| Katarina Chang (Owego, NY/ Greater Owego Diving Stars) Katarina will add depth to the Bulls diving program. In her first year of diving, she placed 11th on the one meter and 10th on three meter at AAU Diving Nationals. She is her high school record holder for 11 dives on 1-meter. She will also be graduating 5th in her class. Katarina chose UB because the "University at Buffalo offers me the opportunity to dive at the Division I level as well as a 6-year early assurance pharmacy program." Coach Helder:" Katarina's contribution to diving will be a huge asset in depth. Although young in her diving, her ability to learn quickly and process information will give her the opportunities to score in meets early in the season." Courtney Cook (Binghamton, NY/ Chenango Aquatic Club) Courtney is a very versatile swimmer who we will be used in multiple areas including freestyle, individual medley, butterfly and breaststroke. She is a NCSA Junior National Qualifier in multiple events and a member of the National Honor Society. Courtney will be studying Chemistry at UB. Courtney felt UB "was a perfect fit for me, both academically and athletically. I instantly knew it was the college for me because of the confident UB atmosphere. My attendance at UB will offer me many opportunities in the things that I will pursue which include a career in chemistry and a memorable four years of swimming." Coach Bashor on Courtney: "Courtney's versatility to swim many different events will strengthen our women's team. She has a passion for swimming that will take her to another level in this sport." Abbey Croce (Suffern, NY/ West Point Diving Club) Abbey is a 2013 USA Diving East National Qualifier in 1-meter and a 2012 USA Diving Junior Zone A Qualifier in one and three Meter. She is a three-time New York State Public High School State Qualifier as well as the 2012 Section 1 Diving Champion. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, she won the Rockland County Diving Event. Abbey chose the University at Buffalo "because of its diverse campus and great academic and athletic program." Coach Helder: "Abbey has a dedicated strength in her approach to diving. Her attitude and a personal trait of perseverance is unparalleled. We are very happy to have Abbey as a member of our UB Swimming and Diving family!" |
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Cristina Czyrka (Saline, MI/ Club Wolverine)
Cristina is a breaststroke and individual medley specialist. She was a consolation finalist at the 2012 Junior National Championships in the 200 breaststroke. She helped lead Saline to become Michigan High School State Champions in 2009 and 2010. She is the Saline High School record holder in the 100 Breaststroke. She has earned nine All-State Honors and three All-American Honors. She will graduate with honors from Saline and will be looking to study Exercise Science. Cristina chose Buffalo "because it was a good balance of the family atmosphere on the team. Also for the good education offered at the University."
Coach Bashor on Cristina: "We are excited that Cristina is coming to UB. From the moment she walked onto campus for her official visit, she fit right in with our team. She will be able to make an impact on our squad and in the conference as a freshman."
Gloria Melofchik (Lake George NY/Schenectady- Saratoga Sharks Swim Club)
Gloria joins the Bulls as a backstroke specialist from Schenectady – Saratoga Sharks Swim Club coached by Jerry Adams. She was a two time YMCA State Short Course Champion in the backstroke events. She won the 2012 Eastern Zone Short Course Swimming Championship in the 100 backstroke. She is also a YMCA Short Course and Long Course Qualifier as a freshman. Gloria picked UB because "I love that Buffalo is such a big school and that the swim team is doing so well in the MAC because it gives me the feeling that I'm part of something greater."
Coach Bashor on Gloria: "Gloria has shown so much improvement from last summer to the finish of the short course season. We expect her to continue this success when she arrives on campus in the Fall."
MacKenzie Moss (Binghamton, NY/ Chenango Valley High School)
Mackenzie is the 2012 New York State High School Champion in 1 meter diving. She also placed 4th in 2011 and 9th in 2010 at the State Championships. She was a NISCA/Speedo All-American in 2011 and a bronze medalist in the 2010 Empire State Games. She is the Chenango Valley High School record holder in six and 11 dives. She also holds the Section IV Class B and Class C Meet Records. MacKenzie chose UB "because I felt like I belonged there right from the beginning. UB can provide me the best opportunity for academics, great coaching, and to be a part of a successful team."
Coach Helder: "Mackenzie has a persistent and tenacious grip on life and what she needs. She knew that UB was 'her' school when she came to camp and then again when she visited UB. These qualities along with her competitiveness will be a cornerstone to build on."
