May 24, 2007
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving head coach Tim Welsh has announced the commitment of 12 student-athletes for the 2006-07 recruiting class. The Class of 2011 is ranked 13th nationally according to CollegeSwimming.com.
“This class is large, fast, versatile and exciting,” stated Welsh. “Coming as it does on the heels of a large and fast senior class that is graduating, we are eager for this class to arrive and we welcome them with very high expectations. This is a class that can make significant contributions to our team immediately.”
The class features one Olympic Trials qualifier and four U.S. National qualifiers. In addition, the Fighting Irish will be welcoming in 10 Junior National qualifiers and five state champions. Five of the newcomers were listed among the top 100 recruits of this class according to CollegeSwimming.com. Josh Nosal (55), Michael Sullivan (74), Steven Brus (78), Connor Wills (86) and Chris Douville (90) all received that honor.
“This class is full of some great talent and certainly fills some needed spots,” said Irish associate head coach Matt Tallman. “Each member of this class will join our team with a great potential to improve on their incoming times. We have improved steadily over the past few years and this group of student-athletes should keep the program going in the right direction.”
Commitments:
Patrick Augustyn (Highland, Ind./Highland) … Swims the sprint freestyles and butterfly events … posted a time of 1:49.33 in the 200-yard fly at the 2007 Indiana Senior Champs … time qualifies for 2007 U.S. National Championships … placed 2nd in the 100-yard fly (50.18) at the 2007 Indiana high school championships … his top 100-meter fly time is 58.36.
Augustyn on Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because of the rich tradition and great team atmosphere. It’s the only place I could imagine myself spending the next four years of my life.”
Welsh on Augustyn:
“With three butterfliers graduating, Patrick can fill an immediate need in our program. He fits our program well and is improving steadily. He is one of three very talented swimmers from Indiana in this class.”
Steven Brus (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport North) … Swims the distance freestyle events along with the 400 IM … a six-time high school All-American … high school state champion twice in the 200 and three times 500-yard freestyle … co-high school state swimmer of the year in 2006 … Iowa Swimming Inc. (ISI) Senior swimmer of the year in 2006 and 2007 … district swimmer of the year in 2005, 2006, and 2007 … established ISI 15-16 age group records in the 1,000 and 1,650 free … six school records … USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … team captain in 2006 and 2007 … swam 9:22.24 in the 1,000 free and 15:38.66 in the 1,650 free at the 2006 Speedo Sectional Championships … has top times of 1:41.63 in the 200-yard free, 4:34.00 in the 500-yard free 4:07.14 in the 400-yard Individual Medley… swam the 200 (1:55.90), 400 (4:03.33), 800 (8:28.01) and 1,500-meter freestyle (16:09.29) events at 2006 Long Course Junior Nationals … member of Davenport Metro Swim Club.
Brus on Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because I know that this University will force me to reach my potential in both the pool and the classroom. I feel that reaching my goals in this environment will be very rewarding and make me a better person athletically, academically and spiritually.”
Tallman on Brus:
“Distance swimming has always been one of our strengths. Steven brings more quality to the top of that group. We are looking for big things from him over the next four seasons.”
Joe Deters (Loveland, Ohio/St. Xavier) … Competes in the breaststroke and middle-distance freestyle events … a 2006 All-American in the 200 and 400 free relay … garnered All-America honors in 2007 in the 200 medley relay … swam the breaststroke on that relay … team captain for 2006-07 … named Cincinnati Enquirer All-Star in 2006 and 2007 … Greater Catholic League First-Team selection in 2004 … is a member of the Cincinnati Marlins club team … has a top time of 59.42 in the 100-yard breast and 2:10.49 in the 200-yard breast … his top mark in the 200-yard free is 1:43.38 … member of the Cincinnati Marlins Swim Club.
Deters on Notre Dame:
“I have always wanted to go to Notre Dame, for obvious reasons. But being a student-athlete at Notre Dame is more than I could hope for. I came from a strong, supportive community at my high school and that meant a lot to me. Notre Dame has a great sense of community and family and I want to be a part of it.”
