South Dakota head swimming and diving coach Jason Mahowald is pleased to announce the addition of 11 athletes to the 2017-18 roster. USD signed Hannah Beckwith, Gabi Gilliana, Morgan Holt, Kaitlyn Housenga, Hannah Lange, Emma O’Brien, Anna VerKuilen and Kyle Weis to National Letters of Intent. The team also has commitments from Seth Jones, Julianne Seppala and Ryan Smith.
“This is a very deep, talented and experienced incoming freshmen class,” said Mahowald. “We are very excited about what this class will bring to our program. I want to thank my entire staff for all their work for this early signing period.”
A brief description of each athlete follows:
Hannah Beckwith
Hailing from Appleton, Wis., Beckwith was an all-conference selection all four years at Appleton West High School. She won the 200-yard individual medley sectional. As a Terror, Beckwith holds individual pool records as well as multiple sectional and conference relay records while competing in the Fox Valley Association Conference. She was a USA State, Zone and Speedo sectional qualifier multiple times. She is a member of the National Honor Society and plans on studying medical biology at USD.
Gabi Gilliana
A native of Valparaiso, Ind., Gilliana is a two-time first team all-conference nominee and a two-time conference champion in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley. At Wheeler High School, she holds the records for the 100 breast and the 200 IM. Gilliana is a member of the Union Township Swim Club and holds the records for the 100- and 200-yard breast, the 200- and 400-yard IM, the 200-yard butterfly and the 500- and 1,500-yard freestyle.
Morgan Holt
Holt comes to South Dakota from Clermont, Fla. The junior transferred in from Indian River State College and will compete in fly and freestyle events. She was a four-time finalist at the National Junior College Athletic Association Swimming Championships. Holt was the runner-up in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard butterfly. She also placed fourth in the 100-yard fly and was sixth in the 500-yard free. While at East Ridge High School, she set the record for the 100-yard fly. She will study communications at USD.
Kaitlyn Housenga
A native of Iowa City, Iowa, Housenga competed for the Local Swimming Committee (LSC) and ranked fourth in the 400-yard individual medley and sixth in the 200-yard butterfly. In 2014, she helped lead Pleasant Valley High School to the state championship. She was named to the Iowa All-State team, was second team for the 500-yard freestyle and first team for the 400-yard freestyle relay. For club, she competed with Team Iowa at the Central Zone Open Water Championships from 2014-16. She will study criminal justice at USD.
Hannah Lange
A distance swimmer from McHenry, Ill., Lange is a Fox Valley Conference champion in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles. At McHenry East Campus High School, she holds the fastest time for the 200-yard free, and is a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. She was named all-conference in 2015. Lange was a freshman mentor, part of the Fox Valley Leadership Conference and is a member of the Honors Cultural Society. She plans on studying physical therapy at USD.
Emma O’Brien
A native of Grafton, Wis., O’Brien was a National Club Swimming Association (NCSA) state finalist and a relay qualifier. At Grafton High School, she is a member of two state championship teams. She was a member of the championship relay teams for the 2 by 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay, and the 200-yard medley relay. Her medley relay team also set the state record. She was named to the Honor Roll all four years and will study forensics at USD.
Anna VerKuilen
Hailing from Menasha, Wis., VerKuilen was named all-conference, all-sectionals and all-state. At Appleton East High School, she is the record holder for the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard breaststroke and was part of the 200-yard medley relay. She is a member of the National Honors Society and the Health Occupations Students of America. At USD, she will major in physical therapy.
Kyle Weis
A native of Lynnwood, Wash., Weis is a district champion in the 100-yard backstroke. While competing for Meadowdale High School, he was runner-up at districts for the 100-yard butterfly. At state he placed sixth in the 100-yard back and was eighth in the 100-yard fly. He holds the school record for the 100-yard back. As a Maverick, Weis was on varsity and qualified for state every year. He plans on studying criminal justice at USD.
Seth Jones
A distance freestyler from Glenwood, Iowa, Jones placed in the top-eight in the 17 & 18 age group of Midwestern swimming for the short course 500-yard freestyle (sixth), 1,000-yard free (second), 1,650-yard free (second) and the 200-yard butterfly (eighth). He also placed in the top-eight in the same age group for the long course 400-yard free (fourth), 800-yard free (third), 1,500-yard free (second) and 200-yard fly (sixth). At Glenwood Community High School, he was a National Honor Society Officer and was on the Student Council. Jones plans on majoring in physics and media journalism at USD.
Julianne Seppala
A native of Centerville, Minn., Seppala was named all-conference three years. At Centennial High School, she helped her team win four conference championships and one sectional championship. She represented the Cougars individually as a state participant. She lettered academically and was on the Honor Roll. She plans on studying business at USD.
Ryan Smith
Hailing from Naperville, Ill., Smith was a state finalist at the Illinois Senior Champs Long Course Meet for the 400-yard individual medley and the 200-yard butterfly. At Naperville Central High School, he was a four-time varsity letter winner. As a member of the Maverick Swim Club, he ranks in the top-10 for five events: the 1,650-yard free, 1,000-yard free, 800-meter free, 1,500-meter free and the 400-meter individual medley. Smith plans on majoring in communication studies at South Dakota.
All 11 plan to enroll at South Dakota for the 2017-18 academic year.
