University of Tennessee Athletics
Kredich Announces 2024 Swimming & Diving Signing Class
December 06, 2023 | Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee brought in some of the top swimmers and divers from across the globe to highlight its 2024 signing class, director of swimming & diving Matt Kredich announced Wednesday.
According to SwimCloud rankings, this year's class features seven top-100 ranked recruits, as well as 11 who rank in the top 10 of their states.
On the men's side, the Vols added seven athletes, with six swimmers and a diver joining the squad. For the Lady Vols, seven swimmers and two divers will head to Rocky Top next season.
Details on all 16 of Tennessee's newest athletes:
Emily Armen // Winterville, North Carolina // Sprint Free
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (22.26), 100 Free (49.08), 200 Free (1:47.72)
A Sprint free specialist out of Winterville, North Carolina, Emily Armen joins the Lady Vols after competing for East Carolina Aquatics during high school. She is the third-ranked recruit out of North Carolina for the 2024 class and a top-100 recruit nationally. She recently competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships and is a North Carolina state champion in the 50 and 100 free events.
Ava Boyer // Stuart, Florida // Diving
Two-time USA Junior National Championship finalist Ava Boyer comes to Rocky Top as a platform diver. The Stuart, Florida, native has competed in both national and international events in her career. She also recently competed at the 2023 USA Diving Winter National Championships at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center on November 29.
Ben Bricca // Seattle, Washington // Back, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 100 Back (48.05), 200 Back (1:46.67), 200 IM (1:51.19), 400 IM (4:08.44)
USA Junior National Team member Ben Bricca joins the Vols as the sixth-ranked recruit in Washington state. The Back and IM swimmer has competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships for the last two years and swims for the Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club.
Emily Brown // Dublin, Ohio // Free, Back, Fly, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (22.89), 100 Free (49.51), 200 Free (1:45.88), 500 Free (4:45.87), 100 Back (53.70), 200 Back (1:56.08), 100 Fly (53.51), 200 Fly (1:57.79), 200 IM (1:57.73), 400 IM (4:13.55)
Highly touted versatile swimmer Emily Brown comes to Tennessee from Dublin, Ohio, where she competed for the Dublin Community Swim Team. The top-ranked recruit in Ohio recently competed at the Phillips 66 USA National Championships over the summer and has also seen action at the Speedo Junior National Championships in her career. Brown has notched Ohio state championships in the 200 and 500 free for three consecutive years.
Jillian Crooks // George Town, Cayman Islands // Sprint Free
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (22:09), 100 Free (48.47), 200 Free (1:45.13)
2020 Olympian Jillian Crooks has joined the Tennessee program as a sprint free specialist. No stranger to Rocky Top, the George Town, Cayman Islands will join her brother, Jordan, in the program. The seventh-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, Crooks boasts several appearances on the international stage in addition to the 2020 Olympics. She adds 13 LCM Cayman Islands national records, including eight individual events, to her resume.
Bennett Greene // Knoxville, Tennessee // Diving
USA Diving Junior National Champion Bennett Greene will stay home and join the Tennessee program after competing for Tennessee Aquatics Diving in high school. The Knoxville Native has won two USA Age Group Junior National Titles and has qualified three times for the USA Junior Pan Ams Team. Greene also competed at the USA Diving Winter National Championships at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center and qualified for the 2021 Team USA Olympic Trials.
Aidan Hill // Waxhaw, North Carolina // Free, Back, Fly
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (21.12), 100 Free (48.23), 200 Free (1:45.15), 100 Back (49.67), 200 Back (1:48.92), 100 Fly (48.67), 200 Fly (1:48.80)
The tenth-ranked recruit out of North Carolina Aidan Hill is headed to Rocky Top. The versatile swimmer has notched a North Carolina state championship in the 100 fly and hails from Waxhaw, North Carolina. Hill also competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships the last two years.
