University of Tennessee Athletics
Asti Announces 14 New Vol Swimmers for 2020 Signing Class
May 07, 2020 | Swimming & Diving
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee's associate head coach Lance Asti has announced the signing of 14 new Vol swimmers to the men's program's 2020 recruiting class.
The men will also add four divers, bringing the class to a total of 18.
"This was the first recruiting class under our team's new structure and to have this many men believe in the mission of our team is really humbling," Asti said. These men value hard work, toughness and competitiveness. Our team is on a mission to win championships and this class has the potential to help us take a big step in that direction. We are looking for Ferocious Men of Integrity and we love that this 2020 class is filled with guys that are pursuing being that type of man."
After finishing the 2019-20 season at 7-1 – the Vols best finish since 2001-02 – and seeing a number of underclassmen step up at the SEC meet, the newest Volunteers are poised to join their teammates in helping lead UT to new heights.
"We are really excited about the strength, depth, and character of the 2024 men's swimming and diving class," director of swimming and diving Matt Kredich said. "This group is the result of an outstanding and focused effort on the part of our men's staff, led by coaches Asti and Parrington, and the men's team to clearly communicate a vision for this team. Each and every man in this class resonated with that vision. We feel that the collective energy they'll bring to the team will not only have a dramatic impact right away, but that their work ethic, attitude, and energy will move this team aggressively towards winning championships."
A full breakdown of Tennessee's 14 newest swimmers can be viewed below. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee swimming and diving, follow @Vol_Swim on Twitter and Instagram.
Alexander Milanovich
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Silverthorn Collegiate Institute
50 Breaststroke – 27.06 SCM / 27.84 LCM
100 Breaststroke – 1:00.07 SCM / 1:02.20 LCM
200 Breaststroke – 2:19.67 SCM / 2:27.27 LCM
Coach Quote: Early on in our scouting of Alex, we saw a real electricity to his breaststroke. He will add tremendous speed to our deep breaststroke group and international competitive experience. I was also very impressed with him on his recruiting visit. He had an exam the next week and he found time to sneak away and study during his trip. That is the type of academic/athletic balance we are looking for in a Tennessee Man.
Cole Whitsett
Springfield, PA
Episcopal Academy
50 Freestyle – 20.66
100 Freestyle – 45.38
100 Butterfly – 48.74
100 Breaststroke – 55.53
Coach Quote – Cole's speed and versatility will add all around depth to this class. It is easy to see him develop into a major contributor and he will give the coaching staff a number of meet lineup options. Cole is strong and explosive and I am sure our strength and conditioning staff can work wonders with him.
Dain Ripol
Richmond, VA
Freeman HS
200 IM – 1:50.90
400 IM – 3:55.05
1,000 Freestyle – 9:19.44
500 Freestyle – 4:31.90
Coach Quote – Dain adds some depth to our IMers and brings great versatility to the team. He's a well-rounded athlete that has had to fight his way to the top. His resiliency is an attribute that can thrive on our team. Dain also understands what it means to be a Tennessee Volunteer and serve others.
Harrison Lierz
Westminster, CO
Broomfield HS
100 Backstroke – 47.31
200 Backstroke – 1:43.49
200 IM – 1:47.36
400 IM – 3:50.76
200 Freestyle – 1:37.92
Coach Quote - Harrison's passion for the University of Tennessee was very clear from the beginning. He clicked with the team as much as anyone I have seen. He has a great feel for the water, a strong backstroke, and can be a multiple event scorer at NCAAs. We have a great tradition of 200 backstrokers here at Tennessee, Harrison has the potential to be one of the great ones.
Jack Gillespie
Granite Bay, CA
Granite Bay HS
100 Butterfly – 48.55
200 Butterfly – 1:50.22
200 IM – 1:48.91
Coach Quote – Jack's size and overall presence on the pool deck stood out to me right away. He is a rapidly developing flyer and IMer and comes from a club and coach that has instilled many of the qualities we value at Tennessee. Jack also brings some strong leadership experience which we will need to lean on with a class of this size.
