Head Coach Bill Wadley Introduces 2005-06 Recruiting Class – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swim & Dive
June 21, 2005
Ohio State men’s swimming head coach Bill Wadley announced the 2005-06 recruiting class Tuesday, June 21st. The class is comprised of 13 swimmers, including one transfer student.
“We think that we have a wonderful group of young men who have the talent to compete in the Big Ten in a short period of time,” Wadley said. “We are excited about getting started with them and helping them achieve great things both in school and in the pool.”
A two-time letter-winner from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Marko Birac will join the Buckeye swim team as a senior. Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, he was the high school champion while attending Belgrade High School. He transferred to Palm Springs High School where, as a senior, he helped lead the team to a league championship and won the CIF Southern California title in the 100-yard breaststroke. While at ULM, Birac clocked in a 22.80 in the 50-yard freestyle and holds a lifetime-best time of 55.40 in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Named the Sun-Sentinel Swimmer of the Year for Palm Beach County (Fla.), Scott Blake joins the team from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Blake attended Suncoast High School, where he was a Florida high school state finalist in the 100-yard breaststroke. The team captain his senior year, Blake is a Suncoast record-holder in both the 200- and 500-yard freestyle. A member of the National Honor Society, Blake also swam with the North Palm Beach Swim Club.
Holding a 3.8 GPA, Jacob Busch joins the Buckeyes from Toledo Christian, of Toledo, Ohio. The National Honor Society vice president at Toledo Christian, Busch is an Ohio high school state finalist. Busch also swam for the Toledo YMCA and recorded a 51.68 in the 100-yard backstroke.
Spenser Hanson, of Middlebury, Ind., was an Indiana high school state finalist. Swimming at Northridge high school and for the Northridge Area Swim Association, Hanson posted at 58.10 in the 100-yard breaststroke, 2:07.00 in the 200-yard breaststroke and 1:56.40 in the 200-yard individual medley. Jordan Hershberger, a high school team captain and team MVP joins the Scarlet and Gray from Sarasota, Fla. A National Honor Society member, boasting a 3.7 GPA, Hershberger was a Florida high school state finalist for Sarasota Christian and a YMCA national finalist for the Sarasota YMCA. Hersberger clocked in times of 15:54.75 in the 1,650-yard freestyle event, 9:33.14 in the 1,000-yard freestyle and 4:35.00 in the 500-yard freestyle.
Andy Johnson joins Ohio State from Springfield, Ohio. A member of the Springfield YMCA club team and an Ohio high school consolation finalist at Springfield North High School, Johnson has hit the wall at 59.80 in the 100-yard breaststroke event.
Tyler King, of Youngstown, Ohio, has recorded times of 52.40 in the 100-yard backstroke and 1:43.20 in the 100-yard freestyle. King was an Ohio high school state consolation finalist for Warren G. Harding High School. He was also a member of the Penguin Swimming club team.
An Ohio high school state finalist, Michael Kordel joins the team from his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. A graduate of St. Edwards High School, Kordel posted times of 47.30 in the 100-yard freestyle and 21.70 in the 50-yard freestyle.
Adam Reynolds is a four-time high school All-American from Lansdale, Pa. He attended North Penn High School, where he was the team captain and a Pennsylvania high school state finalist. Reynolds holds a 56.90 in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Posting time of 51.70 in the 100-yard butterfly and 47.90 in the 100-yard freestyle, Ryan Stoneburg joins the team from Copley, Ohio. Stoneburg was an Ohio high school consolation finalist for Akron Firestone High School and has clocked in 1:56.10 in the 200-yard butterfly and a 4:44.40 in the 500-yard freestyle.
JD Taggart is a high school All-American, team captain and MVP for Fountain Central High School in Veedersburg, Ind. He is the Fountain Central record holder in eight events and has posted a 21.20 in the 50-yard freestyle. Taggart also was a member of the National Honor Society.
Originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Felipe Travesso attended Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Ind. A member of the Washington Township Swim Club, Travesso has posted a 57.13 in the 100-yard breaststroke, a 2:01.50 in the 200-yard breaststroke and a 45.90 in the 100-yard freestyle.
Chris Yunker, of Upper Arlington, Ohio, was a High School All-American. He attended Upper Arlington High School where he was an Ohio high school state finalist. Yunker has recorded a time of 21.20 in the 50-yard freestyle.
The 13 new student-athletes will join the rest of the Buckeye squad in the new Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion Friday, Oct. 14, 2005 at 5 p.m. for the annual Scarlet and Gray intra-squad meet.