Ella Jansen // Burlington, Ontario, Canada // Free, Fly, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee (converted from LCM to SCY): 50 Free (22.85), 100 Free (48.45), 200 Free (1:43.50), 100 Fly (51.65), 200 Fly (1:54.59), 200 IM (1:57.60), 400 IM (4:04.09)
The number-one ranked recruit in the 2024 class, Ella Jansen will join the Lady Vols after tallying a very impressive resume while in high school. Jansen is a member of the Canadian National Team and has competed in several national and international events throughout her career. She is set to compete at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center January 10-13.
Tony Laurito // Friendswood, Texas // Free, Back, Fly, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (21.97), 100 Free (45.76), 200 Free (1:39.51), 100 Back (47.91), 200 Back (1:44.71), 100 Fly (48.94), 200 Fly (1:47.91), 200 IM (1:46.44), 400 IM (3:45.76)
Top-40 nationally ranked recruit joins the Vols as a versatile swimmer out of Friendswood, Texas. The fifth-ranked product out of Texas competed recently at the Speedo Junior National Championships and the Phillips 66 USA National Championships.
Hannah Marinovich // Fresno, California // Breast
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 100 Breast (1:00.74), 200 Breast (2:13.77)
Out of Fresno, California, Hannah Marinovich joins the Lady Vols as a top-75 recruit nationally and the third-ranked recruit in California. Marinovich is a state runner up in the 100 breast, and is set to compete at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville for the second consecutive year.
Grayson Nye // Apex, North Carolina // Breast, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 100 Breast (54.13), 200 Breast (1:56.55), 200 IM (1:50.85), 400 IM (3:59.98)
The sixth-ranked recruit in the state of North Carolina and top-100 recruit nationally, Grayson Nye will join the Vols next year and specialize in the breast and IM. Nye is a North Carolina state champion in the breaststroke and hails from Apex, North Carolina. He also swam for the TAC Titans in high school.
Pedro Sansone // Sao Paulo, Brazil // Sprint Free
Top Times Prior to Tennessee (converted from LCM to SCY): 50 Free (19.75), 100 Free (43.25), 200 Free (1:43.22)
Brazilian sprint freestyler Pedro Sansone is set to join the Vols next season. The top-100 recruit has competed in several international events, including a top-ten finish at the World Aquatics Junior Championships in the 100 free.
McKenzie Siroky // Livonia, Michigan // Free, Breast
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (23.04), 100 Free (56.13), 100 Breast (1:00.07), 200 Breast (2:24.62)
McKenzie Siroky, the fourth-ranked recruit in the state of Michigan and a top-200 recruit in the country, will come to Knoxville after being a U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier and Michigan state champion in the breaststroke. Siroky comes out of Livonia, Michigan, and swam for Livonia Stevenson High School.
Noah Smith // Kennesaw, Georgia // Sprint Free, Fly
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (20.38), 100 Free (44.72), 200 Free (1:40.79), 100 Fly (48.76), 200 Fly (2:15.72)
The fifth-ranked recruit in Georgia and a state champion in the 50 and 100 free, Noah Smith will join the Vols next season. Smith hails from Kennesaw, Georgia, and competed for Stingrays Swimming in high school. This past summer, he swam in the Speedo Junior National Championships.
Lexi Stevens // Moseley, Virginia // Free, Back, Fly
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (23.21), 100 Free (51.72), 200 Free (1:48.80), 500 Free (4:59.52), 1000 Free (10:40.33), 100 Back (52.48), 200 Back (1:54.92), 100 Fly (54.25), 200 Fly (2:07.53)
The top-ranked recruit out of North Carolina and a top-50 recruit nationally, Lexi Stephens will join the Lady Vols after becoming a Virginia state champion in the backstroke. Stephens hails from Moseley, Virginia, and will come to Knoxville with an impressive high school resume. She most recently competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships and the Phillips 66 USA National Championships.
Virginia Tiberti // Italy // Diving
International talent Virginia Tiberti will join the Lady Vols after being a member of the Italian Junior National Team. Tiberti competed at Torino 2023 Absolute Winter and also at the European Junior Championships in 2022, where she tallied an eighth-place finish on platform representing Italy.