Jacob McDonald
Liberty Township, OH
Lakota East HS
200 Freestyle – 1:37.22
500 Freestyle – 4:21.05
100 Backstroke – 49.22
200 Backstroke – 1:46.38
Coach Quote – Jacob comes from a fantastic club with a coaching staff that we really respect. One thing that Jacob knows how to do - WIN. He has a passion for the sport, knows the value of training, but best of all, he knows how to get his hand on the wall. We value scrappy athletes and Jacob is certainly that!
Jacob Narvid
Gibbstown, NJ
Gloucester Catholic HS
500 Freestyle – 4:24.92
1,000 Freestyle – 9:01.34
1,650 Freestyle – 15:42.58 LCM
200 Backstroke – 1:47.89
Coach Quote – Coach Rich has done an incredible job with our distance group and Jake is the type of guy that can thrive in that environment. He has a great frame, a big engine, and the type of work ethic that can lead to big things. He has some freestyle range but has also done well in the 200 back. That versatility will really help our team.
Jordan Tiffany
Pleasant Grove, UT
Lone Peak HS
100 Butterfly – 47.36
200 Butterfly – 1:44.22
200 IM – 1:48.00
400 IM – 3:50.62
100 Backstroke – 48.15
200 Backstroke – 1:46.62
Coach Quote - Jordan is a tremendously versatile swimmer and he has already posted a number of times that are ready to score big points at the SEC level. It is easy to see him being a real player at NCAAs and help move our team towards championships.
Joseph Jordan
Murfreesboro, TN
Oakland HS
50 Freestyle – 20.39
100 Freestyle – 44.62
100 Breaststroke – 56.22
200 IM – 1:52.24
Coach Quote - Since committing to Tennessee, Joseph has demonstrated some fantastic leadership characteristics. He has a charisma that is genuine and infectious. He also brings some sprint speed to the class. We love recruiting from inside the state of Tennessee because we know those guys will bleed orange. Joseph knows how special it is to be a Tennessee Vol.
Micah Chambers
Enid, OK
Homeschool
50 Freestyle – 20.21
100 Freestyle – 45.25
100 Butterfly – 49.18
100 Backstroke – 49.60
Coach Quote – Micah has SPEED! He will be a guy that will be competitive for our relay positions right out of the gates. He will certainly add to the explosiveness of this big class. I'm looking forward to working with him.
Rafael Ponce de Leon
Jacksonville, FL (Peru)
The Bolles School
200 Freestyle – 1:37.97
500 Freestyle – 4:25.61
800 Freestyle – 8:23.56 LCM
1,500 Freestyle – 15:49.82 LCM
Coach Quote – The first time I watched Rafael swim, I knew I wanted him at Tennessee. He is competitive, versatile, and has great endurance. Even better, he has a tremendous warmth about him that welcomes everyone in. He is the kind of man we want to build a team with.
Thomas Horne
Sevierville, TN
Sevier County HS
100 Butterfly – 49.24
200 Butterfly – 1:47.03
200 IM – 1:50.82
400 IM – 3:54.68
Coach Quote – Being from the Knoxville area, we are so excited that Thomas has chosen to stay close to home and represent the Tennessee Vols. We have watched Thomas swim for a number of years and he has a unique relationship with the water. His movement is so fluid, it almost looks effortless. Thomas will strengthen our fly and IM events.
Will Jackson
Chattanooga, TN
McCallie School
100 Freestyle – 44.80
200 Freestyle – 1:35.76
500 Freestyle – 4:24.29
200 IM – 1:53.96
Coach Quote – Anyone who watches Will swim knows he has a massive upside. He has tremendous freestyle range and will be a real threat to be on a number of our relays. His combination of size and feel of the water will be very fun for our coaching staff to work with. Coach Rich did a great job tracking Will for many years and we are thrilled that he is a Tennessee Vol.
Joey Tepper
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Egg Harbor Township HS
500 Freestyle – 4:30.12
1,000 Freestyle – 9:17.59
1,650 Freestyle – 15:45.88
400 IM – 3:57.68
Coach Quote – Joey was the final guy in our class to decide. He proved to be thorough and thoughtful through the recruiting process. He chose Tennessee over other elite academic schools and Joey will bring an incredible balance of academic and athletic ability. He has a tremendous engine and work ethic and will add some real firepower to the distance group.
