Swimming & Diving Welcomes 2022 Signing Class to Rocky Top

Director of Swimming and Diving Matt Kredich

Swimming & Diving Welcomes 2022 Signing Class to Rocky Top

August 30, 2022 | Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving

KNOXVILLE – Bringing in some of the top talent across the world, Tennessee swimming & diving announced its 2022 signing class Tuesday.

"We're extremely excited about our recruiting class of 2022," assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Huger said. "This class includes athletes from five different countries as well as four transfer athletes from other institutions who have already scored points at NCAAs and won SEC titles.

"Our men's signing class may be the most talented that we've put together over the last few years. We went into this cycle having identified a few specific areas of need, and I feel that we were able to address the majority of these areas through the 10 athletes that we have brought in.

"Our women's signing class is smaller than the last few that we have brought in through the years but is diverse and already extremely accomplished. This group of incoming women have already scored points at the NCAA Championships, won SEC titles and have put up some of the top times coming out of high school."

Pep Arnwine // Knoxville, Tennessee // Free/Fly
Top times prior to Tennessee: 50 free (20.85), 100 free (45.28), 200 free (1:39.06), 500 free (4:34.87), 100 fly (51.09), 200 fly (1:57.16)
A Knoxville native, Pep Arnwine joins the Volunteers after competing with Tennessee Aquatics. He recently swam at the Southern Zones Senior Championships (long course meters), winning both the 200 and 400 free with times of 1:53.24 and 4:03.93, respectively. He finished runner-up in the 100 free with a personal-best time of 52.39. At the TISCA State Championships, he finished runner-up in the 200 free with a time of 1:39.06.

Callie Borda // Rockville, Maryland // Diving
Callie Borda comes from an excellent junior diving program and has very solid fundamentals, having qualified for USA Junior Nationals on a few occasions. This experience will bode well as she develops in UT's competitive training program.

Julia Burroughs // Maryville, Tennessee // Free
Top times prior to Tennessee: 50 free (22.65), 100 free (49.31), 200 free (1:46.93), 500 free (4:50.29)
No stranger to Rocky Top, Maryville, Tennessee native Julia Burroughs joined the Lady Vols as the top-ranked swimmer in the state for the class of 2022. She qualified for the Philips 66 National Championships, where she advanced to the finals in both the 100 free and 200 free. As a senior, Burroughs was the Tennessee high school state champion in both events. She swam for Maryville High School, where she was coached by two-time Olympic gold medalist and former Tennessee assistant coach Jenna Johnson.

Gui Caribe // Salvador, Brazil // Free/Fly
Top times prior to Tennessee (Converted from LCM to SCY): 50 free (19.43), 100 free (42.18), 200 free (1:38.09), 100 fly (47.49)
A Brazilian junior national champion in the 50 free and 100 free, Gui Caribe comes to Rocky Top as one of the fastest freshmen in the 2022 class in the sprint free. He recently swam a personal-best 48.42 time in the 100-meter freestyle, which ranked as the second-fastest mark by a Brazilian this year. When converted to short course yards, his 100 free time would be roughly 42.18, which would mark the fastest time in the 2022 class by 0.43 seconds and would have qualified for NCAA Championships. His converted 50 free time (19.43) is just 0.08 seconds behind the class best.

Bailey Davenport // Johannesburg, South Africa // Diving
Bailey Davenport brings her exciting potential to Tennessee from Johannesburg, South Africa and is excited to start her competitive career after joining the team in January and immediately redshirting the spring semester. Bailey comes to us after an excellent junior career representing South Africa at various junior international events, including the FINA Junior World Championships, which will benefit her during her collegiate career.

Landon Driggers // Gilbert, Arizona // IM/Back
Top times prior to Tennessee: 200 IM (1:47.56), 400 IM (3:47.56), 100 back (49.60), 200 back (1:44.57)
One of two transfers in the Vols' signing class, Landon Driggers was the runner-up in the 400 IM (3:44.73) at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2021 for the University of Indianapolis. He also placed fourth in the 200 back at the meet, posting a time of 1:45.38. After not competing collegiately last season, Driggers recently qualified for the U.S. National Championships in July. In January, he competed at the Tennessee Long Course Invitational, winning the 200 back and 400 IM and finishing fifth in the 100 back. His personal best in the 400 IM (3:47.56) would rank fifth in Tennessee history.

Hannah Duncan // Bowling Green, Ohio // Diving
A product of the renowned Ripfest diving team, Hannah Duncan received outstanding and advanced coaching that will benefit her at the collegiate level. She is a student of the sport and has a fierce desire to excel. She is physically strong and has the potential to put forward a big list of dives. She has competed at the junior and senior national levels.

Martin Espernberger // Linz, Austria // Fly/IM
Top scores prior to Tennessee (Converted from LCM to SCY): 100 fly (46.97), 200 fly (1:44.93), 200 IM (1:52.77)
Specializing in the butterfly, Martin Espernberger swam for Bolles High School and the Austrian Youth National Team. During a TYR Pro Swim Series meet in April, he swam a personal-best time in the 200 fly (LCM), touching the wall in 1:59.28 to place third. When converted to short course yards, that mark would be around 1:44.93, which would have been the third-fastest time on Tennessee's roster last year. At the 2021 Austrian Junior Championships, Espernberger won the 50 fly and 100 fly while finishing second in the 200 fly and ninth in the 200 IM.

