Swim & Dive Welcomes 18 New Members

9/27/2021 1:29:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University swimming & diving coach Lara Preacco has announced the signing of 18 student-athletes. The team will add eight on the men's team and eight on the women's side. A group from all over the map, the team consists of individuals from five different countries and six various states.

Men's Team Signees
Maximiliano Ahumada
Events: Sprint Freestyle and Backstroke
Hometown: Santiago de Chile
Previous School: Grand Canyon
Major: International Business
Interesting Hobbies: Camping and other activities related to nature

Ahumada is coming from Grand Canyon, where he tallied the eighth fastest in school history in the 50 back (23.02) and 50 breast (25.65). A member of the Chile National Team since 2017, Ahumada holds the national record in the 100 back. At the Campeonato Nacional Invierno, he become a three-time champion with victories in the 200 LCM IM (2:12.82), 50 LCM back (27.24) and 100 LCM back (58.90).

Taylor Eaton
Events: Sprint Freestyle, Backstroke and IM
Hometown: Johns Creek, Georgia
High School: Johns Creek
Club Team: Dynamo Swim Club
Major: Biology
Interesting Hobbies: Fishing, snowboarding, boating and golf

Eaton was tabbed a Scholastic All-American, while being recognized as a First Team All-State recipient and celebrated as a 200 free relay All-American. With his team, he was tabbed as a two-time 6A State Champion and logged the bronze medal in the 100 back. Eaton is the No. 27 swimmer in his class out of Georgia according to Swimcloud.

Timo Paisley
Events: Mid-Distance Freestyle and IM
Hometown: San Clemente, California
High School: San Clemente
Major: Civil Engineering
Club Team: San Clemente Aquatics Team
Interesting Hobbies: Surfing, body boarding and other activities around the beach

Paisley received All-American consideration, as he was tabbed the league champion in the 500 free and earned second place in the 500 free (4:29.50) at the California CIF Southern Championships. He holds open team records in the 500 yard free, 1500 meter free, 400 meter free and 800 meter free. Paisley is Swimcloud's No. 35 swimmer in his class out of the talented state of California and has reached big heights in the pool and classroom as a 4.6 GPA scholar athlete.

Brett Reason
Events: Sprint Freestyle, Fly
Hometown: Kennesaw, Georgia
High School: Kennesaw Mountain
Club Team: Stingrays Swimming
Major: Undecided
Interesting Hobbies: Playing basketball and spikeball, watching football, going to the beach, watching Marvel movies and cheering for all Atlanta sport teams

Reason had a memorable high school swimming career, being recognized as a three-time NISCA All-American. He won the 6A State Championship in the 50 free, holds 10 Kennesaw Mountain High School records and was tabbed as a four-time All-County and two-time All-State Team recipient. Also a dedicated student, Reason is a two-time Scholastic All-American honoree. Reason is the No. 26 ranked swimmer in Georgia out of the class of 2021, according to Swimcloud.

Brett Sasser
Events: Sprint Freestyle, Breaststroke and Butterfly
Hometown: Cumming, Georgia
High School: West Forsyth
Club Team: Swim Atlanta
Major: Urban Planning and Design
Interesting Hobbies: Fishing, being outside and hanging out with friends

Sasser makes his way to the collegiate scene after becoming a two-time state record holder in the 200 and 400 free relays with All-American qualifications in both events. At state, Sasser placed second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free. Sasser is the No. 34 swimmer out of Georgia according to Swimcloud.

Nick Shaffer
Events: Backstroke and IM
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
High School: Jesuit
Club Team: Academy Aquatic Club
Major: Undecided
Interesting Hobbies: Hanging with his friends, going to the beach and playing spikeball

Shaffer has held All-American consideration times on three different occasions, twice being in the 200 IM and once in the 100 back. He is an FHSAA 2A State Champion in the 200 IM (1:50.38) and a bronze medalist in the 100 back (51.46). Shaffer is the No. 42 swimmer in his class out of Florida according to Swimcloud.

Brandon Shepherd
Events: Diving
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
High School: South Fort Myers
Club Team: Southwest Florida Diving
Major: Management Information Systems
Interesting Hobbies: Playing video games and going to the beach

Shepherd is a four-time district champion, three-time regional champion and two-time FHSAA 3A State Champion. He was tabbed the 2019-20 News-Press Male Swimmer-Diver of the Year, while being named the South Fort Myers High School Athlete of the Year. Shepherd set school records for six dives and 11 dives and was given All-American consideration. At the club level, Shepherd won the 1-meter synchro at the 2020 AAU National Championship.

Logan Thornsberry
Events: Freestyle and Butterfly
Hometown: Seminole, Florida
High School: Seminole
Club Team: West Florida Lightening Aquatics
Major: Criminal Justice
Interesting Hobbies: Fishing/shark fishing, hanging with friends, playing spikeball and volleyball and boating

Thornsberry received All-America swimming honors in the 200 free relay, while holding Seminole High School records in the 200 and 400 free relays. He was recognized as the Pinellas County Swimmer of the Year and is the No. 27 swimmer out of the state of Florida according to Swimcloud.

Women's Team Signees
Mary Adam
Events: Breaststroke
Hometown: Chamblee, Georgia
High School: Chamblee
Club Team: Spartans Aquatic Club
Major: Biology
Interesting Hobbies: Going on walks and applying sunscreen

Adam was tabbed the 2021 GHSSCA 4A-5A Swimmer of the Year, won the 2021 state championship in the 100 breast and received the DeKalb County Positive Athlete Award. Swimcloud's No. 41 swimmer in her class out of Georgia also excels academically, being named to the All-American Academic Team and a National Merit Scholar.