According to SwimCloud rankings, this year's class features seven top-100 ranked recruits, as well as 11 who rank in the top 10 of their states.
On the men's side, the Vols added seven athletes, with six swimmers and a diver joining the squad. For the Lady Vols, seven swimmers and two divers will head to Rocky Top next season.
Details on all 16 of Tennessee's newest athletes:
Emily Armen // Winterville, North Carolina // Sprint Free
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (22.26), 100 Free (49.08), 200 Free (1:47.72)
A Sprint free specialist out of Winterville, North Carolina, Emily Armen joins the Lady Vols after competing for East Carolina Aquatics during high school. She is the third-ranked recruit out of North Carolina for the 2024 class and a top-100 recruit nationally. She recently competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships and is a North Carolina state champion in the 50 and 100 free events.
Ava Boyer // Stuart, Florida // Diving
Two-time USA Junior National Championship finalist Ava Boyer comes to Rocky Top as a platform diver. The Stuart, Florida, native has competed in both national and international events in her career. She also recently competed at the 2023 USA Diving Winter National Championships at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center on November 29.
Ben Bricca // Seattle, Washington // Back, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 100 Back (48.05), 200 Back (1:46.67), 200 IM (1:51.19), 400 IM (4:08.44)
USA Junior National Team member Ben Bricca joins the Vols as the sixth-ranked recruit in Washington state. The Back and IM swimmer has competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships for the last two years and swims for the Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club.
Emily Brown // Dublin, Ohio // Free, Back, Fly, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (22.89), 100 Free (49.51), 200 Free (1:45.88), 500 Free (4:45.87), 100 Back (53.70), 200 Back (1:56.08), 100 Fly (53.51), 200 Fly (1:57.79), 200 IM (1:57.73), 400 IM (4:13.55)
Highly touted versatile swimmer Emily Brown comes to Tennessee from Dublin, Ohio, where she competed for the Dublin Community Swim Team. The top-ranked recruit in Ohio recently competed at the Phillips 66 USA National Championships over the summer and has also seen action at the Speedo Junior National Championships in her career. Brown has notched Ohio state championships in the 200 and 500 free for three consecutive years.
Jillian Crooks // George Town, Cayman Islands // Sprint Free
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (22:09), 100 Free (48.47), 200 Free (1:45.13)
2020 Olympian Jillian Crooks has joined the Tennessee program as a sprint free specialist. No stranger to Rocky Top, the George Town, Cayman Islands will join her brother, Jordan, in the program. The seventh-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, Crooks boasts several appearances on the international stage in addition to the 2020 Olympics. She adds 13 LCM Cayman Islands national records, including eight individual events, to her resume.
Bennett Greene // Knoxville, Tennessee // Diving
USA Diving Junior National Champion Bennett Greene will stay home and join the Tennessee program after competing for Tennessee Aquatics Diving in high school. The Knoxville Native has won two USA Age Group Junior National Titles and has qualified three times for the USA Junior Pan Ams Team. Greene also competed at the USA Diving Winter National Championships at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center and qualified for the 2021 Team USA Olympic Trials.
Aidan Hill // Waxhaw, North Carolina // Free, Back, Fly
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (21.12), 100 Free (48.23), 200 Free (1:45.15), 100 Back (49.67), 200 Back (1:48.92), 100 Fly (48.67), 200 Fly (1:48.80)
The tenth-ranked recruit out of North Carolina Aidan Hill is headed to Rocky Top. The versatile swimmer has notched a North Carolina state championship in the 100 fly and hails from Waxhaw, North Carolina. Hill also competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships the last two years.
Ella Jansen // Burlington, Ontario, Canada // Free, Fly, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee (converted from LCM to SCY): 50 Free (22.85), 100 Free (48.45), 200 Free (1:43.50), 100 Fly (51.65), 200 Fly (1:54.59), 200 IM (1:57.60), 400 IM (4:04.09)
The number-one ranked recruit in the 2024 class, Ella Jansen will join the Lady Vols after tallying a very impressive resume while in high school. Jansen is a member of the Canadian National Team and has competed in several national and international events throughout her career. She is set to compete at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center January 10-13.