The men will also add four divers, bringing the class to a total of 18.
"This was the first recruiting class under our team's new structure and to have this many men believe in the mission of our team is really humbling," Asti said. These men value hard work, toughness and competitiveness. Our team is on a mission to win championships and this class has the potential to help us take a big step in that direction. We are looking for Ferocious Men of Integrity and we love that this 2020 class is filled with guys that are pursuing being that type of man."
After finishing the 2019-20 season at 7-1 – the Vols best finish since 2001-02 – and seeing a number of underclassmen step up at the SEC meet, the newest Volunteers are poised to join their teammates in helping lead UT to new heights.
"We are really excited about the strength, depth, and character of the 2024 men's swimming and diving class," director of swimming and diving Matt Kredich said. "This group is the result of an outstanding and focused effort on the part of our men's staff, led by coaches Asti and Parrington, and the men's team to clearly communicate a vision for this team. Each and every man in this class resonated with that vision. We feel that the collective energy they'll bring to the team will not only have a dramatic impact right away, but that their work ethic, attitude, and energy will move this team aggressively towards winning championships."
A full breakdown of Tennessee's 14 newest swimmers can be viewed below. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee swimming and diving, follow @Vol_Swim on Twitter and Instagram.
Alexander Milanovich
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Silverthorn Collegiate Institute
50 Breaststroke – 27.06 SCM / 27.84 LCM
100 Breaststroke – 1:00.07 SCM / 1:02.20 LCM
200 Breaststroke – 2:19.67 SCM / 2:27.27 LCM
Coach Quote: Early on in our scouting of Alex, we saw a real electricity to his breaststroke. He will add tremendous speed to our deep breaststroke group and international competitive experience. I was also very impressed with him on his recruiting visit. He had an exam the next week and he found time to sneak away and study during his trip. That is the type of academic/athletic balance we are looking for in a Tennessee Man.
Cole Whitsett
Springfield, PA
Episcopal Academy
50 Freestyle – 20.66
100 Freestyle – 45.38
100 Butterfly – 48.74
100 Breaststroke – 55.53
Coach Quote – Cole's speed and versatility will add all around depth to this class. It is easy to see him develop into a major contributor and he will give the coaching staff a number of meet lineup options. Cole is strong and explosive and I am sure our strength and conditioning staff can work wonders with him.
Dain Ripol
Richmond, VA
Freeman HS
200 IM – 1:50.90
400 IM – 3:55.05
1,000 Freestyle – 9:19.44
500 Freestyle – 4:31.90
Coach Quote – Dain adds some depth to our IMers and brings great versatility to the team. He's a well-rounded athlete that has had to fight his way to the top. His resiliency is an attribute that can thrive on our team. Dain also understands what it means to be a Tennessee Volunteer and serve others.
Harrison Lierz
Westminster, CO
Broomfield HS
100 Backstroke – 47.31
200 Backstroke – 1:43.49
200 IM – 1:47.36
400 IM – 3:50.76
200 Freestyle – 1:37.92
Coach Quote - Harrison's passion for the University of Tennessee was very clear from the beginning. He clicked with the team as much as anyone I have seen. He has a great feel for the water, a strong backstroke, and can be a multiple event scorer at NCAAs. We have a great tradition of 200 backstrokers here at Tennessee, Harrison has the potential to be one of the great ones.
Jack Gillespie
Granite Bay, CA
Granite Bay HS
100 Butterfly – 48.55
200 Butterfly – 1:50.22
200 IM – 1:48.91
Coach Quote – Jack's size and overall presence on the pool deck stood out to me right away. He is a rapidly developing flyer and IMer and comes from a club and coach that has instilled many of the qualities we value at Tennessee. Jack also brings some strong leadership experience which we will need to lean on with a class of this size.
