Dec. 15, 2009
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch (2009-10 season)
IOWA CITY, IA – University of Iowa Head Women’s Swimming Coach Marc Long has announced that nine prep athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Iowa in 2010. Student athletes Katelyn Baltes, Elise Borja, Emily Christiansen, Lauren Drennan, Haley Gordon, Emily Hovren, Lauren Kelba, Abbey Tuchscherer and Karolina Wartalowicz have committed to join the Iowa swimming program next fall. The Hawkeyes tapped into Canada and five different states to complete their recruiting class.
Baltes, a native of Madison, WI, attends Verona Area High School, where she holds school records in the 200 medley relay and 100 breaststroke. She is a Junior National qualifier in the 100 breaststroke, the same event she broke the conference record in as a freshman in 2006. Baltes is a six-time conference champion and has earned all-state honors three times.
Quoting Coach Long: “Katelyn will add much needed depth in our breaststroke events. She comes from a very successful club in Madison (BAC) and is continuing to show great development in her events.”
Borja, a native of Hartford, WI, attends Waukesha South High School. She has earned 10 all-conference honors and six all-state laurels. Borja earned team MVP honors as a freshman by placing first in both the 50 free and 100 free at the conference meet.
Quoting Coach Long: “Elise also comes from a strong club background in Wisconsin (Wakesha Express) and has experience racing at the National level. She’ll add immediate depth and experience to our freestyle groups.”
Christiansen attends Mountain View High School in Mesa, AZ, where she was a two-time all-American and twice earned team MVP honors. In 2008, Christiansen won the state championship in the 500 free, one year after recording a runner up finish her junior season. She holds school records in the 500 free, 200 medley relay, 200 and 400 free relays, and is an eight-time place winner at the Arizona state meet.
Quoting Coach Long: “Emily comes to Iowa as a highly motivated competitor with a tremendous future. She followed her outstanding summer with a win at the very competitive Arizona State Meet. We’re looking forward to her joining our team and having an impact in all of the freestyle events.”
Drennan, a native of Danville, IL, attends Danville High School. She is a four-time team MVP and school record holder in the 200 IM, 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, 200 medley, 200 and 400 free relays. She is a five-time state qualifier and in 2009, she earned all-state honors and was named New-Gazette Swimmer of the Year. Drennan earned all-area honors in each of her four seasons and served as a Danville co-captain her junior and senior seasons.
Quoting Coach Long: “Lauren will contribute in the sprint freestyle and butterfly events. She’s a strong competitor, and we’re looking forward to working with Lauren as she develops.”
Gordon, a native of Sioux Falls, SD, attends Washington High School. Gordon is a Senior National qualifier in multiple events. She won the high point championship at the 2008 Mega-Zone and was the Female “Swimmer of the Year” in 2008 at WHS. Haley’s brother Paul is a member of the Iowa Men’s Swim Team.
Quoting Coach Long: “Haley is one of the most versatile swimmers in her region and we’re excited about her future at Iowa. We feel she’ll have an immediate impact on our team and in the Big Ten.”
Hovren attends University High School in Bloomington, IN, where she holds the school records in the 200 IM and 200 free relay. Hovren is a three-time all-state honoree and two-time team MVP. She has finished in the top five at the state meet three times and currently holds the Bloomington High School 200 IM pool record.
Quoting Coach Long: “Emily had an outstanding summer. She has the ability to excel at many events and will immediately contribute to our young team.”
Kelba, a native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, represented her country at multiple junior international diving meets. Her featured events include the 3-Meter Springboard and the Platform.
Tuchscherer attends Oshkosh West High High School in Oschkosch, WI. She holds schools records in the 100 fly, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. She is an eight-time YMCA state champion and four-time first-team all-conference honoree. Tuchscherer earned all-state honors from 2007-09 and was named conference co-MVP in 2008. She earned her team’s Outstanding Work Ethic Award as a freshman and served as team co-captain her junior and senior seasons.
Quoting Coach Long: “Abbey will enter our lineup in the Butterfly events. However, we look for continued development in many events. We’re excited to work with such a motivated and exciting young swimmer.”
Wartalowicz, a native of Oswego, IL, attends Oswego East High School, where she holds the school record in the 100 breaststroke. She is a four-time all-conference representative and a two time all-American. Wartalowicz is the three-time defending conference champion in the 100 breaststroke and she has placed in the top five at the state meet three times since 2007.
Quoting Coach Long: “Karolina is a strong competitor in the breaststroke events. She also comes from a very strong club background (Academy Bullets) and is prepared to have an immediate impact on our team and in the conference. We’re enthusiastic about her future.”
2010 Recruiting Class, Hometown, Event, Personal Bests
Katelyn Baltes, Madison, WI
100 Yard Breaststroke, 1:06.14
Elise Borja, Waukesha, WI
50 Yard Freestyle, 24.19
100 Yard Freestyle, 52.68
Emily Christiansen, Mesa, AZ
50 LC Meter Freestyle, 27.38
100 LC Meter Freestyle, 58.79
200 LC Meter Freestyle, 2:05.56
400 LC Meter Freestyle, 4:21.79
Lauren Drennan, Danville, IL
100 Yard Butterfly, 57.58
Haley Gordon, Sioux Falls, SD
100 Yard Breaststroke, 1:04.94
200 Yard Breaststroke, 2:21.51
100 Yard Butterfly, 56.71
200 Yard Butterfly, 2:03.61
200 LC Meters Individual Medley, 2:23.5
100 LC Meters Butterfly, 1:03.0
Emily Hovren, Normal, IL
50 Meter Freestyle, 26.97
100 Meter Freestyle, 58.05
200 Meter Individual Medley, 2:21.81
Lauren Kelba, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Represented Canada at multiple junior international diving meets
Featured Events: 3-meter springboard, Platform
Abbey Tuchscherer, Oshkosh, WI
100 Yard Butterfly, 56.61
200 Yard Butterfly, 2:05.53
Karolina Wartolowicz, Oswego, IL
100 Yard Breaststroke, 1:03.87
200 Yard Breaststroke, 2:17.89