AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn women's swimming and diving program will welcome 11 newcomers to the program for the 2019-20 school year, head coach Gary Taylor has announced.
The 11 newcomers are: Shayna Fetes, Zoe Gawronska, Anna-Julie Kutsch, Hannah Mattson, Ella Miller, Hanna Newby, Annie O'Dare, Averee Preble, Ashlynn (A.J.) Sullivan, Claudia Thamm and Gretchen Wensuc.
"There are a lot of outstanding student-athletes with championship character in this class," first year Auburn head coach Gary Taylor said. "When I think of this women's class as a whole, they are upbeat, enthusiastic, very energetic, very positive and all-in-all just really excited to be the future of Auburn. It's a class that on paper where some will immediately help us and then there are others that two and three years down the road we will look back on and see they really exceeded and went above and beyond expectations. They are excited to be Auburn Tigers and we are excited about them."
Meet The Signees
Shayna Fetes – Boca Raton, Fla. – Breaststoke/IM
High School: The Saint Andrews School
Club Team: Saint Andrews Aquatics
Accomplishments: 2017 FHSAA 1A state champion in the 100 breast … Two-time USA Scholastic All-American … 2017-18 NISCA All-American … Two-time Saint Andrews team captain … Three-time Winter Junior National qualifier … Top three team finish at 2017 FHSAA 1A Championships … Current Saint Andrews record holder in the 100 breast
Parents: Christopher and Michelle Fetes
Siblings: Amanda
Taylor on Fetes: We're excited about Shayna. She has tremendous energy and enthusiasm. She swims for Sid Cassidy and his son Quinn at Saint Andrews. I know she's elated to be an Auburn Tiger. Her energy and positive attitude is something that will greatly help us along with her breaststroke and IM skills in the future.
Zoe Gawronska – Houston, Texas – IM/Freestyle
High School: The Woodlands
Club Team: Magnolia Aquatics
Accomplishments: Finished third at the state meet in the 500 free as a freshman … 2016 National Select Camp qualifier … Finished third in the 400 IM at the Polish Nationals … Olympic Trials qualifier in five events
Parents: Tomasz and Robin Gawronska
Siblings: Elle and Ania
Taylor on Gawronska: Zoe is one of the top prospects in the country this year. She's going to give us a lot of help in the freestyles, the backstrokes and the IMs. She spent this summer representing Poland in training and competition. Through these experiences she will bring success to Auburn.
Anna-Julie Kutsch – Birmingham, Ala. – Sprint Free/Butterfly
High School: The Altamont School
Club Team: JCC Aquatics
Accomplishments: 2016 Olympic Trials … Alabama High School State Champion … SEC Champion
Parents: Olaf Kutsch and Mirjam Kempf
Siblings: Daniel
Taylor on Kutsch: The state's top prospect, we are excited to have AJ's sprint prowess. She's another one that excels in the classroom. She is someone that will help us certainly in the sprint freestyles but also on the relays and sprint fly.
Hannah Mattson – Columbus, Ga. – Freestyle/Butterfly/Backstroke
High School: Brookstone
Club Team: Columbus Aquatic
Accomplishments: First-place in the 100 free at 2016 zones and 2018 high school state meets … Second-place finisher in the 200 free at the 2018 high school state meet … Fourth-place finisher in the 200 IM at the 2018 Futures Championships … All top-10 finishes at 2018 Senior Long Course state meet
Parents: Rick and Cheri Mattson
Siblings: Renae and Holly
Taylor on Mattson: Hannah is another in a long list of impressive students. She does a fantastic job in the classroom. She fell love with Auburn immediately and connected really well with our staff. She's really outgoing, personable and works hard in the pool. She will bring experience in the backstroke, butterfly and freestyle. She is Auburn through-and-through.
Ella Miller – Shelburne, Vt. – Sprint Free/Backstroke
High School: Champlain Valley Union
Club Team: Edge
Accomplishments: Two-time team captain … NCSA All-American … Five-time state champion (Edge Swim Club) … Four-year Vermont state champion in the 50- and 100 back … 2017 and 2018 New England champion in the 200 back … 2018 New England champion in the 100 back … 2017 New England Seniors champion 100 back (LCM) … 2018 Junior National and Winter Nationals qualifier
Parents: Robert and Karyn Miller
Siblings: Olivia
Taylor on Miller: Ella had a really good junior season and she continues to improve. She's a backstroke specialist who will really help us in the 100- and 200 backstrokes but also has the opportunity in future years to really help us on relays. Ella competed this last year in Ireland as a member of the NCSA junior team, an experience that is granted to the top finishers at Junior Nationals.
