Ridge High School, while Solis was a 100 fly state champion at Faith Lutheran high school.
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