Tallman on Deters:
“Coming from a quality school and program like St. X should prepare Joe for Notre Dame. He improved a tremendous amount during his senior year and we feel he has a lot more where that came from.”
Chris Douville (Dayton, Ohio/Archbishop Alter) … Competes in the middle and distance freestyle events along with the backstroke, 200 fly and 400 IM … has Short Course National qualifying times of 9:22.84 in the 1,000-yard free, 1:49.77 in the 200-yard back and 3:58.55 in the 400-yard IM … has posted top times of 1:42.63 and 4:36.46 in the 200 and 500-yard free, respectively … his top 1,650-yard mark is 16:01.97 … has gone 52.88 in the 100-yard back and 1:54.29 in the 200-yard fly … went 2:08.26 in the 200-meter back … a member of the Dayton Raiders swim club.
Chris Douville
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Douville on Notre Dame:
“I am thrilled to be a part of a school with such an outstanding academic and athletic tradition.”
Welsh on Douville:
“Chris is both a very versatile and a very accomplished swimmer. He brings speed a flexibility to our team, which can help us in both our dual and championship meets, especially in the longer events.”
Karl Kingery (Hometown/Helena) … Swims the middle-distance freestyle and the 100 fly … three-time high school state champion in the 200 free (2005, 2006, 2007) … two-time high school state champion in the 500 free (2005, 2006) … four-time academic all-state … team MVP and captain during his senior season in 2007 … currently holds eight short course and one long course age group Montana state records … holds all the Helena High School swimming records with the exception of the 100 breast … age group sectional champion … attended Zones and Senior Sectionals … Montana age group state champion every year since 1999 … holds 88 team age group records … has clocked times of 1:44.25 in the 200-yard free and 4:49.56 in the 500-yard free … his top 100-yard fly mark is 53.11.
Kingery on Notre Dame:
“When I first walked onto campus, I realized that it was the place for me. The people conveyed an attitude that I could really relate with and it gave me exactly what I wanted in a college.”
Tallman on Kingery:
“Karl has had somewhat of a limited swimming background. Once he gets acclimated to the routine of collegiate swimming we think he will be a valuable asset to the program.”
P.J. Koppel (Wilmington, Del./Archmere Academy) … Specializes in the breaststroke and individual medley events … 2007 Delaware High School Champion in the 200 IM … has 2007 Short Course National times in the 200-yard breast (2:03.59), 1:52.49 in the 200-yard IM and 3:59.28 in the 400-yard IM … his top 100-yard breast time (57.61) is a Junior National time … has clocked a time of 1:09.61 in the 100-meter breast and went 2:27.28 in the 200-meter breast to qualify for the Speedo Junior Nationals.
P.J. Koppel
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Koppel on Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame for the chance to be on an up and rising team that I could be a contributing member for.”
Welsh on Koppel:
“As a strong breaststroke and individual medley swimmer, P.J. brings instant speed and power to some of our thinnest events. He will have an opportunity to make an immediate impact on our team.”
Josh Nosal (Austin, Texas/Westwood) … Swims the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events along with the backstroke … a four-time All-American in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events … qualified for the Texas state high school meet all four of his prep seasons … state champion in the 200 free (1:38.49) as a senior along with finishing fourth in the 100 free (45.49) … four-time first-team all-state and all-district … two-time team captain … a three-time USA swimming Scholastic All-American … qualified and was a finalist at Junior Nationals in 2005 and 2006 … has a top 50-yard free mark of 20.83 … also went 4:31.25 in the 500-yard free, 50.99 in the 100-yard back and 1:51.09 in the 200-yard back … top long course times of 24.35 in the 50-meter free and 52.75 in the 100-meter free.
Josh Nosal (photo by Jeff and Debbie Dean)
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Nosal on Notre Dame:
“Notre Dame was my top choice because it combines an environment full of old traditions and dedicated students, creating the perfect balance of academics, athletics and religion that I am looking for.”
Tallman on Nosal:
“Whenever you can get a state champion from Texas to join your program you know you have a lot of talent on your hands. Josh has an extremely bright future and we’re excited to see it first hand.”
