DETROIT - Wayne State University head swimming and diving coach Sean Peters has announced that eight prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to enroll at WSU this fall and join the swimming and diving program.
Kelsey Dischler (Macomb, Mich./Henry Ford II) and
Kayla Scott (Rochester, Mich./Adams) inked their letters during the early signing period in November. Six more future Warriors joined them this spring -
Kevin Galerneau (Washington, Mich./Eisenhower),
Paige Kortman (Holland, Mich./Holland),
Nicole Kudla (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion),
Calvin Reder (Bay City, Mich./John Glenn),
Aaron Shields (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay ) and
Alycen Wiacek (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester).
"I am extremely pleased and excited to be working with an exceptional class,” said Peters. “This group of incoming athletes is already quite accomplished (high school All-Americans, junior national qualifiers, all-state selections, state champions) and I feel that every one of these individuals will be ready to step in and compete at a high level for our program. Once again, I commend the efforts of assistants Bryce Pitters and Kelly LaCroix for all the tireless work they provided in helping bring in this group of talented student-athletes. This is a remarkable class and I am looking forward to seeing them in action."
Dischler, a 2006 state qualifier in the 100-yard freestyle after claiming county and division championships, has been with the Utica Shelby Swim Club and coach Erica Zuercher since 2006. She was a three-time state qualifier (2006-08) and a sectional qualifier in 2009. Dischler finished eighth in the 1650 free and swam the butterfly portion of the first-place 400 medley relay at the 2009 Michigan Short Course State Championships.
Galerneau lettered two years (2007-08) at Eisenhower, earning all-state and Macomb County Swimmer of the Year honors. He competed at the state meet in 2008, placing eighth in the 200 IM (1:59.73) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (51.83). Galerneau trains with the Oakland Live Y’ers (OLY) club organization and was part of the OLY Junior National Team.
The 2009 Division 2 state champion and Diver of the Year, Kortman garnered All-America honors as well as all-state and all-conference accolades. She set one-meter school records for both six and 11 dives in 2008, finishing fifth at the state meet, and broke the records again as a senior. A two-sport athlete at Holland, Kortman ran track for three years and was the conference champion in the long jump and 100-meter dash as a junior.
Kudla, a four-year varsity swimmer at Lake Orion, qualified for the county and state meets every season. She finished 10th at states in the 50 freestyle in 2009, and joined the 10th-place 400 free relay and the 13th-place 200 free relay. Kudla was voted Most Dedicated Swimmer every year by her teammates, and was a four-year scholar athlete.
The first individual state champion in the history of John Glenn’s swimming program in 2009, Reder won the 500 freestyle (4:43.21) and set a school record. He repeated as 500 free (4:37.54) champion in 2010 and also won the state title in the 100 butterfly (52.20), setting school and area records in both events. Reder attained All-America status and was a three-time all-county, four-time all-state and four-time MVP selection. He was also a National Honor Society member and a four-year honor roll student.
Rochester Adams graduate Scott trains with coach Erica Zuercher at the Utica Shelby Swim Club. She was the 2009 state champion in the 100 breaststroke, and finished in the top eight in the 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 200 breaststroke. A four-time national qualifier, Scott holds 18 USCC records and was a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.
Shields earned four varsity letters at Anchor Bay and was a two-time all-state, all-county and MVP selection. He won four county championships (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 free relay, 400 free relay) in 2010 and was selected swimmer of the meet. Shields, a two-time captain, set a school record in the 50 freestyle and placed fifth at states. He is the younger brother of former Warrior swimmer Justin Shields, a nine-time All-American (2006-10).
Wiacek, a four-year varsity swimmer at Rochester, helped the Falcons to their first league title in nearly two decades in 2009. She won league championships in the 200 freestyle in 2007 and 2008, and in the 500 freestyle in 2007 and 2009, also seting a school record in the 200 free as a senior. A four-time state qualifier and team MVP, Wiacek finished 11th in the 500 free and 17th in the 200 free at states in 2009. The two-year captain was a three-time scholar athlete and an Academic All-American her senior year.
These eight student-athletes are joining a program which finished second at the NCAA Division II Championships a year ago and have combined to win nine GLIAC Championships since 2003.