Players Mentioned
Pirates Add Seven for 2015-16
6/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. -- Coming off a season in which the men's swimming & diving team captured a program record five individual BIG EAST championships, the Pirates have added seven student-athletes for the 2015-16 season head coach Ron Farina announced on Wednesday.
The talented group hails from a diverse set of backgrounds and includes local products David Rowe (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and Chris Tucker (Middletown, N.J.) as well as Ivan Michalovic (Glen Mills, Pa.) and Dakota Williams (Noank, Conn.) out of the northeast. Texas native Kyle Nash (Katy, Texas) will also take the block for the Pirates as a freshman in the fall, as will 2012 Israeli junior champion Lior Grubert (Yehud-Monosson, Israel) and Canadian standout William Smith (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
"As with our previous classes, this group features a number of very versatile competitors," said assistant coach Derek Sapp. "Every year we're looking to position ourselves to improve. We were able to add guys we expect to come in and help to continue to raise the standard right away while adding depth throughout several different events."
The incoming contingent will join a core that features 18 returning letterwinners -- nine of which earned All-BIG EAST honors a season ago. As a whole, the Pirates will bring back student-athletes that were responsible for 40 of the team's 50 individual scoring performances at the 2015 BIG EAST Championships.
Seton Hall recorded its second third-place team finish at the conference meet in as many years but increased its point total by nearly 200 points from the inaugural year of the current BIG EAST. The significant increase was highlighted by the program record of five gold medals, two of which came from a pair of rising sophomores in Noah Yanchulis (Arnold, Md.) (200-free) and Matt Zebrowski (Sayreville, N.J.) (200-fly).
"In speaking with the members of this class, they are all aware of and drawn to the opportunity to compete for championships from day one," added Sapp. "Our ultimate goal is to win a team title. Our returning guys have been pushing themselves with that in mind and by adding this group to the fold; we feel we have positioned ourselves to compete at that level."
LIOR GRUBERT
Yehud-Monosson, Israel
Club: Maccabi Kiriat Ono
GRUBERT PROFILE
- 2012 Israeli Junior National Champion
- Comes to The Hall after completing military service commitment, similar to rising sophomore and All-BIG EAST performer Zohar Suslovich (Holon, Israel)
- Expected to compete primarily in freestyle and individual medley events
- Current top times in the 50, 100, 200 and 500-free all would have ranked in the top-eight at the 2015 BIG EAST Championships
IVAN MICHALOVIC
Glen Mills, Pa.
High School: Garnet Valley
Club: Upper Main Line YMCA/ Delaware Swim Team
MICHALOVIC PROFILE
- National Club Swimming Association (NCSA) national qualifier
- Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state championship qualifier and finalist
- Attended same high school as current Pirate and All-BIG EAST honoree Megan Mallon, setting multiple Garnet Valley pool records
- Top 1,650-free time would have ranked fourth in the BIG EAST last season, one of three events in which his personal best rates among the top-eight from the 2015 conference meet
- Will be a part of distance freestyle and backstroke lineups while also competing in the individual medley
KYLE NASH
Katy, Texas
High School: Cinco Ranch
Club: Katy Aquatics
NASH PROFILE
- National Club Swimming Association (NCSA) national qualifier
- Helped lead team to a second-place finish at the state championship meet as a senior -- the highest ever for Cinco Ranch
- Part of a squad that captured back-to-back regional championships in his final two years
- Personal records in 200-fly, 200-IM and 400-IM all rate among top-eight from 2015 BIG EAST Championships
- High school teammate of current Pirate and All-BIG EAST performer Kat Carson; could slot into butterfly and individual medley events as a freshman
DAVID ROWE
Cherry Hill, N.J.
High School: Cherry Hill East
Club: Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club
ROWE PROFILE
- Meet of Champions qualifier where he finished second in the 100-fly and was part of three top-three relay efforts in 2015
- Also competed in the Speedo Championship Series
- Finished high school career as school record holder in 100-back, 100-fly and 50-free
- Personal-best 100-fly time is more than two-tenth of a second faster than gold medal mark from 2015 BIG EAST Championship
- Expected to contend in butterfly and backstroke events
WILLIAM SMITH
Halifax, Nova Scotia
High School: Fount Academy of the Sacred Heart
Club: Halifax Trojan Aquatic Club
SMITH PROFILE
- Current provincial record holder in 800m-free
- Represented Team Nova Scotia at Canada Summer Games
- Picked up two top-five individual finishes at Quebec's Senior Provincial Championship earlier this spring
- Will add depth in distance freestyle events among others
CHRIS TUCKER
Middletown, N.J.
High School: Christian Brothers Academy (CBA)
Club: Redbank YMCA
TUCKER PROFILE
- Captain of the top-ranked CBA squad as a senior
- Helped lead the Colts to Monmouth County and Non-Public A state championships in each of his varsity seasons
- Qualified for YMCA state and national championships
- Top times in the 100-back, 50-free and 100-free rate among top-eight from 2015 BIG EAST Championships
- Projects to slot into sprint freestyle and backstroke lineups while also contributing in relays
DAKOTA WILLIAMS
Noank, Conn.
High School: Robert E. Fitch
Club: Connecticut Aquatics Club
WILLIAMS PROFILE
- #8-ranked swimmer in Connecticut according to CollegeSwimming.com
- Runner-up in 50 and 100-freestyle events at Connecticut state championship
- Took 100-free and 200-IM individual titles en route to Swimmer of the Meet honors at 2015 Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) Championship
- Owner of several conference and school records
- Expected to primarily compete in sprint freestyle and relay events
