Swimming and Diving Signs Three NLIs
April 30, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The University of Kansas swimming and diving program announced National Letter of Intent signees Joy Bunting, Lisa Dlugopolski, and Erin Mertz as future Jayhawks Monday. Bunting, Dlugopolski, and Mertz will join Kansas for the 2007-08 season.
Bunting hails from Greeley, Colo., where she finished third at the February 2007 Colorado high school state meet in the 200-yard IM (2:07.59) and second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.62) for Greeley West High School. Bunting boasts All-American honors in both events and is a four-time Academic All-State honoree as well.
“Joy is the top breaststroker we’ve ever recruited,” head coach Clark Campbell said. “She will work with both the breaststroke and IM groups to potentially qualify for NCAAs in the near future.”
Dlugopolski comes to KU from Homestead High School in Mequon, Wis., where she finished with a time of 24.85 in the 50-yard freestyle and 54.34 in the 100-yard freestyle at the Wisconsin Division I state meet in November 2006. A four-time All-State honoree, Dlugopolski was additionally a mainstay on the Homestead High School honor roll throughout her high school tenure.
“Lisa is an up and coming freestyle sprinter and she will contribute right away, both individually and in relays,” Campbell said. “We’re really happy that Joy and Lisa will be joining the swimming program because they will both have an impact immediately in their specialty areas.”
Mertz joins the Jayhawks from Omaha, Neb., after her tenure at Omaha Westside High School. Currently a diver for the Husker Stars Diving Club in Lincoln, Neb., Mertz finished in seventh place on the three-meter board at junior nationals and is the defending Region VI champion on the one and three-meter boards. Mertz additionally captured second-place overall in the one-meter competition of the 2007 Nebraska state high school meet after two rounds of competition (439 points).
“We are super excited to have Erin joining the 2007-08 team,” diving coach Eric Elliott said. “She has so much talent, she’s competitive and she’s a great kid all around. She has a great personality, high academic goals and the team was impressed when she visited Kansas. Increasing the amount of time she trains, along with additional weight lifting and belt work, will contribute to the great diver that she already is.”
Bunting, Dlugopolski and Mertz will join fall signees Lauren Bell (Bakersfield, Calif.), Sarah Edwards (Bentonville, Ark.), Amanda Maez (Albuquerque, N.M.), Krista Perkins (St. Peters, Mo.), Alyssa Potter (Bentonville, Ark.) and Brittany Potter (Bentonville, Ark.) in the fall.
-KU-
