June 9, 2006

BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech swimming and diving teams, along with the athletics department, have announced the signing of 14 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI), joining the 10 who signed during the fall period.

"We feel this is one of our best signing classes ever," head coach Ned Skinner said. "It is certainly the biggest and we are excited about the future of this program. The last few pieces have arrived and now it is time to put the final puzzle together."

Of the 10 men to sign, two are divers. Two of the women's four signees are also divers.

Diver Michael McDonald comes to Tech from Annandale, Va., where he attended W.T. Woodson High School. A member of the Montgomery Dive Club, McDonald was a senior national qualifier in 2004 and 2005 and is the six-time East National Champion on the one- and three-meter. He has won two national championships, one on the platform and the other on one-meter. A two-time district and regional record holder, McDonald garnered the AAU one-meter championship in 2005.

"Michael is the top diving signee in the history of our diving program," Skinner said. "He brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our team. He will make an immediate impact for the Hokies!"

Pat Graves will also join McDonald on the diving team. Graves, a native of Chantilly, Va., is a product of Chantilly High School. During his senior season, he placed 14^th at the 2006 Virginia high school state championship. He was a member of the Patriot Dive Club.

"Pat is a relative newcomer to the sport, but has quickly found success," Skinner said. "He has a strong athletic background and we believe he will quickly develop in our environment."

Kevin Koehr hails from Warrenton, Va., and attended Seton School. A backstroker, Koehr has top times of 51.7 in the 100 and 1:53 in the 200. He earned All-Met honors in addition to his honorable mention All-America accolades. Koehr is also a junior national qualifier. He competed for the QDD club team.

"Kevin is certainly one to watch develop as he enters a college swimming program," Skinner said. "We feel Kevin will develop into a multiple event finalist at the ACC Championships and qualify for the NCAA Championships!"

Scott Harkins has competed in the free, IM and breast events and is a native of Williamsburg, Va. The Lafayette High School product was all-state and earned honorable mention All-America honors. Harkins is a junior national qualifier and has competed for the CGBD club team. He has best times of 4:36 in the 500 free, 9:28 in the 1,000 and 15:57 in the 1,650. His top times in the IM include 1:56 for the 200 and 4:08 in the 400. He also swam 0:58 in the 100 breast and 2:07 in the 200 breast.

"Scott comes from a well-known club team in Virginia that has enabled him to develop all of his strokes and be a very versatile threat to the ACC Competitors," Skinner said. "We are excited to see Scott excel as a Hokie this fall!"

Kaan Tayla is a transfer from Binghamton University and is a native of Turkey. The Turkish national champion in the 50 and 100 free events, Tayla was a finalist at the World University Games. His best times are 20.0 in the 50 free, 43.6 in the 100 free and 1:37 in the 200 free.

"Having Kaan join us for the fall will immediately bring our relays up another level," Skinner said. "He has great hand speed and tempo and will lead the sprint core for this upcoming season."

Chip Hughes is a native of Greer, S.C., where he attended Riverside High School. A versatile swimmer who has competed in the free, back and IM, Hughes was a junior national qualifier, a YMCA national finalist and is the South Carolina state record holder. His club team is YSSC. Hughes' top times include 1:41 in the 200 free, 4:34 in the 500 free, 1:54 in the 200 back and 4:06 in the 400IM.

"We are extremely pleased to have Chip join us in the fall as he adds more firepower to our freestyle events," Skinner said. "Chip can swim anything from the 50 to the mile, which will be huge in a dual meet line up. Look for Chip in the ACC results, climbing his way to the top!"

Jimmy McLaughlin hails from Herndon, Va., where he attended Herndon High School. He is a junior national qualifier and a Virginia state champion. McLaughlin has competed in the fly, back and IM events. His op times include 50.3 in the 100 fly, 1:53 in the 200 fly, 51.6 in the 100 back, 1:53 in the 200 back, 1:56 in the 200IM and 4:07 in the 400IM. He has competed for the Herndon Aquatic club team.

"The Hokies are very pleased to be adding Jimmy to our family," Skinner said. "Jimmy will come in and further develop his fly with the best flyers in the conference and will boost our strong backstroke group. Look for his name in the finals of ACCs!"

