Denver Adds Six Commitments

The University of Denver men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams have added Darian Brunetti, Samantha Corea, Kacie Van Buskirk, Willy Van Dehy and Jeremiah Zgliczynski and Dana Gau to their 2011-12 freshman class, swimming head coach Brian Schrader and diving head coach Aaron D’Addario announced today.

SWIMMING COMMITMENTS
Brunetti is a native of Denver and brings 14 years of experience to the DU swim team. He was named captain of the Wheat Ridge High School swim team last year, and helped his club team, TOPS, win sectionals for the past three years. Brunetti won the Colorado State Championship in the 100 backstroke and took third in the 200 IM this year. He was also a national open qualifier in the 400 IM, 200 backstroke and 1000 freestyle.

“I am really excited to get a commitment from Darian,” Schrader said. “He is a talented swimmer, who is versatile, competitive and improving quickly.”

Born in Vancouver, Canada, Corea swam for UBC Dolphins for eight years.  She was the 2010 Victor Davis Award recipient and received the UBC Dolphins 2010 International Recognition Award. Corea represented Canada last summer at the International Junior Pan Pacific Championships, where she finished sixth in the 100 butterfly.  In Canada, she is currently ranked eighth overall and second in her age group in the 50 butterfly, and 12th overall and third in her age group in the 100 butterfly.

“Sam is one of the best junior athletes coming out of Canada, and we are excited to have her,” Schrader said. “Her freestyle will provide an impact for us, and I think she will come in right away to help our sprint and medley relay teams contend for conference titles, and to represent us at the NCAAs.”

Van Buskirk comes to Denver from South Lyon, Mich., where she swam for 10 years, including four at South Lyon East High School. She holds her high school records for the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay, and was named the high school’s Most Valuable Swimmer for 2010. Van Buskirk qualified for the 2010 All-State in the 500 freestyle and 200 freestyle, where she took second and fourth, respectively. She also qualified in the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. She won the 400 freestyle at the 2010 Michigan State Championships and was a member of the state championship record-breaking 200 freestyle relay team. Van Buskirk earned recognition as a National High School All-American Honorable Mention. She holds the record for the 200 freestyle at the Oakland County Meet and was a 2010 Junior National Qualifier. In 2009, Van Buskirk won the 500 freestyle at the State Championships.

“Kacie is a really versatile mid-distance swimmer that is going to come in and help us with depth in our freestyle and IM groups,” Schrader said. “I know that the 200 and 400 IM are going to be events in which she continues to develop and help DU.”

Van Dehy comes to Denver from Boulder, Colo., where he swam for 12 years for Peak to Peak School and for coach Grant Holicky. He placed in the 100 backstroke at the Colorado State Championships and took second in the 200 backstroke at the Western Sectional meet. Van Dehy earned Academic All-Conference and was named MVP of his swim team.

“Willy is another outstanding student and is going to have a great improvement curve in Division I athletics,” Schrader said. “He will help us right away with depth in the backstroke events, and I am excited that he will be developing here at Denver.”

A native of Littleton, Colo., Zgliczynski chose to attend DU because he grew up in Denver and swam at El Pomar Natatorium in club meets.  Zgliczynski has 11 years of experience, swimming under the instruction of coach Andy Niemann at MACS and as a member of the Arapahoe High School swim team. He earned four National Swim Cuts and two NCAA B Cuts with his sixth-place finish in the 1650 freestyle and seventh-place finish in the 400 IM at the Western Sectional.

“We always want to have the best athletes in Colorado want to come to Denver, and Jeremiah is one of the fastest distance swimmers in Colorado and in the Western United States,” Schrader said. “Jeremiah is going to really help our distance and IM group continue to thrive.”

DIVING COMMITMENT
A Waukesha, Wis., native, Gau dove for Waukesha West High School all four years and holds the school’s record for the six-dive meet. She competed in the State Championships three times, placing seventh her senior year. She took bronze at the YMCA Nationals in both the 1-meter and platform. Gau also won conference and sectional championships last year. Gau was named to the Diving Academic All-State and as a Diving All-State Honorable Mention.

“I am very excited that Dana is going to be a Pioneer next year,” D’Addario said. “She will add a level of experience that will be a huge asset to our program.”

Brunetti, Corea, Van Buskirk, Van Dehy, Zgliczynski and Gau join the nine student athletes that committed in December to Denver for the 2011-12 season. Eric Anderson, Daniel Ettelson, Parker Quackenbush, Simon Latimer and Ross Edfort committed to the men’s team, while Bridgette McNally, Anna Labozan, Sarah Fischer and Drew Matthews signed with the women’s team.