AUBURN, Ala. – After signing seven swimmers on the men's side, the Auburn swimming and diving program completed its 2021 class with the addition of seven swimmers to the women's team, head coach Gary Taylor announced Monday.
"I cannot be more excited about this 2021 women's class," Taylor said. "This class has a ton of personality and will bring a fun, dedicated, hardworking aura to the Plains next fall. It's a group that will excel academically and shows the potential to help us immediately from a competitive standpoint.
"These women have continued to develop and perform well throughout their high school careers. I am certain this will continue during their senior seasons and should allow them to immediately impact the team in a variety of events – freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, IM, relays. I could not be happier with the women's class that has been assembled, and I am counting down the days until they arrive in Auburn."
Six of the seven swimmers in the class hail from the Southeast, including two of the top swimmers in the state of Alabama – Rebekah Hamilton and Lucy O'Neill. Auburn also signed Jenna Smith out of Colorado, who will join fellow Colorado native Fletcher Hayes from the men's class.
"One of our continued priorities, is to recruit the state of Alabama and our local LSC's extremely well," Taylor said. "You can see this within the class as they are primarily from the Southeast and are arguably some of the very best in this region."
WOMEN'S 2021 SIGNEE PROFILES
Avery Bargeron
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
High School: The Lovett School
Club Team: Dynamo Swim Club
Taylor on Bargeron: "Avery's growth and steady climb in the sport made her extremely appealing as a prospect. This combined with the fact she hails from our target market of Atlanta makes her even more intriguing. Her rate of improvement is impressive, and I believe Avery will help us immediately at the SEC level in the butterfly events."
Rebekah Hamilton
Hometown: Huntsville, Ala.
High School: Westminster Christian Academy
Club Team: Huntsville Swim Association
Taylor on Hamilton: "It's important we keep the best in Alabama at the state's best institution and Rebekah is certainly this. She was an important commitment out of the Huntsville area and is one of the premier freestylers in the 2021 class. Her versatility in freestyle will help our program individually as well as in relays."
Abby McCulloh
Hometown: Lilburn, Ga.
High School: Parkview
Club Team: Swim Atlanta
Taylor on McCulloh: "Abby is one of the top prospects out of Georgia for 2021. As one of the nation's top high school distance specialists, Abby will help bolster our depth and help Auburn re-establish its prominence in distance swimming. She is the daughter of an Auburn alum, and I am excited to add another key prospect from the Atlanta area.
Lexie Mulvihill
Hometown: Lutz, Fla.
High School: George Steinbrenner
Club Team: Tampa Elite Aquatics Manta Rays
Taylor on Mulvihill: "Lexie fell in love with Auburn almost immediately. She has a great energy and spirit about her, and I am excited to have her lead our program in and out of the pool. Lexie is one of the top sprinters in the class, and I'm happy to have this Floridian join our program."
Lucy O'Neill
Hometown: Spanish Fort, Ala.
High School: Spanish Fort
Club Team: City of Mobile Swim Association
Taylor on O'Neill: "Lucy, out of Mobile, is another of the state's top prospects for 2021. She is a strong student in the classroom and performer in the pool. I believe Lucy has the capability of helping the Auburn women in several middle-distance areas, and I am excited to watch her develop at Auburn."
Jenna Smith
Hometown: Englewood, Colo.
High School: Cherry Creek
Club Team: University of Denver Hilltoppers
Taylor on Smith: "One of the top prospects out of Colorado, Jenna is a fast rising sprinter who shows the ability to help us in the sprint events and relays. Beyond this, she is an exceptional student and the consummate student-athlete."
Ellie Waldrep
Hometown: Chattanooga, Tenn.
High School: Baylor School
Club Team: Baylor Swim Club
Taylor on Waldrep: "Ellie showed a passion for Auburn from the very start. It is important we recruit athletes who fall in love with this university, and no one bleeds orange and blue more than Ellie. She is one of the elite backstroke recruits in the country and is capable of having a strong impact on day one at Auburn."