The Florida State swimming and diving head coach Frank Bradley announced the signing of 11 athletes for the 2016-17 season. The class contains seven women and four men.
“This class is a nice mix and it’s just what we need,” Bradley said. “I think we’re getting some great young men and women in this class. They’re talented in the pool as well as in the classroom. I think they’ll come in and contribute right away.”
The class contains eight swimmers and three divers from five different countries, where two prospects compete with their homelands national teams.
Manuella Ribas Andrade, Macie Beairsto, Nika Blank, Natalie Chambers and Tayla Lovemore will join the women’s swim team, while Griffin Alainz, Max Polianski and Nathaniel Samson will race for the men.
“I’m very excited with the three we’ve added,” FSU head diving coach John Proctor said. “All three of these athletes have been tested both nationally and internationally.”
Molly Carlson and Aidan Faminoff have represented Team Canada on the junior level, while Ayla Bonniwell has contested at U.S. Nationals.
“The talent in Canada is growing,” Proctor said. “We have Dylan (Grisell) and Tyler (Roberge) who have built a great relationship through diving in Canada and the two have had great success here both athletically and academically. It only makes sense to continue that trend and now we’re just a skater and a goalie shy of fielding a hockey team.”
The 2016-17 Signing Class
Manuella Ribas Andrade • Curitiba, Brazil • Bolles • Bolles School Sharks
100 free: 51.94, 200 free: 1:49.56, 500 free: 4:56.03
A native of Brazil, Andrade resides in Jacksonville, Fla. where she attends Bolles where she is a two-time state champion. She is a member of the Brazilian junior national open water and swim team member.
Macie Beairsto • Springfield, Mo.• Glendale High School• Springfield Aquatics
100 free: 52.39, 200 free: 1:50.29, 100 fly: 55.68, 200 fly: 2:01.41
A two-time state title winner, Beairsto was named given the co-swimmer of the meet honors at the 2015 Missouri State Championships after winning the 200 free and 100 fly while battling a nagging foot injury.
Nika Blank • Lowell, Mass.• The Peddie School • Peddie Aquatics
50 free: 23.51, 100 free: 51.47, 200 free: 1:53.83
A 2016 U.S. Olympic Trial qualifier in the 50 free (25.83), Blank swims for Peddie Aquatics in New Jersey where she placed eighth in the 50 free at junior nationals this summer. She holds two team records in the 50 free and 100 free races, including a state record in the 50 free. Blank earned NJ All-Prep Team honors while earning a pair of gold medals at the Eastern Championships in the 50 free and as a member of the 200 free relay. Blank is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a member of the high honor roll.
Ayla Bonniwell• Ithaca Senior High School• Ohio State Diving Club
Bonniwell placed 11th (406.35) on 1-meter and sixth on 3-meter (464.15) at the 2014 USA Diving AT&T Nation Diving Championships in the 16-18 division, while representing the Ohio State Diving Club. She was the 2015 New York state champion on 1-meter with a score of 529.45.
Molly Carlson • Toronto, Ont.• West Hill Collegiate Institute• Diving Plongeon Canada
A member of the Canadian National Team, Carlson has represented her country at a wealth of internationals competitions where she is a two-time Junior Pan American Champion on 3-meter. She competed at the 2014 Youth Olympics, 2014 Junior World Championships on top of winning gold on 3-meter at the International Youth Diving Meet in 2014. Carlson is also a 12-time junior national medalist and his sister Megan swims for Lynn University in Boca Raton.
Natalie Chambers • Spring, Texas • Liberty University • The Woodlands Swim Team
200 back: 2:00.00, 100 back: 55.70, 100 fly: 57.90
A transfer from Liberty University, Chambers is a member of the Woodlands Swim Team. While at Liberty, she qualified for the championship finals of the backstroke events placing seventh in the 200 back and eighth in the 100 at the 2013-14 CSCAA Championships. Her grandfather, Earl Wayne Miller played football at Baylor University and was a member of the 1958 Green Bay Packers. Chambers will be admitted to FSU as a grad student and will have one year of eligibility.
Tayla Lovemore • Durban, South Africa • Indian River State College
100 fly: 54.18, 100 back: 55.34, 50 free: 23.01, 200 back: 2:01.70
Joining FSU via the pipeline from Indian River State College, Lovemore is a three-time NJCAA national champion in the 50 free, 100 fly and 200 fly in 2014-15. Prior to her arrival in the States, Lovemore swam for eight years in South Africa where she was coached by Wayne Riddin. Will be admitted to Florida State as a junior.
Griffin Alaniz • Rockville, Md.• Rockville High School• RMSC
100 back: 50.41, 200 back: 2:05.05 LCM
A four-time MPSSAA state champion heading into his senior season, he picked up victories in the 100 free, 200 free and 100 back races since 2013. Alaniz was a winter All-Met Team in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and was a 2015 All-Gazette First Team member. Alaniz is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a PVS Scholar Athlete, while earning a spot on the honor roll each of his first three years at Rockville High School.
Aidan Faminoff• Victoria, B.C.• Claremont Secondary School• Boardworks Diving
As one of the best divers in British Columbia, Faminoff won the bronze medal at the 2015 Junior Pan American Championships in 3-meter synchro.
Max Polianski • Auckland, New Zealand• Liston College (High School)• United Swimming Club
200 fly: 1:56.97 (SCM), 200 IM: 1:59.07 (SCM), 100 fly: 53.43 (SCM)
A member of New Zealand’s national team, Polianski is the son of Igor, who won the gold medal in 200 backstroke at the 1988 Olympics for the USSR in Seoul. He also held the World Record in the 100 back from March 15-Aug. 12, 1988. Polianski is the reigning national champion in the 200 fly (SCM, 1:56.97).
Nate Samson • Brunswick, Maine• Brunswick High School• Long Reach Swim Club
100 free: 46.64, 100 breast: 58.39, 100 back 48.63
Samson is the reigning swimmer of the year of Class A in Maine after holding the top times in the state in four events. He is the state meet record holder in the 100 free with a 46.64 after taking the title in 2015. Samson was the national champion in the 50m back (27.00) in 2015 and was fifth at the 2015 short course meet in the 100 back after swimming a career best time of 48.63.