Spencer Osborne (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) … Primarily swims the freestyle and backstroke events … a high school All-American … runner-up in the 100 and 200 freestyle events at the 2007 IHSAA Boys State Swimming Championships … also had runner-up finishes in the 200 and 400 free relays at the meet … IHSAA Herman F. Keller Mental Attitude Award winner … captained his team to an undefeated dual-meet season and a team state championship as a senior … registered third-place finishes in the 100 free and 100 back at the 2006 IHSAA swimming championships … was a runner-up in the 200 medley relay that year … named All-American, all-state, all-conference and all-county in the 100 free, 100 back, 400 free relay as a junior … Hamilton County Boys High School Swimmer of the Year in 2006 … participated in the American Short Course Championships in March of 2006 in Austin, Texas … Summer Junior and Senior National Team with the Southeastern Swim Club … copped All-America, all-conference and all-county honors in the 100 back as a freshman and sophomore … has posted top times of 46.26 in the 100-yard free, 1:41.13 in the 200-yard free and 51.18 in the 100-yard back … has top long course times of 24.95 in the 50-meter free and 54.1 in the 100-meter free … is a member of Southeastern Swim Club.
Osborne on Notre Dame:
“In the end, why does anybody come to Notre Dame? Some may say that they wanted to get a good Catholic oriented education, some may like the overall academic programs, and some might desire to come to an extremely reputable university, but in the end, for anybody that chooses Notre Dame, the campus just feels right. You know that this is the place for you once you step on the grounds. Once you’re Irish, you never go back.”
Welsh on Osborne:
Spencer Osborne brings more home grown Indiana speed to Notre Dame. His backstroke and freestyle events can help us immediately. The best thing about Spencer, however, may be his future. We think he has a lot of potential to get faster in college.
Joe Raycroft (Munster, Ind./Munster) … Competes in the backstroke, breaststroke and individual medley events … a high school All-American and All-State performer … team captain and four-year varsity swimmer at Munster High School … sectional champion in the 200 IM and 100 back … placed third in 2007 and fourth in 2006 in the 200 IM and 100 back Indiana State Championships, respectively … team MVP of his high school squad … has qualified for Short Course Nationals in the 200-yard IM (1:52.73) … posted times of 58.09 in the 100-yard breast 1:53.56 in the 200-yard fly to qualify for the Speedo Junior Nationals … has a top mark of 1:43.94 in the 200-yard free and 4:41.04 in the 500-yard free … his top backstroke times are 51.80 in the 100-yard and 1:53.77 in the 200-yard … has swam 2:07.51 in the 200 breast … has gone 51.44 in the 100 fly … his best mark in the 400-yard IM is 4:07.47 … has a top 200-meter IM time of 2:12.76 … received the Pride, Hustle and Desire Award for his high school team … is a member of Munster Swim Club.
Joe Raycroft
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Raycroft on Notre Dame:
“Choosing Notre Dame was an easy decision for me, as the academic excellence, swim team on the rise, and rich traditions at the school make me very proud to be a part of the Notre Dame family.”
Welsh on Raycroft:
“Joe’s excellent versatility, especially in the shorter events makes it possible for him to contribute to our team in every stroke. He is one of the fastest and most versatile swimmers in Indiana this year. He adds speed and flexibility to our lineup.”
Michael Sullivan (Franklin, Mass./Bishop Feehan) … Swims the middle and distance freestyle, backstroke and IM … a high school All-American … went 52.09 in the 100 back at his high school state championship meet along with going 1:55.8 in the 200 IM … a Senior National qualifier in the 200 back during the spring of 2006 … placed 20th in the event … US Open qualifier in the 100 and 200 back … Junior National qualifier in the 100 and 200 back along with the 200 free and 400 IM … National Select Camp in 2006 … 2007 Massachusetts state champion in the 100 back … 2006 Massachusetts state champion 200 IM and 500 free … Boston Globe & Herald All-Scholastic in the winter of 2006 … captain of his prep team during his senior season at Bishop Feehan High School … has gone 1:49.81 in the 200-yard back, 4:37.69 in the 500-yard free, 9:29.82 in the 1,000-yard free, 4:01.98 in the 400-yard IM, 1:53.68 in the 200-yard fly and 1:55.80 in the 200-yard IM … has long course times of 1:56.69 in the 200-meter free, 59.92 in the 100-meter back, 2:12.71 in the 200-meter IM and 4:38.64 in the 400-meter IM … went 2:05.34 in the 200-meter back at Summer Nationals … is a member of Attleboro Bluefish Swim Club.