Nicole Rodriguez (New York, New York/ Hyrdoquatics)
Nicole will add depth to the Bulls backstroke events. She was the 2009-2010 April Lao Memorial Award winner for PSAL Girls Outstanding Rookie Swimmer. In the 2012-2013 season she was a semifinalist at the State High School Championships and won the Francine Schnarr Memorial Outstanding Senior Award. She was honored as a 2012-2013 Most Accomplished Student Athlete in New York City Public High Schools. She decided to attend Buffalo because "UB is known for its diverse programs, great education, and successful athletics. It's the perfect combination to achieve excellence. And I can't wait to be a part of the UB community."
Coach Bashor on Nicole: "Nicole came to us very late in the recruiting process. This past year, she has been training in a very small group and is looking forward to joining a greater training environment. She will help our team in the backstroke events."
Marisa Pulaski (Centerville, OH/ Dayton Raiders)
Marisa will be an outstanding addition to the Breaststroke and Individual Medley Events. She was a sixth place finisher at the 2012 Summer Junior Nationals in the 200 Breaststroke and also a multiple Ohio High School State Finalist. Her 200 Breaststroke last summer placed her in the all-time top 100 times for 17-18 Women. She also placed in the top 10% in the country on the national French Exam. Marisa will be looking to study exercise science at UB. Marisa stated she "chose UB not only because of the impressive academics but also because of how much I loved the team. When I came on my recruiting trip I could immediately see how much of a family the team was and I felt like I belonged here to be part of the family as well."
Coach Bashor on Marissa: "Marissa comes to us from one of the best club teams in Ohio, The Dayton Raiders. She has a tremendous work ethic and a humble personality that will fit well on our team. The experience she has gained from Junior Nationals will help her succeed on our team and in the MAC."
Brittney Walters (Goshen, IN/ Northridge Area Swimming Association)
Brittney will be able to make an immediate impact in all areas of freestyle as well as butterfly and individual medley events. She is the 2013 Indiana State High School Champion in the 500 freestyle. She also placed 4th in the 200 Free at the 2013 Indiana High School Championships. She was named scholastic All American in 2012 and 2013. She also served as Northridge High School team captain her junior and senior year. Brittney will be studying Pharmacy at UB. Brittney stated "I chose Buffalo because the team has worked hard the last few years to become better in the MAC and I wanted to contribute to that. The team and coaches are so genuine and seem excited about where they are headed in the future. That along with the brand new pharmacy building and educational opportunities there is why I picked the University. Go Bulls!"
Coach Bashor on Brittney: "Brittney had a fantastic senior year and will be looking forward to continuing that success at UB. It's exciting to have one of the best swimmers out of the state of Indiana on our team. She is a very driven young woman that will impact our team in many different events and relays."
| Charles Barry (Hartsdale, NY/ Badger Swim Club) Charles is a versatile swimmer that will excel in many events for the Bulls. He is headed to Buffalo after being a very successful High School and Club swimmer for Iona Preparatory School and Coach Maura Foster and also Badger Swim Club and Coach John Collins. At Iona Prep, Charles was elected captain of the swim team. He is a High School All-American as a member of the 200 Medley Relay and a 7-time Junior National qualifier in the 200 Fly, 400IM, and the 800 Free. He was a Junior National Bonus Finalist in the 400IM. Charles chose UB "because this is a place where I believe that I can achieve all of my goals both in and out of the classroom. The coaches and swim team made me feel right at home. GO BULLS!" Coach Bashor on Charles: "We are very excited to sign one of the best all-around swimmers from the State of New York. Charles is a very determined and tough individual with highly competitive experience that will make a big impact on our team and conference." Cade Bennett (Anchorage, AK/ Arctic Dive Club) Cade makes his way east from the far reaches of Alaska! As a member of the A.J. Dimond High School team coached by Allison Sharp, he won the Alaska State Championship in 1 meter diving. As an All-American in 2012 he set the Cook Inlet Conference record and the Dimond High School school record. He was also a member of the Arctic Dive Club coached by Alaina Adkins. Cade stated, "I chose to attend the University at Buffalo for many reasons. The facilities are top notch and include platform boards. The coaching staff seems wonderful and coach with great technique. The art program is just what I was looking for and more. The campus is very nice." Coach Helder: " UB Swimming and Diving has added a strong and unique individual in Cade. We are looking forward to the depth of an untapped resource that Cade will provide in his athletics. Coach Adkins has done a great job preparing him for the next level of diving and we are eager to get him started." Troy Birdsall (Rochester, NY/ Upstate Diving) Troy will be a valuable addition to our diving team. He has only been diving since his sophomore year in high school as a member of the Honeoye Falls-Lima High School team under Norm Schueckler. In high school he finished his senior year with only one dual meet loss and broke the six and 11 dive school records. Troy was a finalist at the New York State Championships and was first-team All-County. He also dives for the club team Upstate Diving and head coach Cliff Devries. He chose UB "because of the outstanding swimming/diving program. Last year I went to their summer camp and just loved how it went and how great the coaches were. Plus the team seemed like the right fit when I was here for a recruiting trip. On the academic side, I was really impressed with the wide variety that UB has to offer." Coach Helder: "Adding Troy to our line-up creates a great foundation to our freshmen class. Although Troy has just two years of diving to his credit, his athleticism and drive will carry him through this year very well. We welcome Troy to UB with great joy!" Matt Bitara (Huntsville, TX/ Aggie Swim Club) Heading north from the Lone Star state, Matt will flourish in our program. He was a team captain for Huntsville High School under Coach Karol Smith where he placed third at the state meet in the 200 Free and 100 Fly. Matt also had an outstanding club career at Aggie Swim Club for Coach Matt Wagner. While swimming for Aggie, Matt was a USA Swimming Academic All-American and owns Junior National cut times in the 200 Fly, 100 Fly, and 200IM. He was a finalist at Juniors in the 200 Fly. Matt is also a very gifted student as in a member of the following academic society's: UIL Academic All-American; National Honor Society; Key Club (Kiwanis); Mu Alpha Theta (Math Club); Top 8% of class. Matt chose Buffalo "because it has a dental program and because I see myself excelling and improving in the swimming program." Coach Bashor on Matt: "Matt is a great addition to our team because he complements our needs for next year. He will make an immediate impact in the Butterfly, Backstroke, Freestyle and 200 IM events. He is a very humble young man that is driven to become faster." Andrew Cole (Xenia, OH/ Dayton Raiders) Andrew is another incredibly versatile swimmer that will join the team in the fall. As a team captain his senior year at Xenia High School swimming for Coaches Dana McClain and Cari Higgins he finished ninth in the 200 Free and sixth in the 100 Fly while being named to the All-Ohio team in both events. As a member of the Dayton Raiders coached by Kevin Weldon and Gary Galbreath, Andrew was a Junior National qualifier and a member of the Raiders 2012 Long Course Junior National Champion Men's team. Academically Andrew is a member of the National Honor Society, a USA Swimming Scholastic All-America his sophomore, junior, and senior year and on the Super Honor Roll all four years at Xenia High School. He chose UB "Because I absolutely love the coaches and the team. Great group of guys with an amazing facility and an up and coming team nationally. Very good academic school with a great program in the right direction. GO BULLS!!!!!!" Coach Bashor on Andrew: "We are looking forward to having Andrew bring his success to UB. Early on in the recruiting process, we identified him as someone that we wanted on our team because of him as a person. He is a hard working individual that will do what it takes to become faster." Aaron Durrence (Alpharetta, GA/ Dynamo Swim Club) Aaron joins the Bulls as a sprint Freestyle specialist. He swam for Susan Lipscomb at Johns Creek HS and Rich Murphy out of the highly decorated Dynamo Swim Club. Last season he placed fifth in the 100 Free, seventh in the 50 Free, fourth as a member of the 400 Free Relay and third as a member of the 200 Free Relay at the Georgia 6A HS State meet. He also has NCSA Junior National cuts in the 50, 100, and 200 Free. Aaron is also a Scholastic All-American. Aaron stated that he chose UB "because I really enjoyed the coaches and the facilities, as well as I wanted to go north for college." Coach Bashor on Aaron: "Aaron was the last piece to our recruiting puzzle because of his sprinting ability. We will look to him to fill the holes left by the senior class and I know he is ready for the challenge." Scott Huang (East Brunswick, NJ/ Scarlet Aquatics) Scott will provide more depth in the breaststroke and IM events to the Bulls squad next season. Swimming for the Scarlet Aquatics program under Coach Tom Speedling, Scott has a wide range of potential events. He is a Junior National qualifier in the 200 