AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn swimming and diving team continued to improve its roster for the 2022-23 season with the addition of two international signings, Kalle Makinen from Finland and Polina Nevmovenko from Russia.
Makinen joins the men's team as a sprint freestyle and backstroke specialist. In December, he won five gold medals at the Finnish Short Track Swimming Championships and set Finnish records in the 50 and 100-meter backstroke – going 52.03 in the 100 back. His best times in the 50 and 100 free (short course meters) are 21.45 and 47.75.
Nevmovenko comes to Auburn as a transfer from Louisville where she swam one season. The Russian native finished eighth in the 200 freestyle at the ACC Championships, setting a career-best time of 1:46.23, and swam on the 800 freestyle relay, which took third at the same meet. She earned NCAA B cuts in the 200 free and 500 free (4:45.08).
In December 2020, Nevmovenko finished fifth in the 200 and 400-meter freestyle at the Russian Short Course Championships with career best SCM times of 1:56.43 and 4:07.30.
Makinen and Nevmovenko join a signing class that already includes four other international signees from Egypt, Germany, Russia and Uruguay. In January, Auburn added mid-year enrollees Anastasia Makarova (Russia) and Lewis Treggiden (Australia).
2022 SIGNEE PROFILES
Kalle Makinen
Hometown: Espoo, Finland
Club Team: Finnish National Team
Stroke: Sprint Free/Backstroke
Polina Nevmovenko
Hometown: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Previous School: University of Louisville
Club Team: Russian National Team
Stroke: Middle Distance Freestyle