Jonathan Huss is coming to Tech from Midlothian, Va., where he attended Clover Hill High School. He competed for the Swim Quest club team and swims the breast and IM events. A finalist at the state meet, his best times are 0:59 in the 100 breast, 2:10 in the 200 breast and 1:59 in the 200IM.

"Jonathan comes from the same club team as sophomore ACC Champion Scott Beard. He has dropped a tremendous amount of time the past two seasons and we feel it is just the beginning," Skinner said. "He will train in a system that has produced some of the top breaststrokers in the country over the past five years and it will be exciting to watch!"

Jared Stowers comes from nearby Roanoke, Va., where he attended Hidden Valley High School. A member of the Carter Center Aquatics club team, Stowers is a junior national qualifier, state record holder and was a Virginia all-state competitor. He has competed in the free and back events. His top times are 21.5 in the 50 free, 46.5 in the 100 free, 1:43.5 in the 200 free and 53.7 in the 100 back.

"Jared comes from a well-established and successful club team, CCA, that boasts many former, present and future Hokies," Skinner exclaimed. "Jared, teammate of fall signee Julie Sablik, has great size and great stroke rhythm that will get him contributing quickly in the sprint events and relays! Brent St. Pierre's swimmers have continuously dropped in the Hokie program and we feel Jared will fall right into the norm!"

Andrew Rogers is a native of Scarbourgh, Maine, where he attended Scarborough High School. He was a state finalist and a swimmer on the Coastal Maine Aquatics and Longhorn Aquatics teams. A competitor in the free and back events, his top times include 21.5 in the 50 free, 47.6 in the 100 free, 1:44 in the 200 free, 54.3 in the 100 back and 1:56 in the 200 back.

"Andrew has been improving drastically since he began swimming," Skinner said. "He spent last school year training with Randy Reese, one of the U.S.'s top club coaches, to continue this trend. Andrew will be one to surprise some people in the college swimming world."

The four women signees are Jessica Earl, Sarah Ameen, Julia Bradford and Michele White.

Earl hails from Marietta, Ga., where she attended Pope High School. A member of the GOLD club team, her best times are 1:06.9 in the 100 breast and 2:25 in the 200 breast. She earned all-state honors and participated in the 2005 NC SZ Eastern Section Senior Championships.

"Jessica is going to be one to look out for throughout her career at Tech," Skinner said. "She comes from a great swim program and looks to impact our program right away. We look forward to watching her excel as a Hokie!"

Ameen is a native of Manassas, Va., where she attended Osbourn High School. Ameen was a member of the QDD club team. Her best times are 24.2 in the 50 free and 54.1 in the 100 free. Her best in the backstroke are 58.3 for the 100 and 2:07 in the 200. She also had a best of 58.2 in the 100 fly. A two-time scholastic All-American, Ameen was also a first-team all-area selection three times.

"Sarah is a great addition and is really going to impact our women relays this year," Skinner said. "She has a lot of potential and her work ethic and determination will pay off. We are excited to have her join our Hokie family!"

Bradford hails from Mansfield, Mass., where she attended Ursuline Academy. She finished ninth on the three-meter at nationals in 2005. During her senior season, she won the conference meet, finished second at sectionals and third at the state championships. Bradford is a member of the Providence Twisters club team.

"Julia had an outstanding career and we are thrilled that she chose our school over other top programs," Skinner said. "She brings a wealth of experience and will be a leader for our program on the boards and in the classroom."

White, a diver, is a native of Fairfax, Va., and comes to Tech from W.T. Woodson High School. In 2006, she placed 11^th at the state championships. In 2004, she was 13^th at the state meet.

"Michele and Michael McDonald dove together in high school," Skinner said. "Michele has a lot of talent and we believe she will develop into an excellent diver."

The 14 spring signees will join Abby Barney, Mary T. Boland, Christine Currier, Kelly deMarrais, Heather Fulton, Julie Sablik, Sara Shapiro, Katie Suhr, Mike Lewis and Griffin Lutterbin on Tech's campus this fall to begin the 2006-07 academic year.