University of St. Thomas Athletics
Women's Swim-Dive inks 12 to first D-I signing class
11/11/2020 9:03:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Blanchard's class, all incoming freshmen, will include:
Kiara Bissen, Madison, Wis./ Madison Memorial
Undecided on major for St. Thomas… Academic All-State and Academic All-America… High school swim highlights include: 2018-2019 all-state in 200 free relay; 2019-2020 All-American in 400 free relay; three-time state qualifier; and USA NCSA Junior Nationals qualifier… Best Events: 100 Breaststroke 1:05.91/ 200 Breaststroke 2:27.95/ 100 Freestyle :53.09… daughter of Kathy and Pete Bissen.
Elizabeth Bonneville, Lakeville Minn./ Lakeville South
Plans on majoring in Biology and/or Chemistry while at St. Thomas… on school's highest academic honor list... High school highlights include all-state in 500 free as a sophomore; two-time all-conference; named team's Most Improved as a freshman and Most Dedicated as a sophomore… Best Events: 500 Freestyle 4:59.15/ 200 Freestyle 1:52.66/ 1650 Freestyle 17:22.13/ 400 Individual Medley 4:33.60… daughter of Jennifer and Jon Bonnneville.
Sophie Curran, Minneapolis, Minn./ Edina
Dean's List academic honoree at her school... plans Health and Exercise Science major while at St. Thomas... in high school swimming was captain and four-time state meet participant, and helped Eagles team win three state championships; individually placed fifth and seventh at state in 100 back; broke and re-set her own school record in 100 back sophomore and junior seasons... Best events: 100 Back :56.14/ 200 Back 2:04.11/ 100 Free :52.71… daughter of Erin and Robert Curran.
Ellery Kitt, 2021, Victoria, Minn./Minnetonka
Dean's List academic honoree at her school... plans Biology or Psychology major while at St. Thomas... honorable-mention all-conference and four-year competitor in section meet and team Spirit award... received "Hardest Worker" award for high school and club teams... Best times of 5:09.67 in 500 free and 18:15 in 1650 free.
Lauryn Kramer, Sartell, Minn./Sartell
Dean's List academic honoree at her school... plans Chemistry or Biology major while at St. Thomas, with pharmacy or medical path being considered... in high school swimming helped Sabres win team championship in section meet and True Team section meet as a junior; swam at state meet on fourth-place 400 free relay as a sophomore and fifth place 400 free relay as a junior... Best events include 50 Free 24.52; 100 Free 53.76; 200 Free 2:00.65... daughter of Kim and Shane Kramer.
Abby Larson, Faribault, Minn./ Faribault
Undecided on her major at St. Thomas… on school's highest academic honor lists… High school highlights include: five-time all-state; four-time Section 1A Swimmer of the Year; holds Faribault High records in the 200 free and 500 free; five-time Section 1A champion in the 200 free and 500 free, five-time all-conference honors; two-time captain; three-time team Most Valuable Swimmer... Best Events: 100 Freestyle :54.49/ 200 Freestyle 1:53.84/ 500 Freestyles 5:08.89… daughter of Angie and Tim Larson.
Lily Linden, Rochester, Minn./Century
On school's highest academic honor list... will major in Exercise Science and Psychology while at St. Thomas with goal to work in Physical Therapy... In swimming competed in state meet as a sophomore and junior and qualified in 2020, but meet was not held due to Covid)... helped Century team go unbeaten in dual meets each of the last two seasons... three-time all-conference, holds one school record in relay; team captain and team Spirit Award honoree in 2020; team high point award in 2019; team Rookie of the Year in 2016... Best events 100 Back :59.22, 200 Back 2:10.13, 100 Butterfly :57.65 and 200 Butterfly 2:13.94... with Rochester Swim Club was three-time national meet qualifier and four-time state qualifier... Father, David, competed in college swim-dive four seasons at UW-Stevens Point... daughter of Julie and David Linden.
Named Academic All-America in prep swimming... plans to major in Communication Studies while at St. Thomas… All-American and all-state; high school team MVP; high point winner and state runner-up in 200 free for Storm Swim Club; Speedo, Futures, and TYR Pro Series qualifier… Best Events: 50 Freestyle :23.84/ 200 Freestyle 1:50.96/ 200 Breaststroke 2:23.56/ 400 Individual Medley 4:33.75… Father, Jon, played football at the University of Minnesota and was All-Big Ten in 1987; brother, Tate, currently swims at Division I South Dakota... daughter of Michele and Jon Leverenz.
Annika Olson, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee
On school's highest academic honor list... undeclared major at St. Thomas... best times include 25.94 in the 50 free; 56.84 in the 100 free; and 1:14.70 in the 100 breaststroke.... high school captain and club team Spirit Award honoree... also played youth soccer growing up and through sophomore year in high school... Mother, Anne, swam for University of Minnesota from 1990-94... daughter of Anne and Eric Olson.
Highest academic honor list at school, considering Engineering major at St. Thomas... also swims for Riptime Swim Club... best times include 58.3 in the 100 fly; 2:10.6 in the 200 fly; and 2:13.6 in the 200 IM.
Ashley Plantenberg, Eden Prairie, Minn./ Eden Prairie
Plans on a Business major while at St. Thomas… on school's highest academic honor lists… High school highlights include four-time team section and three-time team state qualifier; team captain; eight-time section finalist; all-conference; on 200 freestyle relay that made All-America and was section champ; took fifth at sections in the 100 breast this year; NCSA qualifier… Best Events: 100 Breaststroke 1:06.28/ 200 Breaststroke 2:27.26/ 100 Freestyle :54.43… Father Erik played college baseball at Division I San Diego State and pitched professionally three seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies; Mother, Jennifer, played Division I college tennis at San Diego State... daughter of Jennifer and Erik Plantenberg.
Grace Schroer, Gold River, Calif./Casa Roble
Plans on a major in Financial Management./Data Analytics while at St. Thomas... 3X Sierra Nevada Scholar Athlete; Casa Roble High School Athlete of the Year; 2X Conference MVP; 4X section meet finalist... best times of 2:06.49 in 200 Back; 59.64 in 100 back; 2:12.66 in 100 IM; 4:43.05 in 400 IM... love travel and has visited five countries and 26 states.
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The Tommies received NCAA approval last July to make an unprecedented direct move of all of its varsity sports from non-scholarship NCAA Division III into Division I.
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Fans can follow athletic recruiting news here on Tommiesports.com as well as on the St. Thomas Athletics' Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social media channels. To learn more about this week's signing classes, follow our teams on social media - https://tommiesports.com/socialaccounts.aspx
