EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Swimming & Diving has released the 2023-24 class with 10 men and nine women being added to the roster. This is the Screaming Eagles’ second season after completing their inaugural season in late February.
“We are very excited about our second incoming recruiting class and looking forward to their immediate contribution both academically and athletically,” said USI Head Coach, Cameron Kainer. “We have many student-athletes in this class that will impact our placing in the Summit League and allow our team to make a push for a National Invitational Championship showing. This class will help us continue to build upon the proud growing tradition that is Southern Indiana Swimming and Diving.”
Cole Baker | Sprint | Springville, Tennessee
Baker is a Product of Bedford North Lawrence High School (Bedford, Indiana), lettering in swimming all four years. He won the 50-yard freestyle swim-off in the 2023 state meet and nabbed a fourth-place finish and a personal best in the 100-yard freestyle in the 2023 IHSAA State Championships, including five top-10 finishes. He also swam for Lawrence County Aquatics.
Alek Bandy | Distance | Salem, Illinois
A nine-time letterman between swimming, track & field, and cross country at Salem Community High School (Salem, Illinois). Bandy secured a season-best time in the 200-yard freestyle finals in the 2023 IHSA Sectional, placing in the top-five twice, and was a member of Heartland Hurricanes Swim Club for six years.
George Blake | Diver | High Point, North Carolina
A product from Cornerstone Charter Academy (High Point, North Carolina) who was named 2023 NCHSAA State and Regional Champion in the one-meter dive.
Brock Borak | Sprint | Cypress, Texas
Borak was a graduate of Cypress Woods High School (Cypress, Texas) who placed third at the UIL District 17 Championship in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly. He nabbed four top-10 finishes at the UIL Regional Championship and was a member of the Swim Streamline at Northampton.
Demarkus Darensbourg | Sprint | Overland Park, Kansas
Darensbourg earned personal bests and second place in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke finals at the 2023 KHSAA State Championships while representing Blue Valley Northwest High School (Overland Park, Kansas). He earned a top-10 finish in the 2022 state meet in the 100-yard breaststroke and swam for Empire KC Swim Club. The BVNHS alum was a three-time finalist in the Missouri Valley LCM Championships in 2022 and led the club team to a 2023 Missouri Valley Short Course Championship, taking two podium finishes.
Nathan Deputy | Diver | Evansville, Indiana
A hometown product of Reitz Memorial High School (Evansville, Indiana) who lettered four times in diving. Deputy was named a two-time City Champion (2021, 2023) and a Southern Indiana Athletic Conference Champion (2023). He was a regional qualifier in four seasons and a state qualifier in two and was a regional runner-up and a state finalist in 2023. The former Panther holds the school, city, conference, and sectional diving records and was a member of the River City Diving Club team.
Eli Host | Distance | Nicholasville, Kentucky
Host was a product of West Jessamine High School (Nicholasville, Kentucky), lettering in swimming. He captured a top-10 finish in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 KHSAA State Championship and nabbed second place in the 2023 KHSAA Regional Championship. Host competed for Kentucky Aquatics, winning the 1,500 and 1,650-yard freestyles in the 2019 and 2021 club championship meet, and was a member of the 2023 Kentucky LSC Championship team that placed second.
Cameron James | Sprint/Middle Distance | Shorewood, Illinois
James competed for Morris/Minooka Community High School (Minooka, Illinois) and won the 500-yard freestyle, and placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke in the sectional finals. He also placed 27th in the 500-yard freestyle prelims at the state meet and was a member of the Joliet Blue Tides.
Camden Richardson | Freestyle/Backstroke | Spring Hill, Tennessee
Graduated from Summit High School (Spring Hill, Tennessee) and placed fourth and 11th at the MTHSSA Regional. Richardson captured two top-10 finishes in the TISCA State Championships and competed for Excel Aquatics, finishing in the top-five five times in the Southeast ENSW Summer Invitational.
