Kansas Swimming and Diving Signs Nine Athletes for 2010-2011
Nov. 16, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas head swimming and diving coach Clark Campbell announced that the Jayhawks have signed nine student-athletes to letters of intent for the 2010-11 season. Heather Clark (Lawrence, Kan.), Shelby Cox (Maumelle, Ark.), Malia Johnson (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Alison Moffit (Flower Mound, Texas), Kaila Lee (Eugene, Ore.), Alison Lusk (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Sara Snow (Springfield, Mo.), Morgan Sharp (Houston, Texas) and Kara Stranski (Portland, Ore.) will all compete for the Crimson and Blue during the next competitive season.
“All nine new Jayhawks are good athletes and good students, but they are even better people, so it’s going to be a lot of fun working with them for the next few years,” Campbell said.
Clark will be looking to compete in backstroke, butterfly and individual medley events. She is a Junior National Qualifier in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke, the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard individual medley. She led her swim team at Lawrence Free State High School to the 2009 team state championship and broke both the state and school record in the 400-yard freestyle event.
Cox is an Arkansas High School State Champion in the 100 backstroke and the 50-yard freestyle. She also broke the Arkansas state record in the 100 backstroke during her junior season and is a USA Swimming Academic All-American.
Johnson is a Senior National Qualifier, a Junior National Qualifier and a Junior National Finalist. She has been a top four finisher every year at the state championships in Arizona and is an Academic All-American.
Moffit is a two-time All-American and a Texas State Championship qualifier in the 200 IM, 200 freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay.
Lee is a Junior National Qualifier, a U.S. Open Qualifier and a World Trial Qualifier. She is a four-time high school state champion in both the 50 and 100 free in Oregon. She is also the district record holder in both events.
Lusk is a twelve-time All-American and a two-time Academic All-American. She is the national record holder in the 200 medley relay and a national record holder in the 200 freestyle relay. She was also an Olympic Trial Qualifier in the 200 breaststroke.
Snow holds Glendale High School’s backstroke record and is a member of the record-holding 200 medley and 200 free relay teams. She is a three-time high school All-American and a member of both the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team and the Missouri Valley Swimming All-America Team.
Sharp is a Junior National Qualifier, a Short Course National Qualifier and a US Open Qualifier. She was a member of the 2008-09 Scholastic All-America Team and is a Gulf Coast record holder in several events.
Stranski is a five-time high school All-American and an eight-time top finalist at the Oregon State Championships. She was the Mount Hood Conference Swimming Athlete of the Year in 2009 and a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.
Quotes from Kansas Head Coach Clark Campbell
On the new recruiting class:
“This recruiting class was something our recruiting coordinator, Jen Fox has been working on for about two years. She did a great job. All nine are really good student-athletes, but they’re even better people, so it’s going to be a lot of fun working with them for the next few years.”
On Heather Clark:
“It is great getting local athletes to stay close to home. We’ve known about Heather for years and we’re excited that she will be a Jayhawk. She’s really developing in the butterfly and backstroke. She will improve a lot and is one of the better underwater kickers in the Midwest. We will start there, then make her better at the surface.”
On Shelby Cox:
“She’s another up-and-coming backstroker. I had the opportunity to watch Shelby race this summer at sectionals in Missouri and was really blown away by her approach to competition. It will be good for her, as a backstroker, to train with Iuliia (Kuzhil) in her final year. Shelby can be an elite-level backstroker.”
On Malia Johnson:
“We’re very excited about Malia. She will be able to fill in some areas where we need help right away. She comes from a great program and is coming off of a state championship win in the 100 butterfly a few weeks ago. It will be exciting to see how she progresses while she’s here.”
On Alison Moffit:
“She is one of the best racers I’ve seen on video. She is tenacious with a capital ‘T’. Alison is a middle distance freestyler who will come in and, like Malia, fill some areas that need filled right away. She is an excellent trainer and will contribute right off the bat. She is an outstanding competitior.”
On Kaila Lee:
“Kaila is going to be very good. She has big goals and is capable of achieving them all. She has aspirations in college beyond NCAA swimming. Kaila wants to prepare for the Olympic Trials in 2012. She is an excellent freestyler and also competes in fly and back. I see her as a key contributor on relays while she is a Jayhawk. Kaila will have lots of success at this level.”
On Alison Lusk:
“She is one of the premiere breaststrokers in the country. We’re really excited about having her at Kansas. She comes from a tremendous program at the Baylor School. She is an Olympic Trials participant and has competed at the highest level. Her times coming into college will put her into the thick of things at the Big 12 Championships and beyond.
On Sara Snow:
“Sara is dynamic underwater. She’s one of the best underwater kickers in our area. Sara is a solid backstroker and can do the individual medley events as well. In a year or two, I believe she will be a scorer at the Big 12 level.”
On Morgan Sharp:
“Morgan comes in with outstanding credentials as well. She’s a middle distance freestyler and will have an immediate impact in an area we need help. Morgan’s experience in Texas will help us in relays as well. Her club coach, Clayton Cagle, was a former KU assistant coach and we have worked hard to get an athlete from his program to Kansas.”
On Kara Stranksi:
“Kara is a very dynamic sprinter, primarily in freestyle and butterfly. She is also a really quick breaststroker. Kara will be an important part of several relays. I’m really impressed with her ability to race and she is a great competitor. Kara rises to the level of competition, so I see her really improving a lot as a Jayhawk.”
