Aggies Ink Five in 2024 Signing Class

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Texas A&M men's swimming & diving team signed five swimmers to National Letters of Intent this week, including Travis Gulledge, Chase Swearingen, Ben Sytsma, Seth Tolentino and Jacob Wimberly.
 
"We are excited to announce this class to everyone," head coach Jay Holmes said. "It's highlighted by swimmers that are some of the highest ranked recruits in the United States and a few that we firmly believe will become great assets to our program very early in their A&M careers. 
 
"We had some specific needs we were hoping to fill, and this class fills those needs. It's a national class as there are swimmers in it that come from around the U.S., and this class is not totally set yet. We think there could be a few additions later that will really help us, but we believe once this class gets here and gets in gear with the guys already on campus, together they are going to create an incredible team.  We have a great future and it's going to be exciting watching them put it together."
 
Travis Gulledge – Frisco, Texas – Free/Breast
Gulledge swam for two years at Centennial High School before only competing for Texas Ford Aquatics and coached by Coley Stickles. He boasts a personal best time of 2:01.32 in the 200 breast SCY and top long course times of 23.57 in the 50 free, 53.51 in the 100 free and 1:03.44 in the 100 breast. As a sophomore, Gulledge placed third in the 100 breast and eighth in the 50 free at the 2022 state championship meet. He held the school record in the 50 free, 100 breast and 200 medley relay and earned Freshman of the Year in 2020-21 and Most Valuable Swimmer as a freshman and sophomore. He's a member of the National Honor Society and was named and Academic All-American in 2022 and 2023. 
 
Chase Swearingen – Westerville, Ohio – Fly/IM
Swearingen has competed for four years at Westerville Central High School. Ranking as a top-30 recruit in the nation, he won a state championship in the 200 IM and finished second in the 100 fly in 2023. Swearingen earned All-Ohio accolades in the 100 fly in each of the last three seasons.  He has competed for four seasons for John Coffman and the New Albany Aquatics Club. He is a five-time NCSA Champion and has won Junior National championships as a member of the 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 200 medley relay.
 
Ben Sytsma – Grand Rapids, Mich. – Free
Sytsma is in his fourth year as a letterwinner at Grand Rapids Christian High School. He helped his team to top-five finishes at the state championship meet in each of the last two seasons and was an individual state champion in the 50 free in the 2023 and the 100 free in 2022, holding the school record in each event. Sytsma clocked personal best times of 20.56 in the 50 free, 44.86 in the 100 free and 1:42.01 in the 200 free. He spent five years swimming for Rapids Area YMCA Swimmers and coach Brian Vigna. Sytsma was a two-time state champion in 50 free LCM and was a national finalist in the 100 free SCY.
 
Seth Tolentino – Houston, Texas – Free
Tolentino is in his fourth year swimming at The Bolles School and competed for the Bolles School Sharks in Jacksonville, Florida, coached by Peter Verhoef. He helped his team to three straight state championships and a national championship in 2022. As a junior, Tolentino finished second at the state meet in the 50 free and third in the 100 free. He boasts personal bests of 20.19 in the 50 free, 44.36 in the 100 free and 1:38.12 in the 200 free. Tolentino was named a scholastic All-American. 
 
Jacob Wimberly – Prosper, Texas – Fly/IM 
Wimberly is in his fourth year competing for Prosper High School. He is ranked as the No. 5 recruit in the class by SwimSwam and the No. 1 domestic recruit according to swimcloud.com. He is a two-time All-American in the 100 fly, while also earning All-America accolades in the 200 IM and 50 free. He was a state champion in the 100 fly as a sophomore, finishing second in the event as a junior. Wimberly holds the school record in the 100 fly, 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free and 100 back. He boasts personal best times of 46.26 in the 100 fly, 1:44.08 in the 200 IM, 19.89 in the 50 free and 1:34.00 in the 200 free. He spent three years swimming for coach Coley Stickles at Texas Ford Aquatics. Wimberly was the Winter Juniors champion in the 100 fly in 2022 and a 2023 World Juniors qualifier in the 100 fly, as well as the 4x100 free relay, 4x200 free relay and 4x100 medley relay.