breast. Scott chose Buffalo "because of the Computer Science and Engineering programs, the swimming programs, and the way the team was so unified. It was like the swimmers were all family." Coach Bashor on Scott: "We are excited to have Scott join our team because he is so versatile and he has made such big improvements his senior year. Since joining the Scarlet Aquatic Club, he has developed a great work ethic that will help him succeed at the next level. " Eric Jensen (Dresher, PA/Upper Dublin Aquatic Club) Headed a few hours north, Eric will join the Bulls as a very accomplished HS and club swimmer. As a Captain at Upper Dublin High School under Coach Geoff Scheuer, Eric garnered All-American status with his second place finish in the 200 Free and 10th place finish in the 100 Back. He was also a part of the relay teams that broke state records in the 200 Medley Relay and the 400 Free Relay. He also swam club for Coach Scheuer at the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club. He chose UB "because of the great opportunities in academics and in swimming. The university has excellent programs in many of the fields that interest me. Along with that, the swim team has had a lot of recent success and the overall atmosphere on the team was great." Coach Bashor on Eric: "Eric is an outstanding swimmer that is technical sound with his strokes. He experienced a lot of success his senior year that will carry over to his years at UB. He will make an impact in his individual events as well as having opportunities to swim on relays." Callum Liddiard (Rochester Hills, MI/ Oakland Live Y'ers) Callum swam for his club, The Oakland Live Y'ers under Coach Jeff Cooper. He is the Michigan long course State Champion in the 400 I.M. He helped the Live Y'ers to a second place team finish this year at sectionals and won the Michigan Long Course State Championships last year. He is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. He is also a part of the National Business Honors Society and The National French Honors Society. He chose to attend Buffalo "because it seemed like a great fit for me academically. As for the swimming aspect, I wanted to go to a school where there are plenty of opportunities to improve, and I think that attending Buffalo will give me that opportunity." Coach Bashor on Callum: "Callum is another swimmer that comes from a nationally established club program. He has an established training background that will help him succeed in college. He will make an impact in the distance events, 400 IM and 200 Butterfly." Dan O'Connor (Syracuse, NY/ Syracuse Chargers & Mission Viejo Nadadores) Dan is transferring into UB from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is a very established swimmer nationally. At the 2011 NCAA Championships, Dan finished 13th in the 1650 Free which earned him NCAA All-American status. That year he was also honored with the ACC Freshman of the Year award. While In high school he has established himself as a premier open water and distance swimmer. He attended the USA swimming National select camp and open water select camp and was a two-time speedo sectional champion. While at UNC, he was the 5K bronze medalist at 2012 open water nationals, 11th at 2012 US Open in 1500, 16th at 2011 US Nationals in 1500. Most recently at this year's US Open Water Nationals, Dan finished 11th in the 10k and 9th in the 5k. He has been a member of the Syracuse Chargers under Coaches Lou Walker and Dave Sargalski and also the Mission Viejo Nadadores for legendary Coach Bill Rose. He chose Buffalo "because of its great and quickly uprising swimming program." Coach Bashor on Dan: "We are excited that Dan is coming back to New York to finish out his swimming career. He will contribute to UB's success right away. He has experience competing at the NCAA Championships which is one thing we are striving towards as a team. He is a tremendous trainer that will rub off on the rest of the team." Reid Zyniecki (Albany, NY/ Albany Starfish Swim Club) Reid is moving west to Buffalo from the state capital. He joins the Bulls from Guilderland High School and coach Vaclav Sotola. While at Guilderland he set four school records in the 200IM, 200 Free, 100 Breast, and 500 Free. Last year he placed seventh in the 500 Free and eighth in the 200IM at the New York High School State Championships. He is also a member of the Albany Starfish Swim Club and swims for Coach Lucky Foreman. He is also a member of the Honor Roll. He chose UB "because I loved the team and coaches. I feel that UB is where I will maximize my potential not only in the water but in the classroom as well. The facilities are awesome; I can't wait to get on campus this fall." Coach Bashor on Reid: "Reid truly has the potential to make an impact in the conference. He is rather new to the sport but has the work ethic to develop into a much faster swimmer." |
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