Swimming and diving coach Roy Coates has announced his recruiting class for the 2009-10 season.

Huskies announce 2009-10 recruits
Aug. 3, 2009
Boston, Mass.

Northeastern swimming and diving head coach Roy Coates has announced his recruiting class for the 2009-10 season. The talented set of newcomers includes 2008 All-American selection Alison Blom and 2008 US Paralympic team gold-medalist Kelley Becherer. Also joining the Huskies are Keary McClernan, Annie Lindland, Nicole Colucci, Allison Walker, and Cassie Cesaro.

“I believe that each of these athletes will be strong contributors to an already powerful squad,” said Coates. “I am confident that the strength and abilities of this class will make an immediate impact on both the team and the conference.”

Kelley Becherer of Sheboygan, Wisc. is a highly decorated US Paralympic team member. Representing the US since 2004, Becherer has earned three Olympic medals, three IPC World Championship medals, and set one American national record. At the IPC World Championship in 2006, she earned a silver medal in the 100m backstroke and two bronze medals in the 100 freestyle and the 400 freestyle. Shortly before participating in the 2008 summer games, she set an American record in the 50m backstroke at the 2008 CanAm Championship in British Columbia. In Beijing, Becherer took home three medals: a gold in the 50m freestyle, a bronze in the 100m freestyle, and another bronze in the 400m freestyle. While training and participating in international events, she has also been able to spend four years on Sheboygan North High School’s swimming team. During her high school career, Becherer set seven schools records, earned three team MVP awards, was named a captain her senior season, and made first team All-Conference each of her four years.

Walker hails from Haddonfield, N.J., where she built an impressive high school swimming resume. Walker swam with the varsity team all four years, captaining the squad her senior year. She earned All-South Jersey and All-Colonial Conference first-team honors in each of her four years. Senior year capped a remarkable four for Walker. In addition to becoming a team captain, she earned the Colonial Conference sportsmanship award, broke the school’s 400 freestyle record, and led her squad to a State Championship. The state title was the second in four years for Walker, as her team also won her sophomore year.

Petaluma, Calif. native, Alison Blom, capped her impressive list of high school achievements by earning All-America honors in 2008.  As a four-year varsity team member and one-year captain, Blom earned team MVP and All-League honors each season from 2006-09. In addition to helping her St. Vincent High School squad become Sonoma County League Champions her freshman and sophomore years, Blom holds the league record in the 100-yard butterfly.

Annie Lindland will make the short trip from Hamilton, Mass. to join the Huskies this season. Lindland swam three years for the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School varsity team, earning team MVP honors her senior year. At the Division Two State Championship in 2009, she placed first in the 100-yard backstroke and second in the 100-yard fly. For her achievements, Lindland earned Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic honors and was named to the Cape Ann All-Star team.
    
Clark, N.J., native, Nicole Colucci spent four years on the Union Catholic High School varsity team, captaining the squad her senior year. Colucci was an All-County selection each of her four years on the team and was named a Union Catholic Scholar-Athlete senior year. In addition to her high school career, she competed with the Fanwood Scotch Plains YMCA team, setting 11 relay records and five individual records over 13 years. She is a four time YMCA All-American, earning the honors each year from 2006-09.

Cassie Cesaro is a four-year varsity squad member and senior captain from Avon High School in Avon, Conn. In addition to being named to the All-Conference team her freshman year, Cesaro earned team Most Valuable Swimmer honors each of her four seasons.

Keary McClernan will journey from Durham, N.C. to join the Huskies in 2009. McClernan was home schooled throughout high school. She was named a North Carolina All-Star each year from 2003-2009.