A host of talented newcomers will compete in front of the home crowd for the first time when the Texas A&M men's swimming and diving team hosts South Carolina in its home opener at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Student Recreation Natatorium.
The dual meet, which is in conjunction with Alumni Weekend, has been designated the "Pink Meet" for breast cancer awareness and the first 100 fans at the Rec will receive pink Texas A&M Swimming and Diving flip flops.
Live results can be accessed on 12thMan.com or Meet Mobile. The competition will be available digitally on mobile devices, tablets, PCs and connect-TVs for SEC Network subscribers whose cable/satellite packages allow access to SEC Network+ through the WatchESPN app and SECSports.com.
Newcomers for the men's team include:
Newcomer Biographical Sketches
Jake Gibbons
Gibbons, who was coached at The Bolles School by Jon D. Sakovich, redshirted in 2015-16 after transferring from Yale and will have four seasons of eligibility. At Bolles, Gibbons helped the Sharks to a pair of Florida state championships and was a qualifier for Winter Juniors, Summer Juniors and Winter Senior Nationals. Prior to Bolles, Gibbons was a four-time Connecticut Senior Champion with titles in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke.
Anthony Kim
Kim, from Albuquerque, N.M., was ranked the No. 1 swimmer in the state of New Mexico and No. 46 nationally, according to CollegeSwimming.com. He is a three-time state champion in the 200 free, 100 back (50.08) and 100 fly (48.66). A Junior Nationals competitor, Kim owns the New Mexico state records in the 100 fly and 100 back. His best times (short course yards) are: 100/200 backstroke 48.38/1:45.22; 100 butterfly 48.52; 200 IM 1:51.1.
Adam Koster
Koster, from Trophy Club, Texas, was ranked the No. 6 senior swimmer in Texas (tie) by CollegeSwimming.com. Koster was a three-time finalist in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles at the Texas state meet for Byron Nelson High School. Koster is also a two-time competitor at the Speedo Junior National Championships.
Nicholas Reynolds
Reynolds, from Burnet, Texas, competed for the Cougar Diving Club in Houston and he was coached by Ryan Moehnke.
Michael Thibert
Thibert, from Mansfield, Texas, won the Texas 6A state championship in the 100 free as a junior and senior, as well as a Winter Nationals qualifier in the 50 free (20.54 SCY). Rated the No. 6 senior swimmer in Texas (tie) by CollegeSwimming.com, Thibert was also a 2015 Junior Nationals competitor.
Raiz Tjon-A-Joe
Tjon-A-Joe, from Westlake Preparatory School in Davie, Fla., was rated the nation's No. 20 2016 senior (No. 1 in the state of Florida) by CollegeSwimming.com. A native of Suriname, Tjon-A-Joe is the Florida state high school record holder in the 100-yard breaststroke, as well as the state champion in the 50-yard freestyle.
Ben Walker
Walker, from The Woodlands, Texas, swam under Coach Mike McCauley at Premier Aquatics and Coach Travis Subda at Concordia Lutheran High School. Walker was a member of the 2015-2016 National Junior Team in the 400 individual medley and holds the Gulf LSC records in the 400-yard and 400-meter IM. He was ranked No. 6 in the United States and No. 22 in the world in the 400-meter individual medley in the 18-and-unders.
The dual meet, which is in conjunction with Alumni Weekend, has been designated the "Pink Meet" for breast cancer awareness and the first 100 fans at the Rec will receive pink Texas A&M Swimming and Diving flip flops.
Live results can be accessed on 12thMan.com or Meet Mobile. The competition will be available digitally on mobile devices, tablets, PCs and connect-TVs for SEC Network subscribers whose cable/satellite packages allow access to SEC Network+ through the WatchESPN app and SECSports.com.
Newcomers for the men's team include:
| Newcomer | Hometown (High School) | Club Team (Coach) |
| Jake Gibbons | Killingworth, Ct. (Bolles (Fla.) School) | Bolles School (Jon D. Sakovich) |
| Anthony Kim | Albuquerque, N.M (Albuquerque Academy) | Charger Aquatics (Tom Cyprus) |
| Adam Koster | Trophy Club, Texas (Byron Nelson HS) | North Texas Natadores (Bill Christensen) |
| Nicholas Reynolds | Burnet, Texas (Home School) | Cougar Diving Club (Ryan Meohnke) |
| Michael Thibert | Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield HS) | Mansfield Aquatics Club (Cody Huckabay) |
| Raiz Tjon-A-Joe | Davie, Fla. (Westlake Prep) | Azura Florida Aquatics (Chris Anderson) |
| Ben Walker | The Woodlands, Texas (Concordia Lutheran) | Premier Aquatics (Mike McCauley) |
Newcomer Biographical Sketches
Jake Gibbons
Gibbons, who was coached at The Bolles School by Jon D. Sakovich, redshirted in 2015-16 after transferring from Yale and will have four seasons of eligibility. At Bolles, Gibbons helped the Sharks to a pair of Florida state championships and was a qualifier for Winter Juniors, Summer Juniors and Winter Senior Nationals. Prior to Bolles, Gibbons was a four-time Connecticut Senior Champion with titles in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke.
Anthony Kim
Kim, from Albuquerque, N.M., was ranked the No. 1 swimmer in the state of New Mexico and No. 46 nationally, according to CollegeSwimming.com. He is a three-time state champion in the 200 free, 100 back (50.08) and 100 fly (48.66). A Junior Nationals competitor, Kim owns the New Mexico state records in the 100 fly and 100 back. His best times (short course yards) are: 100/200 backstroke 48.38/1:45.22; 100 butterfly 48.52; 200 IM 1:51.1.
Adam Koster
Koster, from Trophy Club, Texas, was ranked the No. 6 senior swimmer in Texas (tie) by CollegeSwimming.com. Koster was a three-time finalist in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles at the Texas state meet for Byron Nelson High School. Koster is also a two-time competitor at the Speedo Junior National Championships.
Nicholas Reynolds
Reynolds, from Burnet, Texas, competed for the Cougar Diving Club in Houston and he was coached by Ryan Moehnke.
Michael Thibert
Thibert, from Mansfield, Texas, won the Texas 6A state championship in the 100 free as a junior and senior, as well as a Winter Nationals qualifier in the 50 free (20.54 SCY). Rated the No. 6 senior swimmer in Texas (tie) by CollegeSwimming.com, Thibert was also a 2015 Junior Nationals competitor.
Raiz Tjon-A-Joe
Tjon-A-Joe, from Westlake Preparatory School in Davie, Fla., was rated the nation's No. 20 2016 senior (No. 1 in the state of Florida) by CollegeSwimming.com. A native of Suriname, Tjon-A-Joe is the Florida state high school record holder in the 100-yard breaststroke, as well as the state champion in the 50-yard freestyle.
Ben Walker
Walker, from The Woodlands, Texas, swam under Coach Mike McCauley at Premier Aquatics and Coach Travis Subda at Concordia Lutheran High School. Walker was a member of the 2015-2016 National Junior Team in the 400 individual medley and holds the Gulf LSC records in the 400-yard and 400-meter IM. He was ranked No. 6 in the United States and No. 22 in the world in the 400-meter individual medley in the 18-and-unders.