Swimming & Diving to Welcome Eight Newcomers in 2005-06
9/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Sept. 5, 2005
HOUSTON - As the University of Houston Swimming & Diving program continues preparations for its 2005-06 season, the Cougars will be joined by eight newcomers, head coach Mark Taylor recently announced.
Eight newcomers will be part of the Cougar program when the team opens the 2005-06 season with the annual Red & White meet at 3 p.m., Oct. 12 at UH's own Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium. The group features three international student-athletes and five that hail from the Lone Star State, including four from the Houston area. It also will be a young group of newcomers with all eight competing as freshman this season.
While the Diving program has established itself as one of the nation's best, it will only get better with the addition of freshman Tania Cagnotto. A native of Bolzano, Italy, Cagnotto brings a wealth of international experience to an already talented diving corps.
She already has competed in a pair of Olympic Games, including an appearance at the 2000 Games in Sydney when she was only 15 years old. Recently, she captured the Bronze Medal on the 3-meter springboard at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal, Canada. She also won a Gold Medal on the 10-meter platform and a Bronze Medal on the 1-meter springboard at the 2004 European Championships in Madrid, Spain.
Cagnotto's tremendous success should come as no surprise as her father and coach Giorgio Cagnotto competed in five Olympic Games for his native Italy.
Freshman Michelle Hall will compete for the Cougars in the butterfly and backstroke events. Hall, a native of Friendswood, Texas, was a regional finalist for four consecutive seasons at Friendswood High and placed second in the 100-yard back and third in the 100-yard fly at the regional meet during her prep career.
Freshman Thea Murray was an award-winning member of both the swimming and water polo teams at Health Careers High in San Antonio, Texas. Taylor expects her to be a regular contributor for the Cougars in the freestyle events.
Freshman Nicole Nugent qualified for the state meet during her final three prep seasons at Kempner High. As a senior she was honored as the Most Valuable Girl and Best Female Athlete and was named both the District and Regional Swimmer of the Year as a sophomore and junior. A three-time 50-yard freestyle district and regional champion, Nugent also qualified for the U.S. Open in the 50-yard free and 100-yard fly.
She is expected to be a regular in the Cougar lineup in the sprint freestyle events.
Another international product, freshman Andrea Pa'lmai joins the Cougars in 2005-06 from her native Hungary. Like Cagnotto, she is a veteran of international meets, finishing third in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2004 Hungarian Championships and fourth in the 200-meter back at the 2001 European Junior Championships in Malta.
Freshman Sasha Schwendenwein finished as the Junior and Swimmer of the Year during her final two prep seasons in Randburg, South Africa. During the 2004-05 year, she won the 400-meter free at the South African National Age Group Championships and earned similar finishes in the 200-, 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle events at the Provincial Championships.
In 2002-03, she finished first in the 400-meter free at the South Africa National Age Group Championships and also took top honors in the 200- and 400-meter free at the Austrian Junior Nationals.
A versatile swimmer, Schwendenwein is expected to compete throughout the freestyle events in the Cougar lineup.
Freshman Lauren VanCleave joins the Cougar program after an award-winning career at New Caney High, where she was an All-America performer in the 100-yard fly. During her prep career, VanCleave broke regional records in the 100 fly and 200 IM and earned Swimmer of the Year, Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors.
A regular contributor for US Swimming throughout her prep career, she was a sectional qualifier and sectional finalist and qualifier for the Junior National and U.S. Open, respectively.
Conroe product Jackie Wilson is the final newcomer to the team and will challenge for playing time in the freestyle events. She competed at the 2004 Down Under International Games and at the UIL State meet and was named team captain as a senior. Wilson also competed in water polo during her prep career.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SWIMMING & DIVING 2005-06 NEWCOMERS
Name, Event(s), Cl.-Exp., Ht., Hometown-High School (Last School)
Tania Cagnotto, Diving, Fr.-HS, 5-3, Bolzano, Italy-Communication Science Michelle Hall, Fly/Back, Fr.-RS, 5-5, Friendswood, Texas-Friendswood Thea Murray, Free, Fr.-HS, 5-10, San Antonio, Texas-Health Careers Nicole Nugent, Sprint Free, Fr.-HS, 5-8, Sugar Land, Texas-Kempner Andrea Pa'lmai, Back/IM, Fr.-HS, 5-5, Budapest, Hungary-Mihaly Vorosmarty Sasha Schwendenwein, Free, Fr.-HS, 5-10, Randburg, South Africa-Crawford College Lonehill Lauren VanCleave, Fly/IM, Fr.-HS, 5-4, New Caney, Texas-Parkview Baptist Jackie Wilson, Free, Fr.-HS, 5-6, Conroe, Texas-Conroe
Players Mentioned