Maddy Archer
Events: Distance Freestyle and IM
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
High School: John McCrae Secondary
Previous Team: New Mexico
Major: Business Administration (Accounting)
Interesting Hobbies: Loves watching Marvel movies and listening to Taylor Swift

Archer was recently invited to the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials, as one of the top 30 Canadian swimmers in three events to be invited to the preliminary list. An open water swimmer as well, Archer has been a top finisher at several open water festivals, notably placing second in the 5K race for Team Canada at the 2019 Best Fest Open Water Festival in Colonia St. Jordi, Spain. Archer holds 12 Nova Scotia Provincial records.

Roberta Circi
Events: IM and Backstroke
Hometown: Rome, Italy
High School: Istituto Internazionale Giovanni Paolo 2
Club Team: Sergio de Gregorio and Italian National Team
Major: Marine Biology
Interesting Hobbies: Reading, drawing and being with her family and friends

Circi comes to FAU after gaining valuable experience participating on the Italian National and Youth teams. At the 2018 European Junior Championships, Circi won the silver medal in the 200 IM (2:16.27). Circi recorded the eighth best time in the 200 IM long course (2:17.17) in Italy in 2020.

Lisa Cottage-Ramnick
Events: Breaststroke and IM
Hometown: Naples, Florida
High School: Marco Island Academy
Previous School: West Florida
Major: Master of Business Administration

Cottage-Ramnick spent the last three seasons at West Florida, where the team is coming off back-to-back conference championships. Last season, Cottage-Ramnick was named a 2020-21 All-New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference selection. At the most recent NSISC Championships, she finished second in the 200 breast (2:20.99), third in the 100 breast (1:04.89) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:07.90). Cottage-Ramnick is a three-time NSISC Scholar Athlete and a CSCAA Scholar All-American selection.

Dolores Margni
Events: Butterfly, Freestyle and IM
Hometown: Busto Arsizio, Italy
High School: Liceo Linguistico Daniele Crespi
Club Team: Gestisport Coop
Major: Undecided
Interesting Hobbies: Reading and travel

Margni had the opportunity to compete at the Campionato Italiano Assoluto, where she tallied personal records in the long course races of 50 fly (29.08), 100 fly (1:02.74) and 200 fly (2:15.62). The Italian has a fair share of international swimming experience.

Ella Marlow
Events: Sprint Freestyle and Butterfly
Hometown: Venice, Florida
High School: Venice Senior
Club Team: South County Family YMCA-FL
Major: Psychology
Interesting Hobbies: Reading and going to the beach

Marlow, Swimcloud's No. 16 swimmer out of the 2021 class of Florida swam for both Plant and Venice high schools, where she holds many team records and was an All-American relay honoree. She qualified for state for three consecutive years and swam for Venice YMCA Hurricanes for club. A dedicated student in the classroom, Marlow took honor classes throughout high school.

Julia Quinn
Events: Distance Freestyle
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
High School: Carroll
Club Team: Kettering City Swim Team
Major: Finance

Quinn leaves Carroll High School with records in the 500 and 1650 free, as well as the Greater Catholic League record in the 500 free. She is the No. 49 swimmer in her class in Ohio according to Swimcloud. Outside of the pool, Quinn was recognized with the business department award, a prestigious honor received from her high school.

Katarzyna Szklek
Events: Mid-Distance Freestyle
Hometown: Lodz, Poland
High School: XXVI LO in Lodz
Club Team: UKS 190 Lodz
Major: Neuroscience
Interesting Hobbies: Music and Biology

Szklek is regarded as the No. 57 swimmer in Poland according to Swimcloud. At the Polish National Championships, Szklek tallied fourth in the 800 free (9:08.22), fifth in the 1500 free (17:37.03), seventh in the 200 free (2:03.68) and eighth in the 400 free (4:23.32), all on the long course.

Riley Trout
Events: Backstroke and IM
Hometown: York, Pennsylvania
High School: York Suburban
Club Team: York YMCA
Major: Elementary Education
Interesting Hobbies: Thrifting, cooking and babysitting

Trout won the 2021 National YMCA Festival Championship in the 200 back (1:57.31). She is a Winter Junior National Championship and Summer Junior National Championship qualifier. Trout comes to FAU after being ranked as the No. 3 swimmer in Pennsylvania in her class, according to Swimcloud. She was tabbed as a 2017-18 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.

Ocean Veldhouse
Events: Sprint Freestyle
Hometown: Muskegon, Michigan
High School: Grand Haven
Club Team: Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics
Major: Marine Biology
Interesting Hobbies: Scuba diving, traveling and going to the beach

Veldhouse was tabbed to the All-Conference and All-State teams, as well as recognized as an All-American. She is Swimcloud's No. 35 swimmer in her recruiting class in Michigan and holds Grand Haven High School records in the 200 and 400 free, as well as in the 200 IM relay. Veldhouse also reigns as the 400 LCM free and 800 LCM free record holder for Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics and Holland Community Aquatic Center Pool.

For a complete look at the 2021-22 swimming & diving roster, click HERE.

For complete coverage of FAU swimming and diving during the offseason, follow the team on Twitter (@FAUSwimDive), Instagram (@FAUSwimDive) and Facebook (FAUSwimDive).