Women's Recruiting - #5 Georgia

From one to four, Georgia’s quality matches up with anyone in the country. All four of their signees are ranked in the top fifty and two – Jana Mangimelli and Megan Roman – were in the top ten prior to Arizona’s late signing of Erin Campbell. A few more talented additions would have given the Bulldogs some more room for error but Jack Bauerle isn’t concerned about that.

“When we sign them, we expect a lot out of them,” the longtime coach said. Before admitting that they “got a little surprise on the women’s side when some got a lot better after we signed them.”

Jana Mangimelli, for one, has taken off since the fall. There’s not much the Brookwood High grad can’t do. Her highest ranking comes in the backstrokes but she can do so much more - butterfly, both IM’s, even some sprint freestyle. Kelsey Gaid of Marietta is similarly versatile and talented. Together, they’ll help ease the loss of Aleksandra Putra in the backstroke,

Mangimelli and Gaid’s decisions to stay in state really isn’t a big surprise. Trying to get a Georgia kid out the Peach State is harder than Japanese arithmetic. Part is just Jack and Harvey (Humprhries) being Jack and Harvey. “It’s a pretty easy sell for us, since we both attended Georgia and have spent our entire careers here.” But Bauerle works the state doing more than just home visits. Last week, for example he gave three speeches – a pool opening, the Emory business school and a local civic group. All this, with camp and training going on back home. Seemingly everyone from Chattanooga to Valdosta seems to know and like Jack and it opens doors.

Of course, Jack also has other friends. Fred Lewis is one. The head coach of St. Petersburg Aquatics and Bauerle are friends and teammates from childhood. That opened the door for Bauerle to spirit Florida’s top prospect – Megan Romano – north. Like Mangimelli and Gaid, Romano has the type of versatility that comes in handy come March. She qualified for six events at last summer’s Olympic Trials and gives the Bulldog relays a spark they’ve not had since Kara Lynn Joyce stepped onto the blocks.

Adrienne Bicek rounds out the class. Bicek, from Downers Grove, Illinois was the 18-and-under national champion in the 200m butterfly this past summer and brings to mind another certain Illinois flyer who enjoyed success at Georgia – Mary DeSencza. Like DeSencza, Bicek has some range to her. She should fit in well with the likes of sophomores Allison Schmitt, Kelsey Ditto, Chelsea Nauta and Morgan Scroggy.

Bauerle is “proud of the class and of the kind of kids they are,” before concluding, “We should be back in business.”

The business of winning NCAA titles that is.

Mangimelli, Jana	80.02	7	Georgia	Swim Atlanta
Romano, Megan	78.9	11	St. Petersburg, FL	Saint Petersburg Aquatics
Bicek, Adrienne	75.13	24	Downers Grove, IL	Express Swim Team
Gaid, Kelsey	71.04	41	Marietta, GA	Marietta Marlins, Inc

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