Hanna Newby – Guthrie, Okla. – Breaststroke/IM
High School: Bishop McGuinness Catholic
Club Team: American Energy
Accomplishments: 2016-17 and 2017-18 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Broke high school state records in the 200 IM and 100 breast three years running ... Current state record holder (club) in the 50 breast (SCY & LCM), 100 breast (SCY & LCM), 200 breast (SCY & LCM) and 200 IM (SCY) … 2016-17 and 2017-18 Oklahoma High School Swimmer of the Year … 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018 (Long Course season) Oklahoma Club Swimmer of the Year … American Energy earned bronze medal club in 2017-18 … Helped team to third-place at Central Zone Sections in spring 2018
Parents: Marcus and Katie Newby
Siblings: Ben, Sara Grace and Blair
Taylor on Newby: Hanna is the number one prospect out of Oklahoma. She's extremely smart and she excels in the breaststrokes and IMs. She had a fantastic junior year and a really good summer. She's someone that can come in and help us in four, five or six different events. A family-oriented individual, she connected with our team and our coaches immediately.
Annie O'Dare – Huntingdon Valley, Pa. – IM/Breaststroke
High School: Gwynedd Mercy Academy
Club Team: Upper Dublin
Accomplishments: PIAA state record holder in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay … 2018 District 1 Swimmer of the Meet … 2018 PIAA 100 breast state champion … 2016 PIAA 200 medley relay and 400 free relay state champion … High School MVP … School record holder in the 100 breast, 400 free relay and 200 medley relay … All-American … 2019 team captain … Junior Nationals and Winter Nationals qualifier … Winter Junior Nationals and NCSA finalist
Parents: Kevin and Kathy O'Dare
Siblings: Kevin
Taylor on O'Dare: Annie is another outstanding student-athlete that shows a lot of potential in the IM and breaststroke areas. She will play an immediate role when she steps on campus given both her athleticism and approach towards hard work.
Averee Preble – Clovis, Calif. – Freestyle/Butterfly/IM
High School: Clovis
Club Team: Clovis Swim
Accomplishments: Three-time Most Valuable Swimmer … Multiple school record holder … State meet qualifier and finalist each of the past three years … League and Valley champion in several events over the past three years … Most Outstanding Swimmer Award winner … Record holder in various events … Member of the Club National … Team captain past two years
Parents: Chris and Dana Preble
Siblings: Audree
Taylor on Preble: Averee is an upbeat, positive and hard-working individual. Her coach, John McGough, has Auburn ties, so I know for her it means a lot to be an Auburn Tiger and be a part of the Auburn family. Similar to others in this class, she can really help us in four to six different events: IMs, middle distance, endurance free and the butterfly.
Ashlynn (A.J.) Sullivan – Lucas, Texas – Diving
High School: McKinney
Club Team: Dallas Metroplex Divers
Accomplishments: 2018 McKinney High School record holder … 2018 J.O. National Qualifier and Finalist … 2018 Regional tower champion … 2018 District Champion … 2017 TISCA 3-meter Champion … 2016 Western National Champion (gymnastics)
Parents: Michele and Mark Sullivan, Robert Streiff
Siblings: Hayden Sullivan, Brandon Weekly
Shaffer on Sullivan: I feel AJ has the ability to be one of Auburn's most successful female divers in school history. I expect her to be a major contributor at the SEC and NCAA Championship level for the Tigers. I can't wait to work with her and continue to develop and build upon her success.
Claudia Thamm – Hatfield, Pa. – IM/Freestyle
High School: North Penn
Club Team: North Penn Aquatics
Accomplishments: Three-time PIAA State Champion (2016-17-18) in the 200 medley relay … 2018 PIAA State Champion in the 400 free relay … 2016 and 2017 PIAA State Championships-AAA runner-up in 200 IM … 2016 Freshman of the Year … 2016-17-18 Miss Versatility team award winner
Parents: Ken and Annamarie Thamm
Siblings: Greta, Alyse and Charlotte
Taylor on Thamm: Claudia is an up-and-comer that does a couple of different sports. She has excelled in swimming, track and field and water polo. Now that she is solely dedicated to her swimming training, she will really take off at the college level.
Gretchen Wensuc – Highlands Ranch, Colo. – Diving
High School: Thunder Ridge
Club Team: Mile High Dive Club
Accomplishments: Two-time team captain … Thunder Ridge record holder … USA Junior Nationals qualifier for six consecutive years … 2018 USA Diving Junior World Trials qualifier on 3-meter.
Parents: James and Nancy Wensuc
Siblings: Jeremy
Shaffer on Wensuc: Gretchen brings a tremendous team attitude and strong desire to be part of our program. She will be a strong contributor to the overall success of our program from Day 1 and will add much needed depth to our women's diving team. I look forward to continuing to build upon her success and developing her into the diver I feel she can become.
-- War Eagle –