Sam Smith | Butterfly/Distance | Trafalgar, Indiana
Smith was a product of Center Grove High School (Greenwood, Indiana) who lettered four times in swimming. He was an IHSAA qualifier, finishing in the top-10 four times at the state meet, and capped off 2023 with a fifth and eighth-place finish at the Indiana Senior State Championships in the 1,650-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle. Smith also swam for Center Grove Aquatic Club.
Caiya Cooper | Freestyle | La Porte, Indiana
Cooper graduated from La Porte High School (La Porte, Indiana) where she placed 13th, 15th, and 17th in the IHSAA State Championships, nabbing two personal bests in the 500-yard free prelims and finals. She also was an IHSAA State qualifier in the 200 and 500 freestyles (2022 & 2023).
Abbie Hollmeyer | Freestyle | Concord, North Carolina
Hollmeyer lettered five times between soccer and swimming at West Cabarrus High School (Concord, North Carolina) and was a four-time All-Conference and All-Regional selection. She qualified for regionals all four years and was named the team MVP in four straight seasons.
Reagan Holmes | Freestyle/IM | Henderson, Nevada
Holmes graduated from Coronado High School (Henderson, Nevada), lettering in swimming four times. She led the Cougars to back-to-back 5A Regional and State Championships in 2022 and 2023. The CHS alum racked up four first-place finishes in the regional, two state championships, and two runner-up appearances in the 2023 state meet and notched three first-place finishes and a second-place finish in the 2022 regionals. Holmes capped off 2022 by capturing four top-five finishes in the state meet. She currently holds the fastest time in the state in the 200-free relay.
Ella Johnson | Freestyle/Breaststroke | Owensboro, Kentucky
Johnson completed high school at Daviess County High School (Owensboro, Kentucky), lettering in swimming. She scored a personal best in the 100-yard breaststroke in the regional meet to capture first place in the final and a state qualifier in the 100 breaststroke and butterfly. She also swam for the Owensboro Marlins swim club.
Lauren Lopp | Freestyle | New Albany, Indiana
Lopp comes out of New Albany High School (New Albany, Indiana), competing in the 50 free, 100 free, and 200 free. The former Bulldog standout scored the second-most points for the NAHS in the sectional meet.
Hallie Meier | Freestyle | Plainfield, Indiana
The Plainfield High School (Plainfield, Indiana) graduate played a key role for the three-time sectional championship teams. Meier was the highest point achiever in her junior season and was a state qualifier in the 200 and 500 freestyles (2022 & 2023). She also swam for Plainfield Community Aquatics.
Hayden Shurtz | Breaststroke | Fort Wayne, Indiana
Product out of Homestead High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) who nabbed a personal-best time in the 2023 IHSAA State Championships, scoring 11th in the 100-yard breaststroke. She recorded a pair of top-15 finishes in the senior state championship meet and was a member of the Summit City Aquatics.
Maranda Uttke | Diver | Grafton, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin native lettered four times in diving at Grafton High School (Grafton, Wisconsin) and was a WIAA Division II qualifier all four seasons, finishing sixth in 2019 and third in 2020 and 2021. Uttke holds the GHS record for six dives and is classified as the most decorated diver in school history after leading the Blackhawks to a 2022 WIAA State and North Shore Conference championship. She played a part in the 2021 and 2022 Sectional Dive Championship teams and dove for Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center Club.
Naomi Weaver | Butterfly/Backstroke | Greenwood, Indiana
A product of Greenwood Community High School (Greenwood, Indiana) who lettered four times in swimming and collected team MVP honors in 2023 while competing in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 100 backstroke, and 200 backstroke. She also swam for Center Grove Aquatic Club.
The Eagles will get back in the pool after completing their inaugural season last year. The women were able to capture a pair of wins against Quincy University and Valparaiso University to kick off the campaign. The men were able to snag one win against conference-foe, Eastern Illinois University, in the final dual meet of the season.