Charlie Krone // Zionsville, Indiana // Distance Free/Fly
Top times prior to Tennessee: 500 free (4:32.02), 1000 free (9:27.26), 100 fly (47.93), 200 fly (1:49.96), 100 back (50.61)
Charlie Krone joins the Volunteers from Zionsville Swim Club, where he broke the 15-16 boys 400-yard free relay National Age Group record in December 2020. He advanced to the finals in five events at the 2022 Indiana Senior State Championships, placing third in the 100 back (50.61) and fourth in three other events. During the 2022 Indiana High School State Championships, he finished third in the 100 fly after posting a personal-best 47.93 time in prelims.

Jack Little // Jonesboro, Arkansas // Distance Free
Top times prior to Tennessee: 200 free (1:37.92), 500 free (4:21.00), 1000 free (8:59.56), 1650 free (15:02.29)
The second of the Vols' transfers is Jack Little, who spent the last three seasons at Arizona State. During the 2022 Pac-12 Championships, he placed sixth in the 500 free (4:21.00) and 17th in the 1650 free (15:02.29), both of which were personal best times. His top mark in the 1000 free would rank fifth in Tennessee history, while his fastest times in the 200 free, 500 free and 1650 free are just outside of UT's top 10. A native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Little graduated in May 2022 with a degree in Kinesiology, Nutrition and Healthy Living.

Tanesha Lucoe // Victoria, British Columbia, Canada // Diving
Top scores prior to Tennessee: 1-meter (290.10), 3-meter (330.00), platform (338.75)
A two-time SEC champion on platform and 2020 SEC Freshman Diver of the Year, Tanesha Lucoe is expected to make an immediate impact with the Lady Vols after spending her first three seasons competing at Alabama. The Victoria, British Columbia, native has medaled at the SEC Championships in each year, bringing home a pair of golds (2020, 2022) and a silver medal (2021) on platform. She's qualified for the NCAA Championships during each of her three years as well, earning All-America status in 2020. She holds the program record for the Crimson Tide on the platform with a 338.75 score, which would rank second in Lady Vols history.

Kailee Morgan // Greenville, South Carolina // Breast
Top times prior to Tennessee: 100 breast (1:00.89), 200 breast (2:12.33)
A two-time NCAA DII Runner Up and 10-time All-American, Kailee Morgan began her collegiate career not far from UT's campus at Carson-Newman. While there, she became the first swimmer in program history to win a silver medal at a national championship meet, a feat she accomplished twice after placing second in the 100 breast at the 2021 NCAA Championships and then taking second in the 200 breast during the 2022 championships. Last season, she competed in the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championship, winning gold with personal-best times in both the 100 breast and 200 breast events.

Regan Rathwell // Ashton, Ontario, Canada // Back/IM
Top times prior to Tennessee (Converted from SCM to SCY): 100 back (52.03), 200 back (1:51.86), 200 IM (1:59.25), 400 IM (4:12.66)
Regan Rathwell ranks as the No. 22 overall signee for the class of 2022 and the third-best swimmer from Canada. The Olympic Trial qualifier earned six medals during the Canadian Junior and Senior Championships in July, winning gold in the 200 back and silver in five other events. After converting her top times from short course meters to short course yards, Rathwell's best times in the backstrokes event are 52.03 in the 100 back and 1:51.86 in the 200 back, both of which would have qualified her for the 2022 NCAA Championships and her 200 back time would have made the B final cut at the meet.

Owen Redfearn // Norfolk, Virginia // Diving
Owen Redfearn is a talented diver who has an infectious positive personality with a drive and passion for the sport of diving while also being a student of the sport. His quest for excellence is something that will make him a joy to coach.

Libby Russum // Kingsport, Tennessee // Free/Fly
Top times prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (23.13), 100 Free (50.68), 100 Fly (54.34)
A Kingsport, Tennessee native, Libby Russum was the state runner up in the 100 fly as a senior and also finished fourth in the 100 free. Both of her times in the events were personal bests. As a junior, she placed fourth in the state championships in the 50 Free and fifth in the 100 free.

Nick Simons // Lake Oswego, Oregon // Back
Top times prior to Tennessee: 100 back (46.39), 200 back (1:40.78), 200 IM (1:47.21), 400 IM (3:53.90)
A huge addition to the roster in an area of emphasis, Nick Simons is the top backstroker and the seventh-ranked swimmer for the 2022 class according to SwimSwam. During the U.S. National Championships in July, he became the 18&Under National Champion after finishing third in the 200 back (1:57.70) and fourth in the 100 back (54.15). His top time in the 200 back (1:40.78) would have qualified for the NCAA Championships last year and been an A final time at the SEC Championships. Both of Simons' best backstroke marks would rank inside the top 10 in Tennessee history. As a junior in high school, he qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials.

Nick Stone // Midland, Texas // Diving
Nick Stone hails from Midland, Texas, where his junior coach in his early years was former Tennessee diving great Gabi Chereches, who was a two-time SEC Diver of the Year and five-time SEC Champion with the Vols. Nick had a successful high school career and made finals on numerous occasions at the USA Diving National Junior Championships. Nick is a smooth, graceful and talented diver with an outstanding work ethic and desire to be great.

Lily Wetherell // Thornton-Stewart, England // Free
Top times prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (23.61), 100 Free (51.56), 200 free (2:02.81)
Originally from England, Lily Wetherell moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to attend the Bolles School, where she specialized in the freestyle. Her sister, Lauren, is a rising sophomore on Tennessee's roster.

Ryan Williams // Tahoe City, California // Free/Back/Fly
Top times prior to Tennessee: 50 free (20.72), 100 free (45.75), 100 back (48.95), 100 fly (48.69)
A member of the Sierra Marlins Swim Team, Ryan Williams was the California 3A state champion in the 100 back and 100 fly as a senior. During the USA Swimming Northern Region Championships, he finished first in the 100 back and was second in the 100 fly.

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