Jacob McDonald
Liberty Township, OH
Lakota East HS
200 Freestyle – 1:37.22
500 Freestyle – 4:21.05
100 Backstroke – 49.22
200 Backstroke – 1:46.38
Coach Quote – Jacob comes from a fantastic club with a coaching staff that we really respect. One thing that Jacob knows how to do - WIN. He has a passion for the sport, knows the value of training, but best of all, he knows how to get his hand on the wall. We value scrappy athletes and Jacob is certainly that!
Jacob Narvid
Gibbstown, NJ
Gloucester Catholic HS
500 Freestyle – 4:24.92
1,000 Freestyle – 9:01.34
1,650 Freestyle – 15:42.58 LCM
200 Backstroke – 1:47.89
Coach Quote – Coach Rich has done an incredible job with our distance group and Jake is the type of guy that can thrive in that environment. He has a great frame, a big engine, and the type of work ethic that can lead to big things. He has some freestyle range but has also done well in the 200 back. That versatility will really help our team.
Jordan Tiffany
Pleasant Grove, UT
Lone Peak HS
100 Butterfly – 47.36
200 Butterfly – 1:44.22
200 IM – 1:48.00
400 IM – 3:50.62
100 Backstroke – 48.15
200 Backstroke – 1:46.62
Coach Quote - Jordan is a tremendously versatile swimmer and he has already posted a number of times that are ready to score big points at the SEC level. It is easy to see him being a real player at NCAAs and help move our team towards championships.
Joseph Jordan
Murfreesboro, TN
Oakland HS
50 Freestyle – 20.39
100 Freestyle – 44.62
100 Breaststroke – 56.22
200 IM – 1:52.24
Coach Quote - Since committing to Tennessee, Joseph has demonstrated some fantastic leadership characteristics. He has a charisma that is genuine and infectious. He also brings some sprint speed to the class. We love recruiting from inside the state of Tennessee because we know those guys will bleed orange. Joseph knows how special it is to be a Tennessee Vol.
Micah Chambers
Enid, OK
Homeschool
50 Freestyle – 20.21
100 Freestyle – 45.25
100 Butterfly – 49.18
100 Backstroke – 49.60
Coach Quote – Micah has SPEED! He will be a guy that will be competitive for our relay positions right out of the gates. He will certainly add to the explosiveness of this big class. I'm looking forward to working with him.
Rafael Ponce de Leon
Jacksonville, FL (Peru)
The Bolles School
200 Freestyle – 1:37.97
500 Freestyle – 4:25.61
800 Freestyle – 8:23.56 LCM
1,500 Freestyle – 15:49.82 LCM
Coach Quote – The first time I watched Rafael swim, I knew I wanted him at Tennessee. He is competitive, versatile, and has great endurance. Even better, he has a tremendous warmth about him that welcomes everyone in. He is the kind of man we want to build a team with.
Thomas Horne
Sevierville, TN
Sevier County HS
100 Butterfly – 49.24
200 Butterfly – 1:47.03
200 IM – 1:50.82
400 IM – 3:54.68
Coach Quote – Being from the Knoxville area, we are so excited that Thomas has chosen to stay close to home and represent the Tennessee Vols. We have watched Thomas swim for a number of years and he has a unique relationship with the water. His movement is so fluid, it almost looks effortless. Thomas will strengthen our fly and IM events.
Will Jackson
Chattanooga, TN
McCallie School
100 Freestyle – 44.80
200 Freestyle – 1:35.76
500 Freestyle – 4:24.29
200 IM – 1:53.96
Coach Quote – Anyone who watches Will swim knows he has a massive upside. He has tremendous freestyle range and will be a real threat to be on a number of our relays. His combination of size and feel of the water will be very fun for our coaching staff to work with. Coach Rich did a great job tracking Will for many years and we are thrilled that he is a Tennessee Vol.
Joey Tepper
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Egg Harbor Township HS
500 Freestyle – 4:30.12
1,000 Freestyle – 9:17.59
1,650 Freestyle – 15:45.88
400 IM – 3:57.68
Coach Quote – Joey was the final guy in our class to decide. He proved to be thorough and thoughtful through the recruiting process. He chose Tennessee over other elite academic schools and Joey will bring an incredible balance of academic and athletic ability. He has a tremendous engine and work ethic and will add some real firepower to the distance group.
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