The Illinois State swimming and diving team has added four new student-athletes to the swimming program. Sarah Bertsche, Lisa Hanrahan, Jamie Haseman and Jennifer Klicka have all signed national letters of intent to swim for Illinois State.
Sarah Bertsche, a native of Pontiac, Ill., and a senior at Pontiac High School, will be looked upon to contribute in the freestyle sprint events and will swim the 50, 100 and 200 free for the Redbirds. She holds two individual records and three relay records at her high school and was a state qualifier her junior and senior seasons in the 50 and 100 free.
Illinois State head coach
Steve Paska has watched Bertsche mature over the years when she attended Paskas swim camps during the summers and is excited about what she can add to the Redbird program.
Sara set personal bests in the 50 and 100 free at the state meet, said Paska. Shell make an immediate impact in one of the areas we need to improve on which is the sprint free events.
Bertsche turned down offers by Illinois-Chicago, Eastern and Western.
Lisa Hanrahan will also add depth to the sprint events and Paska views the Prospect Heights, Ill. native as having an incredible work ethic.
I saw Lisa this summer and saw a young lady who had a tremendous amount of drive to be the fastest swimmer she could, said Paska. Shes willing to pay the price, and the work ethic and passion she has for this sport is fabulous.
Hanrahan captained her team during her junior and senior seasons and set personal bests in the 50 and 100 free at the state meet her senior year. She is a senior at Wheeling High School and will be majoring in education while at Illinois State.
The versatility of Lafayette, Ind. native Jamie Haseman in the freestyle events is what Paska likes the most about her future as a Redbird.
Shell be swimming more of the middle distance events for us, said Paska. Shes a team player, has been voted MVP (three years) and awarded conference sportsmanship awards. She breathes team before anything else and thats the type of swimmers I want in the program.
Haseman was awarded her teams sportsmanship award her freshman and sophomore year, and her junior year she was awarded the Hoosier Crossroad Conference Sportsmanship Award. She also was a sectional finalist three years in the 200 and 500 free and 200 and 400 free relays.
Jennifer Klicka rounds out the last of the four freestyle swimmers and will compete in middle to long distance events for the Redbirds next season.
A senior at Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, Wisc., Klicka was named to the first team All-Conference all four years, All-State Honorable Mention in the 400 free relay her sophomore and junior year, and was a member of the 2001 U.S. Open Team in the 400 and 800 free relays. Her team was also conference champions and were undefeated in dual meet action all four years.
Paska cites Klickas strengths of having a strong work ethic and her drive to be the best as factors that will lead her to be a successfull member of the Illinois State program.
Swimming is one of the most important facets in her life, said Paska. She does everything to make herself better and as early as next year well look for her to be a contributing factor.
Klicka was recruited by Eastern Michigan and will be majoring in nursing while at Illinois State.
