NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State swimming and diving team will be gaining a talented group of student athletes for the 2011-12 season, as head coach
Steve Paska announced the signing of five swimmers and one diver to National Letters of Intent. The recruits include
Megan Boebinger (Normal, Ill./ Normal Community High School),
Mallory Fisher (Palatine, Ill./Palatine High School),
Cecilia Holmes (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community West High School),
Valerie Jones (Hampshire, Ill./Homeschooled),
Alexis Nash (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North High School)and
Ailish O'Connell (Des Plaines, Ill./Main West High School).
"This is a terrific beginning for this recruiting season, in terms of fulfilling our needs within the swimming and diving program. We are losing one of the best senior classes of student athletes, in terms of establishing school records," Paska said. "So, I am very excited to bring this group into the program. They will all contribute in different ways for our team to become successful. All six student-athletes are going to come in as freshman and play a vital role in our 2011-12 season. They all have specific qualities that will enhance this team, and are dedicated student athletes who have the desire and drive to excel in their academic and athletic careers at Illinois State."
Megan Boebinger | Normal, Ill. | Normal Community HS | Butterfly
Hometown: Normal, Ill.
High School: Normal Community High School (2010-11)/ Cumberland High School (2007-10)
USA Swimming Club: Little Rhody Aquatic Club
Main Events: Butterfly
Highlights: Rhode Island Second Team All-State (100 butterfly) ... sectional champion (100 butterfly) ... member of National Honor Society ... member of Scholastic All-American Team ... plans to major in elementary education ... holds school record in 100 butterfly.
Top Times
100 Butterfly: 58.01
200 Butterfly: 2:10.97
Coach Paska on Megan: "Megan is an outstanding student athlete who is very gifted in the classroom and will contribute greatly in the butterfly events. She comes with a desire to succeed and a passion that you hope becomes contagious within all your athletes, along with a wonderful sense of humor. I believe Megan will be a success story here at Illinois State, as she competes for the Redbirds over the next four years. Megan's enthusiasm and her passion for the sport will motivate the team to keep improving."
Mallory Fisher | Palatine, Ill. | Palatine HS | Diving
Hometown: Palatine, Ill.
High School: Palatine High School
USA Swimming Club: Windy City Diving Club
Main Events: Diving
Highlights: 2009 and 2010 IHSA sectional champion ... 2008, 2009 and 2010 IHSA state finalist ... plans to major in speech pathology
Top Scores:
6 Dive Score: 242.00
11 Dive Score: 432.05
Coach Hoffmann on Mallory: "Mallory is a Redbird through and through. Her mom is an ISU alum and her brother is a current ISU student. She is a very talented individual, both in the pool and in the classroom. Her passion for the sport of diving, as well as Illinois State, will in no doubt help her to become an instant contributor to our program."
Cecilia Holmes | Bloomington, Ill. | Normal Community West HS | IM, Breatstroke, Mid-Distance Freestyle
Hometown: Bloomington, Ill.
High School: Normal Community West High School
USA Swimming Club: Bloomington/Normal YMCA Waves/Team Illinois
Main Events: Individual Medley, Breaststroke, Middle Distance Freestyle
Highlights: Participant in Bloomington/Normal YMCA Waves swim team ... regular member of Team Illinois in season-ending Zone Championship Meets ... varsity team member senior year ... set pool and school record in 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke ... high school track participant ... student council co-president during senior year.
Top Times
200 Individual Medley: 2:11.56
400 Individual Medley: 4:44.09
100 Breaststroke: 1:09.24
200 Breaststroke: 2:31.31
200 Freestyle: 1:57.58
500 Freestyle: 5:07.81
Coach Paska on Cecilia: "Cecilia brings versatility to the Redbirds, as she can compete in a number of events that will contribute to the team's success in the future. She is a fantastic addition to the breaststroke, individual medley and middle distance freestyle groups. Being multitalented and able to complete in such a variety of events is invaluable to the team and her future is a very bright one."
Valerie Jones | Hampshire, Ill. | IM, Breaststroke, Distance Freestyle
Hometown: Hampshire, Ill.
USA Swimming Club: DeKalb County Swim Team
Main Events: Breaststroke, Individual Medley, and Distance Freestyle
Highlights: Eight-time Illinois/Missouri area YMCA championship qualifier ... seven-time YMCA national championship qualifier ... DeKalb County swim team record holder in the 400 individual medley and 200 breaststroke ... placed third in the 200 individual medley ... academic awards in algebra 2, geometry, and classical literature ... plans on majoring in nursing.
Top Times
100 Breaststroke: 1:07.30
200 Breaststroke: 2:20.43
400 Individual Medley: 4:33.86
1650 Freestyle: 17.34.54
Coach Paska on Valerie: "Valerie has an endless passion to compete and succeed in the water. She is a vigorous trainer and will have the opportunity to be one of the top breaststrokers in the Missouri Valley Conference. She has excelled and continues to get faster each year, which I think is due to her drive and desire to train at a high level. She will play a significant role for the team with her versatility."
Alexis Nash | Naperville, Ill. | Naperville North HS | Sprint Freestyle/Butterfly
Hometown: Naperville, Ill.
High School: Naperville North High School
USA Swimming Club:Maverick Swim Club
Main Events: Sprint Freestyle, Sprint Butterfly
Highlights: Received all-American swimming honors for the 200 freestyle relay ... named team captain senior year ... four-year academic honor roll student ... four-year varsity letter holder... four-year member of the Maverick Swim Club ...plans to major in elementary education.
Top Times
50 Freestyle: 24.90
100 Freestyle: 53.86
100 Butterfly: 58.94
Coach Paska on Alexis: "Lexi will be a great addition to our team next season. She is a talented sprinter, who I believe has a very bright future sprinting in the butterfly and freestyle events for the Redbirds. She will be a dependable swimmer, who will contribute significantly in the team's relay events. Lexi has a strong work ethic and a great personality that will make her a great teammate."
Ailish O'Connell | Des Plaines, Ill. | Maine West HS | Sprint Freestyle
Hometown: Des Plaines, Ill.
High School: Maine West High School
Main Events: Sprint Freestyle
Highlights: Three-year all-conference freestyle swimmer ...three-year all-area freestyle swimmer ... two-year state qualifier in the 50 freestyle ... state qualifier in the 100 freestyle ... two-time MVP... team captain ... holds high school record in the 50 freestyle ... all-state in 2010 ... four-year varsity team member ... four-year varsity soccer team ... member of junior/senior leader program ... plans to major in speech pathology.
Top Times
50 Freestyle: 24.21
100 Freestyle: 53.98
Coach Paska on Ailish: "Ailish finished eleventh in the 100 freestyle at the state meet this year and she will provide quality depth in the sprint freestyle events for the team. She has a tremendous future and had a successful senior year, recording personal bests in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. She is a talented student athlete who will provide dependability on a meet by meet basis next season. Ailish is extremely motivated and will put in the necessary work to develop as a collegiate student-athlete. "