Tony Laurito // Friendswood, Texas // Free, Back, Fly, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (21.97), 100 Free (45.76), 200 Free (1:39.51), 100 Back (47.91), 200 Back (1:44.71), 100 Fly (48.94), 200 Fly (1:47.91), 200 IM (1:46.44), 400 IM (3:45.76)
Top-40 nationally ranked recruit joins the Vols as a versatile swimmer out of Friendswood, Texas. The fifth-ranked product out of Texas competed recently at the Speedo Junior National Championships and the Phillips 66 USA National Championships.
Hannah Marinovich // Fresno, California // Breast
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 100 Breast (1:00.74), 200 Breast (2:13.77)
Out of Fresno, California, Hannah Marinovich joins the Lady Vols as a top-75 recruit nationally and the third-ranked recruit in California. Marinovich is a state runner up in the 100 breast, and is set to compete at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville for the second consecutive year.
Grayson Nye // Apex, North Carolina // Breast, IM
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 100 Breast (54.13), 200 Breast (1:56.55), 200 IM (1:50.85), 400 IM (3:59.98)
The sixth-ranked recruit in the state of North Carolina and top-100 recruit nationally, Grayson Nye will join the Vols next year and specialize in the breast and IM. Nye is a North Carolina state champion in the breaststroke and hails from Apex, North Carolina. He also swam for the TAC Titans in high school.
Pedro Sansone // Sao Paulo, Brazil // Sprint Free
Top Times Prior to Tennessee (converted from LCM to SCY): 50 Free (19.75), 100 Free (43.25), 200 Free (1:43.22)
Brazilian sprint freestyler Pedro Sansone is set to join the Vols next season. The top-100 recruit has competed in several international events, including a top-ten finish at the World Aquatics Junior Championships in the 100 free.
McKenzie Siroky // Livonia, Michigan // Free, Breast
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (23.04), 100 Free (56.13), 100 Breast (1:00.07), 200 Breast (2:24.62)
McKenzie Siroky, the fourth-ranked recruit in the state of Michigan and a top-200 recruit in the country, will come to Knoxville after being a U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier and Michigan state champion in the breaststroke. Siroky comes out of Livonia, Michigan, and swam for Livonia Stevenson High School.
Noah Smith // Kennesaw, Georgia // Sprint Free, Fly
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (20.38), 100 Free (44.72), 200 Free (1:40.79), 100 Fly (48.76), 200 Fly (2:15.72)
The fifth-ranked recruit in Georgia and a state champion in the 50 and 100 free, Noah Smith will join the Vols next season. Smith hails from Kennesaw, Georgia, and competed for Stingrays Swimming in high school. This past summer, he swam in the Speedo Junior National Championships.
Lexi Stevens // Moseley, Virginia // Free, Back, Fly
Top Times Prior to Tennessee: 50 Free (23.21), 100 Free (51.72), 200 Free (1:48.80), 500 Free (4:59.52), 1000 Free (10:40.33), 100 Back (52.48), 200 Back (1:54.92), 100 Fly (54.25), 200 Fly (2:07.53)
The top-ranked recruit out of North Carolina and a top-50 recruit nationally, Lexi Stephens will join the Lady Vols after becoming a Virginia state champion in the backstroke. Stephens hails from Moseley, Virginia, and will come to Knoxville with an impressive high school resume. She most recently competed at the Speedo Junior National Championships and the Phillips 66 USA National Championships.
Virginia Tiberti // Italy // Diving
International talent Virginia Tiberti will join the Lady Vols after being a member of the Italian Junior National Team. Tiberti competed at Torino 2023 Absolute Winter and also at the European Junior Championships in 2022, where she tallied an eighth-place finish on platform representing Italy.
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