August 16, 2007
The Texas A&M men?â„¢s swimming and diving team will be seeking its 13th straight top 25 NCAA team finish in 2007-08 with the help of arguably the most accomplished signing class in school history.
Aggie head swimming coach Jay Holmes announced the addition of eight swimmers, while diving coach Kevin Wright inked a pair of divers.
Joining the Aggie swimmers will be Nathan Lavery (Pretoria, South Africa), Boris Loncaric (Zagreb, Croatia), Balasz Mak?ˇny (Budapest, Hungary), Keenan Natyzak (Camas, Wash.), Jensen Ried (Houston, Texas), Bryan Snowden (San Antonio, Texas), Andres Van Dam (Caracas, Venezuela) and Michal Winiewicz (Wroclaw, Poland). Joining the diving crew are Tim Lavers (Katy, Texas) and Wesley Wright (College Station, Texas).
?We have very high expectations for this group,? Holmes said. ?Individually they each bring something that will make us a better team. As a group they should compliment the guys we have coming back. Our job now is to get everybody working together. Next year?â„¢s team has the potential of being very, very good.?
Lavery will help the Aggies in the breaststroke and the IM. Lavery, who actually joined the squad last spring, has short course meters best times of 28.89 in the 50 breast, 1:01.78 in the 100 breast. He has also been 2:08.5 in the long course 200 IM.
Loncaric could make an immediate impact in the freestyle and the butterfly. In the 17-18 age group rankings in Europe, the 6-foot-3 Loncaric ranked No. 1 in the 50m fly, No. 3 in the 100m fly, No. 3 in the 100m free and No. 2 in the 200 free. He set short course meters personal bests of 24.37 in the 50 fly, 53.62 in the 100 fly, 50.64 in the 100 free, 1:49.94 in the 200 free and 3:53.35 in the 400 free.
A 2004 Olympian, Mak?ˇny was a member of Hungary?™s 800-meter free relay that placed 16th at the Athens Olympic Games. A standout freestyler and backstroker, Mak?ˇny posted long course meters best times of 51.28 in the 100 free and 2:03.49 in the 200 backstroke while reaching the finals in both events at the 2005 European Juniors. He also has a LCM best of 1:51.31 in the 200 free.
A Speedo All-American, the 6-foot-7 Natyzak won a pair of state individual crowns at the 2007 Washington Class 3A/2A state championships with wins in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.95) and the 100 butterfly (50.48).
Ried comes to Texas A&M as a transfer from Indiana University. A distance freestyler, Ried swam for the FLEET swim team out of Houston, Texas. His best times are 9:28.5 in the 1,000-yard free and 15:56 in the 1,650-yard free.
Snowden placed fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke at the 2007 Texas Class 5A Championship. He holds Taft High School records of 57.20 in the 100 breast and 2:04.12 in the 200 breast while also competing for his club team, Alamo Area Aquatics.
Van Dam placed second in the 100-meter backstroke and swam the backstroke leg on the 400-meter medley relay for Venezuela at the 2007 South American Championships of Aquatic Sports. Van Dam has long course bests of 59.80 in the 100-meter backstroke and 2:11.82 in the 200-meter back.
One of the top freestylers in Poland, the 6-foot-3 Winiewicz has personal LCM bests of 51.86 in the 100 freestyle and 1:52.09 in the 200. Winiewicz plans to join the team in January 2008.
A NISCA/Speedo Diving All-American, Lavers placed fifth on the one-meter springboard as a junior and senior at the Texas Class 5A Championships. Lavers also set the meet record in the three-meter springboard (303.20) at a Texas Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association meet at the University of Houston.
Wright, who is the son of the Aggies?â„¢ diving coach, was the district diving champion at A&M Consolidated and placed in the 100 butterfly at the district meet.
2007 Texas A&M Swimming & Diving Signees
Tim Lavers diving Katy, Texas (Katy)
Nathan Lavery breaststroke Pretoria, South Africa
Boris Loncaric butterfly/freestyle Zagreb, Croatia
Balasz Mak?ˇny backstroke/freestyle Budapest, Hungary
Keenan Natyzak butterfly/freestyle Camas, Wash. (Camas)
Jensen Ried freestyle Houston, Texas (Cypress Creek/Indiana U.)
Bryan Snowden breaststroke San Antonio, Texas (Taft)
Andres Van Dam backstroke Caracas, Venezuela
Michal Winiewicz freestyle Wroclaw, Poland
Wesley Wright diving College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated)