Arkansas Gains Momentum For 2018, Signing 10

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas swimming and diving head coach Neil Harper announced the signing of 10 additions to the program for the 2018-19 season.

“I am extremely happy with our recruiting class,” said Harper. “Last year, we signed the best diving class in the country. This year, we have signed swimmers that will contend at the SEC and NCAA Championships. This year’s team created great chemistry and a culture that our recruits fell in love with. It is an exciting time to be a Razorback, as we continue to work on becoming the most improved team in the country.”

Emma Garfield | The Colony, Texas (The Colony High School / Lakeside Swim Team)

Garfield won the Texas UIL 5A title in the 100 breast last year. She also finished second in the 200 IM. Her top times include 1:02.70 in the 100 breast, 2:14.36 in the 200 breast and 4:21.88 in the 400 IM.

Vanessa Herrmann | Bismarck, North Dakota (Century High School / Aquastorm)

Herrmann is the No. 1 ranked recruit from the state of North Dakota. She is the three-year North Dakota State Champion in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke at the NDHSAA Boys/Girls State Meet. Her top times include a 1:02.75 mark in the 100 breast, 2:16.74 in the 200 breast, 2:02.77 in the 200 IM and a 4:25.40 in the 400 IM.

Anna Hopkin | Preston, England (University of Bath / Ealing Swim Club)

Hopkin won gold in the 50m free at the 2017 British Swimming Championships in Sheffield, just ahead of Olympic silver-medalist Siobhan-Marie O’Connor. Hopkin represented Great Britain at the World University Games in Taiwan last summer. Her best times converted to short-course are a 21.86 in the 50 free, 48.05 in the 100 free and 54.59 in the 100 fly.

Lexi Ljunggren | East Grand Forks, Minnesota (East Grand Forks Senior High / RRVY Wahoos)

Ljunggren is a distance free swimmer, who is a four-time North Dakota state champion, having won the 200/500 free double at the NDHSAA Boys/Girls State Meet in both her freshman and sophomore seasons. She placed third in the 1000 free (10:01.72) at the 2017 Iowa City Sectionals and fourth in the 200 free (1:49.88) and 500 free (4:52.87). Her top times include a 52.60 in the 100 free, 1:49.85 in the 200 free, 4:52.33 in the 500 free, 10:01.72 in the 1000 free and 17:05.51 in the mile.

Erin McGuirt | Searcy, Arkansas (Searcy High School / Shark ATAC)

McGuirt is a two-time State Champion in the 200 IM at the AHSAA 6A Championships. She is a USA Swimming Futures Qualifier, as well. Her top times include a 55.05 mark in the 100 fly, 2:06.38 in the 200 fly, 2:05.46 in the 200 IM and 4:25.86 in the 400 IM.

Kobie Melton | Athens, Alabama (Athens High School / Huntsville Swim Association)

Melton is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and NISCA All-American. At the 2016 AHSAA 6A-7A Division Swimming and Diving Championships, she won the 100 back in a time of 55.99 and finished runner-up in the 200 free in 1:50.36. She is a 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials qualifier in the 100 back, clocking a 1:03.09 in the prelims. Her top times include a 23.69 mark in the 50 free, 50.45 in the 100 free and 1:49.97 in the 200 free. Her top 100 back time is 54.69.

Molly Moore | Brookline, Missouri (New Covenant Academy / Springfield Aquatics)

Moore was a runner-up in both the 50 free and 100 free at the 2017 MSHSAA Girls State Swimming Championships. Her top times include 23.07 in the 50 free and 51.09 in the 100 free. She also swims the 100 back and 200 back, with times of 55.65 and 2:04.40, respectively.

Estilla Mosena | Trieste, Italy

Mosena is a two-time Italian champion in FINA category B on the 1m and 3m springboards. She was also selected twice to be part of the Italian Junior National team. She represented Italy at the 2012 European Junior Diving Championships in Graz and at the 2014 European Junior Diving Championships in Bergamo. During her career, she has won 13 national and international medals, including two golds, six silver and five bronze.

Andrea Sansores | Cancun, Mexico (International American School Cancun / Casablanca Cancun)

Sansores represented Mexico at the 2015 FINA Junior World Championships in Singapore and at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Indianapolis. In Singapore, the sprinter swam to a 49th-place showing in the 50 free, 42nd in the 50 back and 43rd in the 50 fly. This past summer in Indianapolis, she set a personal best in the 50 free (23.28) with a 34th-place finish, improved to 29th in the 50 back and touched 36th in the 100 back. Her other personal bests include a 52.23 mark in the 100 free and 57.13 in the 100 back.

Svea Torres | Greenville, North Carolina (D.H. Conley High School / East Carolina Aquatics)

Torres is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and three-time high school All-American. She was a finalist at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 NCHSAA 4A State Championships. During her sophomore year, she finished fifth in the 100 free and led the 200 medley and 200 free relays. As a junior, Torres touched sixth in the 50 free and won the consolation final of the 100 free. Her top times include a 23.28 in the 50 free, 51.20 in the 100 free, 1:50.81 in the 200 free and 1:05.80 in the 100 breast.

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