Michael Sullivan
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Sullivan on Notre Dame:
“I wanted to go to a school that had a competitive swim team that was on the rise and a strong academic reputation. I felt that Notre Dame offered me the best opportunity to improve in the pool and as a person.”
Tallman on Sullivan:
“Michael chose Notre Dame over some of the top programs in the country. He will instantly bring strength to our backstroke events and his versatility should help in many different ways throughout his career.”
Tommy Van Volkenburg (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) … Swims the sprint and middle distance freestyle events along with the backstroke … a 12-time All-American … earned all-state honors on 11 occasions … a state qualifier all four years of his high school career … 10-time state medalist … two-time District 10 Swimmer of the Year … District 10 champion 13 times … District 10 medalist 16 times … holds six varsity records and two freshman records … captured the Outstanding Freshman Award in 2004 and the Swimmer of the Year Award in 2007 … Junior National qualifier … captained his high school team during his senior season … achieved Speedo Junior National standards when swimming times of 21.31 in the 50-yard free, 46.22 in the 100-yard free and 51.42 in the 100-yard back … has a top 200-yard free mark of 1:42.82.
Tommy Van Volkenburg
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Van Volkenburg on Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because of the outstanding atmosphere and school support for student-athletes, which I feel will help me attain my personal, as well as team goals.”
Tallman on Van Volkenburg:
“Tommy will be the fourth cathedral Prep swimmer I’ve coach at Notre Dame and sixth overall. Each has offered a tremendous amount to their respective program and Tommy should be no different.”
Connor Wills (Baltimore, Md./Gilman School) … Competes in the backstroke, butterfly and individual medley events … 2008 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200-meter fly (2:03.87) … has Junior National times in the 100-yard back (51.54) and in the 200-yard back (1:50.90) … has been 1:53.18 in the 200-yard fly along with posting marks of 1:53.27 in the 200-yard IM and 4:01.27 in the 400-yard IM … his top 100-yard fly time is 51.28 … long course meter times include 2:08.82 in the 200-meter back, 57.99 in the 100-meter fly, 2:11.40 in the 200-meter IM and 4:37.83 in the 400-meter IM … is a member of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club.
Connor Wills
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Wills on Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because of its great reputation, both athletically and academically.”
Welsh on Wills:
“Hard working and well coached, Connor is another of the very skilled and very versatile members of this class. Connor’s strength in the butterfly, backstroke and individual medley events can help him play a very significant role in our program.”
2006-07 NOTRE DAME MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING COMMITMENTSName Event Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School Patrick Augustyn Fly 5-11 175 Highland, Ind./HighlandSteven Brus Distance 6-2 155 Davenport, Iowa/Davenport NorthJoe Deters Free, Breast 6-1 165 Loveland, Ohio/Saint XavierChristopher Douville Free, Back, IM 5-10 155 Dayton, Ohio/Archbishop AlterKarl Kingery Free 6-1 180 Helena, Mont./HelenaP.J. Koppel Breast, IM 5-10 140 Wilmington, Del./Archmere AcademyJoshua Nosal Free, Back 6-3 165 Austin, Texas/WestwoodSpencer Osborne Free, Back 6-6 202 Fishers, Ind./Hamilton SoutheasternJoe Raycroft Back, Breast, IM 5-11 157 Munster, Ind./MunsterMichael Sullivan Free, Back, IM 5-10 160 Franklin, Mass./Bishop FeehanTommy Van Volkenburg Free, Back 6-0 165 Erie, Pa./Cathedral PrepConnor Wills Fly, Back 5-11 150 Baltimore, Md./Gilman School