University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols' Swimming and Diving Ink Strong 2010 Class
January 22, 2010 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Jan. 22, 2010
As the second half of the Tennessee men's swimming and diving season gets into full swing, the No. 11 Vols (4-1, 3-0 SEC) are proud to announce the signing of four top recruits: James Dail of Knoxville, Oystein Hetland of Jar, Norway, Troy Tillman of Chattanooga, and Alex Ward of Knoxville.
"We are very pleased to announce our class of 2010," head coach John Trembley said. "We have done our research and think this will be a deceptively powerful class.
"Coach Hendee, Coach Parrington and I have worked very hard. I believe that these young men will make a considerable impact on our program."
James Dail
As a diver at Knoxville's Bearden High School, Dail was part of the Bulldogs' three Knoxville-area Interscholastic Swim League Championship teams. Coached by Brian Pitt, Dail has been named Bearden's Diver of the Year three years running.
Dail chose to stay at home and become a diver on The Hill. He will add to one of the nation's best diving line-ups and prove to be a force to be reckoned with once at UT.
"We are very excited to have James join our program," diving coach Dave Parrington said. "We think he is one of the best young divers in America and he will contribute greatly at Tennessee."
Oystein Hetland
Tennessee has a strong history of international swimmers. Continuing this tradition is Oystein Hetland from Jar, Norway. Hetland comes from a collegiate swimming pedigree--his older brother Alex was a captain at Southern Methodist, and it was his brother's advice which led to choose Tennessee.
Hetland was a part of six junior national relay teams that set records in Norway. He competed at the Norwegian College of Elite Sports and was coached by Martin dester Nielsen.
"We have had Oystein on our radar since the summer and his progression has been spectacular," Trembley said. "We were very fortunate to have Oystein, his father and brother visit here and endorse our program."
Troy Tillman
From Chattanooga, Tenn., Troy Tillman joins the Vols' class of 2010 after a very successful high school career. Tillman is a senior at Notre Dame High School and is coached by his mother Dale Tillman and Dan Flack of Baylor Swim Club.
For Tillman, coming to Tennessee is a dream come true. After attending meets at UT as a child, Tillman has always dreamed of donning the Orange and White and being a Volunteer.
"I loved the coaching at Tennessee and the team was awesome," Tillman said. "It felt like home on my visit. I used to tell my mom, `One day I want to swim here.' This is a dream come true."
Alex Ward
For Alex Ward, the process of deciding where to attend college began sooner than most other high school students. As a high school freshman, colleges began recruiting Ward as one of the nation's top swimmers.
After visiting a handful of schools from around the country, Tennessee stood out as just what he needed. Ward attends Webb School of Knoxville and is coached by former Tennessee swimmer Jim Rumbaugh at Pilot Aquatics.
"When it came right down to it, UT was just the best fit for me," Ward said. "The atmosphere was amazing. I felt really comfortable here and having my family here to support me is a really great thing."
