Women's Swimming & Diving Signs Six
Tuesday, November 26, 2002 | Women's Swimming & Diving
University of Florida Head Women's Swimming and Diving Coach Gregg Troy announced Tuesday the signing of six athletes to National Letters of Intent. The class includes two highly talented Gainesville area swimmers in Ashley Carusone (Gainesville High) and Kristin Gilliam (Buchholz High), along with Katie Ball (Cincinnati, Ohio), Kristen Harris (Holmdel, N.J.), Brittany Johnson (Winston Salem, N.C.) and Leah Retrum (Columbus, Ind.). All six student-athletes are State Champions marking one of the most notable signing classes in the nation.
"We are very pleased with our recruiting class," Troy said. "This is an extremely versatile group, and some of the best athletes in the country. We filled many of our needs."
"Overall, I feel that we have brought in one of the best classes in the nation that will continue to move us to the top," Troy said.
Carusone attends Gainesville High School and is a State Champion. In 2001, she was named the 2A Swimmer of the Year. She holds high school records in five events: the 200-yard individual medley, 400 and 500-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, and the 100-yard backstroke. In 2001 Carusone was the State Champion in the 200 IM and the 500 free, earning All-America honors in both events. In 2002, she was awarded U.S. Swimming Scholastic All-American and TV 20 recognized her as a Scholar Athlete of the Week. Carusone holds YMCA National Records in the 200 and 400-meter IM, and the 800-meter freestyle. In 2001 she was the World Triathlon Champion for the 16-19 year old age group. Carusone has also qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 200 and 400 IM, and the 200 butterfly.
Gilliam attends Buchholz High School and is a member of the 2002 3A Florida State Championship team. Individually Gilliam was the 2002 State Champion in the 200- (1:49.89) and 500 freestyle (4:54.11). At the meet she also anchored the winning 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays. She is a six time All-American, and has also received All-America honorable mention twice. In 2000, Gilliam was also the 3A Florida High School State Champion in 200 and 500-yard Freestyle events. In 2001, she was runner-up in those same events at the 3A Florida High School Championships. Gilliam is a U.S. National Qualifier in the 200 and 400-meter freestyle events. In the summer or 2000, she competed in the U.S. Junior Nationals, and was a finalist finishing fourth in the 400 Free and seventh in the 800 Free. In 2000, The Gainesville Sun recognized Gilliam as the Swimmer of the Year. She also holds the 500-yard freestyle record at Buchholz, previously held for the past 18 years.
"Both Carusone and Gilliam have a wealth of talent and we will look for each to blossom and improve during their time at Florida," Troy said.
Ball, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, ranks as one of the top distance freestyle swimmers in the state. She was the 2002 State Champion in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:51.20. At the State Championships that same year, she broke her school record in the 200 free, placing third with a time of 1:50.87. She also was the YMCA National Champion in the 1,500-meter freestyle in 2001. More recently, she received the Tamara Naber award from her school recognizing her dedicated sportsmanship in swimming.
"Katie is an outstanding student and very good distance freestyler. She is going to fit right in with our distance group here at Florida," Troy said.
Harris will come to Florida from Holmdel, New Jersey. Harris is a senior national qualifier in the 200 backstroke and the 1,000 freestyle. At the 2002 Nationals, Harris placed 24th in the 200-meter backstroke event. At the 2002 Spring Sectionals, she finished second in the 1,000 freestyle, and third in both the 100- and 200 backstroke. At the 2002 Summer Sectionals, she placed third in the 100-yard backstroke, as well as in the 100-yard freestyle. In 2001 she was the New Jersey State Champion in the 500-yard freestyle event. She was also the 2000 N.J. Junior Olympic High Point winner for the age group 15-18. Harris was awarded the Asbury Park Swimmer of the Year twice, and Monmouth County also recognized Harris as the 2001 Swimmer of the Year.
"Kristen Harris is going to give us a lot of depth in the backstroke," Troy said. "She is also a good distance freestyler, and can swim many different events. She is one of the better swimmers coming out of New Jersey."
Johnson is from Winston Salem, N.C. She was recognized in 2002 as a U.S.A. Swimming All-American. At the 2002 Spring Nationals she finished fifth in the 200-meter IM. She qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials in the 200 IM and 200 butterfly and also was a participant at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Johnson is a three-time high school State Champion as well as an eight time YMCA National Champion. In 2000 she was the YMCA National Champion in the 200 freestyle relay, 200- and 400 IM. She was the North Carolina Senior Swimmer of the Year in 2001.
"Brittany is probably the best swimmer coming out of North Carolina," Troy said. "She will be able to contribute in many different ways, and will help us in butterfly and individual medley events."
Retrum will come to the University of Florida from Columbus, Indiana. In her home state, she holds records in the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle. In 2002 she was the State Champion in the 500 freestyle and the 200 IM. Retrum earned 2001 State Championship honors in the 200 individual medley, 500 freestyle and 200 medley relay. She was also the 2000 State Champion in the 500 freestyle event. She is a Senior National Qualifier and finalist, and was an All-American in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She has the top high school time in the individual medley for 2002.
"Leah was Indiana's High School Swimmer of the Year last year," Troy said. "She is extremely versatile, swimming all events. She can be a real big time player here."
The Florida women's swimming and diving team is currently 7-0, 3-0 SEC and ranks third in the nation.
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