April 25, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
With the close of the 2006-07 swimming and diving season comes the process of signing new recruits for the 2007-08 Illinois State season. Adding to the trio of Christine Byron, Caitlin Costa and Amy Schaefer, which were signed in December, recruits Ashley Bachler, Lindsay Dinkelman, Corrie Heine and Tina Vande Vusse have officially signed their National Letters of Intent to become Redbird student-athletes.
Head coach Steve Paska is looking forward to the versatility and depth the four new recruits will bring to the team.
"We are losing six athletes off our roster, and because of this we have made quality and depth the focus for the new recruits," said Paska. "With this recruiting class, added to the returning roster of swimmers and divers, we have so much potential for the upcoming season."
Bachler is a native of Chicago, Ill., and has spent the last four years swimming sprint freestyle events for Mother McAuley High School. Paska believes Bachler will add a special dimension to the team.
"Ashley is truly a gifted swimmer," Paska said. "Her enthusiasm and passion for the sport of swimming will make for a very bright future and will help contribute to our team success, as well as her own individual success as a student-athlete at Illinois State. She has the value of being dedicated and the desire to succeed."
Dinkelman is coming to Illinois State as a transfer student from Kaskaskia College. She is originally from Irvington, Ill., and attended Centralia High School, where she swam breaststroke and freestyle events. Paska values what Dinkelman will bring to the team.
"Lindsay is a young lady that is dedicated and very committed to the sport, which is a value I cherish in the recruiting process," said Paska. "She's a very hard worker and commits herself to her plan of success, both academically and in the pool. She truly has the values I am looking for in a Redbird student-athlete."
Vande Vusse attended Main West High School in Des Plaines, Ill., and is transferring to Illinois State after a year at Valparaiso. Her specialty events are the 50 and 100 freestyle, along with the 100 butterfly. Paska recognized the optimism Vande Vusse will bring to the team.
"I am really excited to have Tina's optimistic attitude added to our sprint freestyle and butterfly mix," Paska said. "I think she will take her opportunity at Illinois State to become one of our top sprint butterfly swimmers and also be competitive in the freestyle events. I was excited when she made the announcement she was coming to Illinois State, and her past experience in the sprint butterfly and freestyle events is a perfect fit for our program."
Heine resides in Peoria, Ill. and has been recruited from Dunlap High School. While she will be concentrating on diving at Illinois State, Paska knows her background as a tri-athlete in high school will add to her collegiate success.
"Corrie is somewhat of an interesting recruit for Illinois State," Paska said. "In my 22 years of coaching and recruiting, she might be listed as on of, if not the, most gifted athletes we have ever recruited because of her exceptional athletic talent in a number of different sports. She's been a decorated gymnast and is one of the top senior pole-vaulters in Illinois, so with the multi-talents she has, I'm very excited she's chosen the sport of diving. Corrie is obviously a person who loves to compete and those are the type of student-athletes we want in our program."
2007-2008 Illinois State Swimming Signees
Ashley Bachler Chicago, Ill. Mother McAuley Freestyle
• Served as an alternate for the team at state her freshman year
• State participant in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays both her sophomore and junior years
• Team was the sectional champions her freshman and sophomore years, and placed second both her junior and senior year
• Serves as a team captain her senior year
• Also participated in water polo
• Plans to major in elementary education
Lindsay Dinkelman Irvington, Ill. Kaskaskia College Breaststroke/Freestyle
• Was a YMCA National qualifier in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, as well as the 50 freestyle
• Was the YMCA State champion in the 100 breaststroke
• Placed third in the 50 freestyle and fourth in the 100 breaststroke at IHSA Sectionals
• Competed at the Janet Evans Invite during the summer of 2006
• Placed first in the 100 breaststroke at the Ozark Championship (USA)
• Plans to major in exercise science
Tina Vande Vusse Des Plaines, Ill. Valparaiso Sprint Freestyle/Butterfly
• Four-year state qualifier in the 50 and 100 butterfly
• Placed fifth at state in the 100 butterfly her senior year
• Was voted Most Valuable Player all-four years of high school
• Was voted Female Athlete of the Year her senior year
• Inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame her senior year
• All-American qualifier her junior and senior year
• Sectional champion in the 500 freestyle and 100 butterfly her freshman, junior and senior year
• Attended the YMCA Nationals all-four years of high school in the 50 and 100 freestyle, along with the 100 butterfly
• Major is undecided
Corrie Heine Peoria, Ill. Dunlap Diving
• Placed 11th at state her senior year
• All-State in 2006
• Sectional winner in 2006, breaking the pool record
• First place All-Conference, broke pool record
• Holds both 1-meter and 3-meter pool diving records at her high school
• Also participated in gymnastics and track and field
• Plans to major in education
